As the Fall 2026 semester begins, the History Department celebrates the promotions of two faculty: Professor Abby Chandler and Associate Professor Jane Sancinito.

Professor Chandler, the department’s expert in early American history, was promoted from associate to full professor. In 2023, Professor Chandler published "Seized with the Temper of the Times: Identity and Rebellion in Pre-Revolutionary America," a monograph exploring political rebellions in the British colonies before the American Revolution. She is co-lead editor of H-Net's "Remembering the American Revolution at 250" journal, and also serves as the History Department’s faculty advisor for Phi Alpha Theta (the national history honor society).

Professor Sancinito, the department’s expert in ancient history, was promoted from assistant to associate professor. In 2024, she published a book called “The Reputation of the Roman Merchant,” which examines the strategies Roman retailers, craftsmen, and other workers used to succeed and develop good reputations, despite the stigma associated with their work. Professor Sancinito’s research on ancient coins resulted in the donation of a collection of Hellenistic and Roman coins to UMass Lowell in 2025. She is also the coordinator of the annual Zamanakos Lecture in Hellenic Studies.