Dr. Tracy L. Steele History Endowed Scholarship

Dr. Tracy L. Steele (1961-2015) was a member of the History department from 1992 until her death in 2015. She was a specialist in modern Chinese history, in particular the diplomatic relations among the Republic of China, the People’s Republic of China, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Dr. Steele arrived at Sam Houston State in 1992 from a position in Pakistan which she had held for the year after gaining the Ph.D. in History from the London School of Economics. Her B.A. was from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. Dr. Steele was assistant professor of History from 1992-1998 and associate professor thereafter. She was the focus of the teaching of Chinese and East Asian history at the University in her years here, bringing Sam students to China probably for the first two times in the University’s history. She taught undergraduate courses in ancient and modern Asian history and graduate courses in Asian and diplomatic history. She was renowned for her thoroughness as a teacher, a trait she modeled in the mastering of the Chinese language, including in spoken form. Dr. Steele was a prominent University citizen, a dozen-year member of the faculty Senate and its Vice Chair and Chair. She also served as associate Chair of the History department.