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Editorial Board

2023 - 2024

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William Ledesma

Editor in Chief

William Ledesma is a junior at Vanderbilt University, majoring in Law, History & Society and European Studies: Russia and Eastern Europe, with a minor in Business. He is involved in historical studies on the post-Soviet cultural and institutional development of Europe and the Russian Federation. He also enjoys learning about American Gilded Age History. Outside of VHR, William is most likely playing basketball, learning new Kendama tricks, or reading his book recommendation of the year: Black Wind, White Snow by Charles Clover.

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Robert Lowther

Managing Editor

Robert is a junior from Lexington, Kentucky, majoring in Political Science and Law, History & Society and minoring in French. In addition to his work as the Managing Editor of VHR, Robert serves as the Editor in Chief of the Vanderbilt Undergraduate Journal of Law and Society, the Vice President of the Vanderbilt Undergraduate Moot Court Board, and the Chief Justice of the Vanderbilt Student Government. In his free time, Robert enjoys watching movies, reading, and going on walks around Nashville.

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Claire Chen

Senior Editor, Director of Submissions

Claire is a senior double majoring in Economics and History, and she is excited to be Vanderbilt Historical Review's Director of Submissions for the 2023–2024 academic year. Claire particularly enjoys the study of the Mughal Empire with interests in trade, comparative religion, and cultural development. In her free time, she enjoys building connections with Vanderbilt's cat population.

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Simon Rosenbaum

Senior Editor

Simon Rosenbaum is a sophomore from Stowe, Vermont. He is pursuing a double major in American Studies and History, with minors in Jewish Studies and Sociology. His primary historical interests include American history and the Gilded Age. Outside of VHR, he is involved in the Vanderbilt Association of Student Anthropologists and Vanderbilt Model UN. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball, watching TV, and hanging out with friends.

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Hayden Davidson

Layout and Design Manager, Staff Editor

Hayden Davidson is a sophomore from St. Louis, MO, pursuing a double major in Human and Organizational Development and Climate Studies. He is particularly interested in 20th century American history and the history of the U.S. presidency. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball, taking in a good comedy or mystery film, and appreciating the outdoors. 

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Owen Rice

Webmaster

Owen Rice is a Junior from Wyckoff, New Jersey. Though a computer science major, he's always had a love for history, particularly the Napoleonic and Gilded eras. Owen's favorite pastimes include camping, playing the guitar, and hitting the gym. 

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Alizah Rizvi

Treasurer, Staff Editor

Alizah Rizvi is a senior at Vanderbilt University from Livingston, New Jersey. She is majoring in Law, History & Society and Philosophy with a minor in Islamic Studies. Alizah thinks of history as an intellectual adventure through the past through which one can extract valuable lessons for the present. While she loves all history, Alizah is particularly fascinated by religious history. In her free time, Alizah loves to go on walks, watch Survivor, and try new food. 

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Alexa Turteltaub

Production Chair, Staff Editor

Alexa Turteltaub is a freshman from New York City. She is planning to major in Political Science and Law, History and Society, with a minor in Jewish Studies. She is particularly interested in legal history and the historical link between political activity and the creation and development of bodies of law. Alexa is also involved in the Alexander Hamilton Society and Women in Government. In her free time Alexa loves to spend time outdoors, whether skiing, hiking or camping, and she also enjoys reading, following the news, and playing volleyball and lacrosse. 

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Owen Barnert

Production Chair, Staff Editor

Owen Barnert is a production chair and staff editor for VHR.

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Isabelle Sampere

PR Strategy Chair, Staff Editor

Isabelle Sampere is a freshman from Armonk, New York, majoring in Economics and History and minoring in world politics. As a Public Relations Strategy Chair, she is responsible for the VHR Alumni network group on LinkedIn and reaching out to publicize VHR. Her primary historical interests include the Enlightenment Age, as well as the Constitutional Era and American legal history. Isabelle is also active on campus in Volunteers For Health, Women in Government, and MoneyThink. Outside of VHR, Isabelle enjoys listening to all music genres, attending concerts, and trying new coffee shops.

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Ryan Antaky

PR Strategy Chair, Staff Editor

Ryan Antaky is a PR chair at VHR.

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Brooke Lytle

Secretary, Staff Editor

My name is Brooke Lytle, and I am a Mathematics and Economics major minoring in History and Business. I am part of Alpha Delta Pi, Vanderbilt Undergraduate Consulting Club, and Tour Guides. In my free time, I like to practice yoga and listen to music.

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Nicholas Antaky

Secretary, Staff Editor

Nicholas Antaky is a secretary and staff editor for VHR.

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Ade Forrest

Staff Editor

My name is Ade I am a 3rd year majoring in LHS and CMA. My hobbies include photography and listening to music. I am passionate about history because I love to understand the perspectives of other people. I want to find ways to use history to help challenge more modern issues.

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Broderick Labott

Staff Editor

Brodie Labott is a freshman from Nolensville, Tennessee majoring in Economics and Political Science with the intention to pursue public policy. His historical interest mainly rests with Imperial Rome, along with diplomacy and foreign policy at large.

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Claire Reber

Staff Editor

Claire Reber (she/her) is a senior double majoring in history and English and minoring in political science. Her interests include 20th-century American history, American politics, English literature, and Jane Austen. She has a historical interest in the social, political, and activist movements surrounding abortion in the mid-twentieth-century. Outside of VHR she runs Vanderbilt's knit/crochet club, Life's a Stitch, and loves to read fantasy novels!

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David Mailman

Staff Editor

David Mailman is a staff editor for VHR.

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Diego Marin

Staff Editor

Diego Marin is a staff editor for VHR.

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Emma Mulhall

Staff Editor

Emma Mulhall is a freshman from East Marion, New York majoring in Secondary Education and English with a minor in History. Her historical interests include the Gilded Age of the United States and the Tudor Dynasty of Europe. In her spare time, Emma can be found enjoying different genres of music or writing down whatever comes to mind.

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Emma Reidy

Staff Editor

Emma Reidy is a Junior from Long Island, New York pursuing a double major in History and Anthropology with a minor in Art History. Her interests include visual and material culture particularly from the Ancient world, prehispanic and colonial Latin America, as well as Global and Transnational history. In her spare time, Emma enjoys traveling, exploring new restaurants with her friends, and going to the beach!

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George Boardman

Staff Editor

George Boardman is a sophomore from Culver, Indiana pursuing a double major in Law, History, and Society along with Political Science. He primarily enjoys reading about American and European political, diplomatic, and military history. Outside of VHR, he plays club baseball as the team Secretary, is part of the Moot Court team, and runs his own court transcription company. In his free time, he enjoys going to the gym, golfing, and cooking.

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Hanna Kostiv

Staff Editor

Hanna is a sophomore from Ukraine, double majoring in European Studies and Economics with minors in Data Science and HOD. Her academic interests include historical and economic development in Eastern Europe and studies of decolonisation. She is also passionate about comparative issues in educational systems and cultural preservation of the regions she studies. 

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Ivy Thornborough

Staff Editor

Ivy Thornborough is a freshman from Chicago, IL. She is currently majoring in Computer Science. Her primary historical interests include the influences of immigration during the Gilded Age and New York's art scene in the 1960s. In her free time, Ivy likes to cook, play basketball, go on runs, and stress out over GenChem.

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Molly Finlay

Staff Editor

Molly is a junior from Oakton, Virginia majoring in Law, History, Society with a minor in World Politics. She is particularly interested in electoral timelines and histories of voter participation, while also having an affinity for legal history. In addition to VHR, she is a member of the sorority Pi Beta Phi, participates on the Women's Varsity Lacrosse team, and is a member of the 'Be An Anchor' athletic leadership committee. While not in the classroom or on the field, she spends time cooking, photographing her dogs, watching Survivor, and spending time with family and friends. 

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Muthoni Kamau

Staff Editor

I am a senior history student from Dallas. I am a staff writer for The Hustler and on the editorial review board of the Vanderbilt Undergraduate Research Journal. I am interested in history because of its versatility in topic, style, and genre, and its inseparability from literature. I also love that history has no barrier to entry; it is something we all participate in and shape all the time, whether or not many remember our stories. 

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Nikki Weitzenhoffer

Staff Editor

Nikki Weitzenhoffer is a junior from Oklahoma majoring in art history with a minor in history. Her primary historical interests include the Roaring Twenties as well as studying Edo-period Japanese woodblock prints through the lens of gender. Outside of Vanderbilt Historical Review, she enjoys volunteering at local elementary schools, pilates, and trying new restaurants in Nashville!

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Pelin E. Cokuslu

Staff Editor

Pelin is a Second-Year at Vanderbilt University majoring in History as well as Classical and Mediterranean Studies. She is particularly interested in studying legal history, foreign diplomacy, and intellectual thought throughout the centuries. On campus, Pelin is also an International Student Orientation Leader, a Global Engagement Fellow of the Vanderbilt Center for Languages, and an Executive Board Member for the Vanderbilt Photography Society. Pelin finds the analysis of humanity's complexities and its development throughout time and space a most rewarding journey - to seek truth and maintain integrity as one delves into the depths of the past is vital in order to venture towards the horizons of the future. 

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Philips He

Staff Editor

I'm Philips, a junior majoring in history and political science and minoring in economics. I like how interesting historical events are and how different perspectives can help us see history in various ways. I like playing tennis and hanging out with friends in my free time, and I serve on the executive boards of Global China Connections and Phi Alpha Theta on campus. 

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Raylee Sipple

Staff Editor

Hello! My name is Raylee Sipple and I am a freshman at Vanderbilt University. I am double-majoring in Law, History, and Society and French with the goal of one day becoming a federal judge. My historical interests are focused on the age of Colonial America and the Gilded Age. When I am not studying, you can usually find me reading a book, listening to Taylor Swift, or hanging out with friends.

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Samuel Schulman

Staff Editor

I'm Sam Schulman, a Public Policy Studies and Jewish Studies double major from Charlotte, North Carolina. I love hiking, listening to 70s music, and playing with my dog S'mores! I'm a huge fan of history because you realize that today's issues have played out in similar fashions in the past, and we can take away important lessons from them.

Nashville, Tennessee

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