Darryl Mace, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, History and Political Science
"I teach at Cabrini College because I believe in the school's Education of the Heart mission and I treasure the interaction with faculty, staff, and students," says Dr. Darryl Mace.
Mace was introduced to Cabrini by Dr. James Hedtke, chair of the History and Political Science department. Mace and his wife, Nikki, befriended Dr. Hedtke's youngest daughter, Lori, in 2001, when the three worked at the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Geriatric Psychiatry.
When Lori introduced her friends to her family, Mace and Hedtke discovered a common interest in history and politics, and kept in touch over the years. In 2004, a faculty position in the History and Political Science became available, and Mace joined the department in 2005 as an assistant professor.
In his years at Cabrini, Mace has come to appreciate all aspects of the Cabrini experience, most notably the personalized reflection through which students are guided in their courses.
One of the unique traits of a Cabrini education is the way in which students are encouraged to expand their knowledge and perceptions through self-examination and classroom learning. Mace believes this helps students to better understand themselves and what roles they may play in society.
"Cabrini helps students to consider how they can contribute to the common good of all humankind," Mace says.
To keep students engaged in the classroom, Mace uses art, music, poetry and fiction to show the humanity of his subject matter. Yet he realizes the potential for students to get lost in the breadth of historical facts.
He takes his teaching cues from his own past educators, remembering a particular teacher who described in great detail how his family, who lived through the Depression, World War II, and the assassinations of President Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., coped with tragic historical moments. Since that struck a chord with him, Mace makes a point to add a human angle to all of his lessons.
"If students can see the historical actors or even place themselves inside the narrative, they are more open, more anxious, and more able to learn," says Mace. "Similarly, we need to acknowledge the biases of the historian making the interpretation. If students understand the subjective nature of historical analysis, they will be more conscious of the fact that their arguments, although subjective, are stronger if they base them upon solid facts."
Mace earned bachelor's degrees in history and speech communications from Pennsylvania State University, and a graduate certificate in women's studies and a Ph.D. from Temple University. He has presented his work at many conferences, including the American Historical Association Annual Meeting and the Annual James A. Barnes Conference. He is a bibliographer for the Pennsylvania Historical Association as well.
When Mace is not teaching history, he is volunteering with the Marshallton Triathlon and serving as Vice President of the Timberlane Homeowners Association. Mace is married, and lives in Valley Township, Pa. with his wife and three cats, Paco, Natasha, and Ivory.
Contact Information:
Darryl Mace, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, History and Political Science
Grace Hall, Room 258
610-902-8182
dcm722@cabrini.edu