Gary Klein
Profile
Dr. Gary Klein is Professor of History at SUNY Westchester Community College and Co-Chair of the New York City Chapter of the Alumni and Friends of the London School of Economics (LSE).
He has taught at SUNY Westchester since 2001, offering courses on 19th- and 20th-century U.S. history and the American Presidency. His teaching is recognized for its innovation, depth, and engagement, earning him multiple university and national awards for excellence in education.
Academic Work and Service
Over more than two decades at SUNY Westchester, Dr. Klein has played a key role in promoting faculty development.
He founded the Junior Faculty Association Program and the “No-Pressure Observation” Program, initiatives that enhance mentorship and teaching quality among faculty.
He also serves actively in programs through the Center for Faculty, supporting pedagogical excellence across the institution.
Interviews
Gary Klein on Political Polarization, American Institutional Decay, the 2024 Election, and How Studying Art Can Teach Us About History and Politics. Social Science Encyclopedia. October 1, 2024
Awards and Honors
Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society (1987)
British Government Overseas Research Scholarship (O.R.S.) for Ph.D. (1993)
Runner-up, “Outstanding Dissertation Award,” American Journalism Historians Association (1998)
Selected, “Speakers in the Humanities,” New York Council for the Humanities (2002–2005)
State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Teaching (2006)
Joseph and Sophia Abeles Endowed Chair for Faculty Development (2006)
Keynote Speaker, Phi Theta Kappa Induction Ceremony (2006)
National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Award for Teaching (2007)
Susan B. Hoffman Students First Service Award (2015)
WCC Foundation Award for Excellence in Teaching (2015)
WCC Student Service Award (2015)
Education
Ph.D. International History – London School of Economics
Doctoral Dissertation: “The American Press and the Rise of Hitler, 1923–33.”M.A. International History – London School of Economics
B.A. History – University of Pennsylvania
Institutions
Professor of History, SUNY Westchester Community College (2001–Present)
Adjunct Professor of History, Sacred Heart University (2000–2001)
Coordinator, New York City Chapter of the Alumni and Friends of the London School of Economics (LSE)
Research Topics
American History • American Presidential History • World War I • Art History
Courses Taught
19th Century U.S. History
20th Century U.S. History
History of the American Presidency
Presentations & Publications
Lara’s Story (Documentary on the Syrian Civil War, 2018)
“Transforming the Workplace Across Generational Lines,” HSBC Media Relations Department (2014)
“Education and the Arab Spring,” Davis Scholars Program (2013)
“How to Build Mentorship—A Hands-On Approach” (Co-presented with Prof. Scovotti), Connections Mentoring Breakfast (2012)
“Teaching and Learning in the Arab World,” Center for Teaching and Scholarship (2011)
“An American in Jordan,” Fourth Unitarian Society, Mohegan Lake, NY (2011)
“The American Press and the Rise of Hitler, 1923–1933,” Fourth Unitarian Society (2010)
Keynote Speaker, World War II Conference, Brookdale Community College (2008)
“Global Migrations,” Davis Scholar Program (2007)
“The American Presidency,” WCC Faculty Development Week (2007)
“Art & Revolutions,” Mid-Atlantic World History Association Conference (2004)
“Voyage of the Saint Louis” (Journalism & Communication Monographs, 2003)
Numerous lectures for the New York Council for the Humanities (2002–2006)
“When the News Doesn’t Fit: The New York Times and Hitler’s First Two Months in Office,” Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly (Vol. 78, No. 1, 2001)
“Newspapers in American Life,” Bard College Humanities Teacher Institute (2001)
Conference papers presented at Rutgers University, Columbia University, NYU, and American Journalism Historians Association (1997–1999)