About Maria M. Ritzema

Background

Maria Ritzema, Assistant Professor of History, has taught at COD for two years. Prior to that, she taught at University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Carroll University, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Milwaukee Area Technical College. In her short tenure at COD, Professor Ritzema has developed and taught courses on most Asian regions as well as different World History courses. She currently serves as the chair of the Carter Carroll Excellence in History Award Committee, as well as serving on the Asia Committee and the Liberal Arts Division Curriculum Meeting. Professor Ritzema also serves as the full-time faculty advisor to the Seoul of COD (Korea Club). She has presented at College of DuPage for the Asia Symposium and the Carter Carroll Excellence in History Award ceremony as well as at national conferences. Professor Ritzema has also given and facilitated talks at area libraries. Some of her recent presentations include:

  • "Decay in Ethnic Relations: Sri Lankan Migration Post-1948 Independence" - New York Conference on Asian Studies October 2019 and a slightly different version at the Carter Carroll Excellence in History Award Ceremony April 2019
  • "Sri Lanka: History of Ethnic and Linguistic Groups" College of DuPage Asia Symposium April 2019
  • Chinese immigration to US library talk – COD, February 2019
  • "'We were worried for our children.' Education as a Tool of Ethno-nationalism in Sri Lanka. Annual Conference on South Asia, University of Wisconsin-Madison, October 28, 2017

Maria is developing a field studies trip for summer 2021 to Sri Lanka. She was nominated for a faculty excellence award through the National Institute for Staff and Organization Development in February 2020.

Recent Courses Taught at COD

  • History 1120: Western Civilization since 1600
  • History 1160: World Civilization Since 1300
  • History 2205: East Asian Civilization
  • History 2220: History and Culture of China
  • History 2230: History and Culture of Japan
  • History 2235: 20th Century World History

Education

  • Ph.D., History, University of Illinois at Chicago
  • M.A., Urban Planning, University of Illinois at Chicago
  • B.A., Telecommunications, Michigan State University