JOINED THE DEPARTMENT
2020
BIO
Lauren Paatela is a master’s student in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s history department where she pursues a track in Ethnic Studies. Her research focuses on 20th century US history as well as immigration, labor history, race, identity, imperialism, and Romani studies.
Prior to attending UNL, Lauren graduated from Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD, with a B.A. in History and a B.S. in Psychology. Lauren wrote her undergraduate honors thesis on the 1906 founding of her school’s homecoming celebration, Gypsy Days. Her thesis, “Northern State University’s Gypsy Days and Romani Identity: A Dual Approach,” explores the dual nature of stereotypes associated with Romani people by comparing local news items written about Romani people with those written about the students involved in Gypsy Days.
After earning her bachelor’s degrees, Lauren worked in adult education in the North Minneapolis metro area, where she assisted in community outreach and taught adult English Language Learners (ELL).