Selected Student Evaluations
Below are faithful transcriptions of selected student evaluations.
“Professor Kettler displayed an immense passion for the subject, promoting my own interest. He was welcoming of questions and encouraged analytical thought.”
Anonymous student reviewer, The Holocaust and its Legacies, University of Notre Dame, Spring 2023.
“Professor Kettler is an excellent Professor who also came to class with a plan. He knows so much about this subject that he answers questions in depth. This class pushed my analytical skills and I really enjoyed it.”
Anonymous student reviewer, The Holocaust and its Legacies, University of Notre Dame, Spring 2023.
“I loved this course, one of my favorites at ND so far.”
Anonymous student reviewer, The Holocaust and its Legacies, University of Notre Dame, Spring 2023.
“Very dedicated and passionate about the material, very detailed with the information, always open to questions and answered thoroughly.”
Anonymous student reviewer, The Holocaust and its Legacies, University of Notre Dame, Spring 2023.
“ Dr. Kettler is a gifted lecturer, by far the best I've had for History. He moves through a lot of material in a narratively engaging way and always makes time for questions. When he makes a historical argument, it is always based on clearly presented evidence and he is genuinely open to debate. I can't say enough about how much I genuinely enjoy coming to class to hear the next part of the story.”
Anonymous student reviewer, Modern Germany Since 1871, University of Notre Dame, Fall 2022.
“Dr. Kettler is one of the most enthusiastic, engaging, and challenging professors I have had at Notre Dame. This is certainly one of the most challenging classes I have taken here, but I have also gotten more out of it than any other class I've taken. Dr. Kettler's preparation for class and clarity of communication in his lectures is fantastic. He clearly has a great love for what he is teaching and believes in its importance and relevance. He is one of the most engaging lecturers I have ever seen. He is an extremely stimulating professor to listen to, talk to, and work with, and it has inspired me to work extremely hard in the class.”
Anonymous student reviewer, Modern Germany Since 1871, University of Notre Dame, Fall 2022.
“ I obviously learned a lot about German history, but I also learned a lot about the study of history in general and how historians approach difficult historical questions.”
Anonymous student reviewer, Modern Germany Since 1871, University of Notre Dame, Fall 2022.
“The lectures in this class are the best I've ever received. Just from sitting in class and taking notes, I am both interested and informed about German history.”
Anonymous student reviewer, Modern Germany Since 1871, University of Notre Dame, Fall 2022.
“Kettler is an exceptional lecturer that kept me engaged even when covering "boring" topics. His mastery of the material is evident, and was one of the few classes I truly look forward to attending.”
Anonymous student reviewer, Modern Germany Since 1871, University of Notre Dame, Fall 2022.
“Dear Professor Kettler, To be completely honest, upon registering for your class, I was looking for an easy course to fill my history requirement... but your class was nothing close to easy. However, looking back on it, this was easily one of my favorite classes I've taken at Notre Dame. My engagement and excitement in class were purely driven by your evident passion for the course material. Never before have I had a teacher that seemed so knowledgeable, so passionate, and so excited to see me learn. For that, I thank you.”
Anonymous student reviewer, Modern Germany Since 1871, University of Notre Dame, Fall 2022.
“He's really receptive to feedback and takes our opinions/suggestions seriously, even those he hadn't considered before. It's really refreshing to have a professor who teaches us a lot but also seems genuinely excited to learn from us, too.”
Anonymous student reviewer, The Holocaust and its Legacies, University of Notre Dame, Spring 2022.
“Professor Kettler does a great job of presenting sensitive information in a respectful and educational way. He is always willing to meet outside of class to discuss any questions or concerns we may have, and he provides a good amount of feedback on assignments.”
Anonymous student reviewer, The Holocaust and its Legacies, University of Notre Dame, Spring 2022.
“I have a vested interest in German History thanks to him.”
Anonymous student reviewer, Modern Germany Since 1871, University of Notre Dame, Fall 2021.
“Professor Kettler is one of the most effective and one of my favorite professors I have ever had. He was extremely impartial, fair, and effectively engaging when it came to in-class teaching and outside assignments. To any of my friends that want to fulfill a history elective or have extra space, I will recommend them to Professor Kettler. No matter the class, you'll learn a lot, it will be challenging, but if you put in the effort, you will do well. I really enjoy how ties everything back to larger historical debates.”
Anonymous student reviewer, Modern Germany Since 1871, University of Notre Dame, Fall 2021.
“Professor Kettler has gone above and beyond my expectations for this class. He is keeping the material engaging, relevant, and digestible. One of my favorite professors I have had.”
Anonymous student reviewer, Modern Germany Since 1871, University of Notre Dame, Fall 2021.
“Your lectures are honestly some of the best I've had. You manage to really flesh out the story within the history with all the extra details. Focusing on primary source readings was also a really cool way to both apply what we've learned in class as well as humanize history. The movie nights also put a fun spin on this.”
Anonymous student reviewer, Modern Germany Since 1871, University of Notre Dame, Fall 2021.
“Dr. Kettler’s style of teaching the class was very enjoyable and informative. The classes felt engaging and truly stimulated my interest in the subject matter. They made learning about German history, something that I am not really that interested about, very fun and exciting. It also helped that Dr. Kettler made the lectures feel very casual and conversational as he would sometimes crack jokes or give tangential factoids about German history as well as provide time for questions all while maintaining the flow of the class. I am graduating this semester and I think that this class is probably my favorite at Notre Dame all because of how much I like the lectures.”
Anonymous student reviewer, Modern Germany Since 1871, University of Notre Dame, Fall 2021.
“Professor Kettler’s excitement and extensive knowledge base regarding the course material was truly exemplary and made the course a very engaging experience that truly expanded my knowledge of German history. He was also extremely accessible outside of class which further enhanced my experience.”
Anonymous student reviewer, Modern Germany Since 1871, University of Notre Dame, Fall 2021.
“Excellent lecturer/great at facilitating discussions. Discussions were intellectually challenging and uncomfortable sometimes (due to sometimes controversial or provocative pieces/questions) which made it engaging and helped me better understand the readings. I always left class feeling rewarded.”
Anonymous student reviewer, German Colonialism and its Legacies, University of Notre Dame, Fall 2021.
“Professor Kettler’s expertise and passion for the subject matter is very obvious and helped me get excited for each class. His infectious energy is great.”
Anonymous student reviewer, What is Europe, University of Notre Dame, Spring 2021.
“He can effectively empower discussion and thought provoking conversation, a point at the core of the course”.
Anonymous student reviewer, European Studies Today, University of Notre Dame, Fall 2020.
“Dr. Kettler is extremely passionate and knowledgeable about German History. His passion for the subject really shows when he is teaching, making the course much more enjoyable. Dr. Kettler is also a great person – extremely fair and understanding. He definitely provided students with a great breadth of knowledge as well as the tools to be successful in this course. Although I did not do great in his class, I really enjoyed being a student of Dr. Kettler.”
Anonymous student reviewer, Modern Germany Since 1871, University of Notre Dame, Spring 2020.
Dr. Kettler is incredibly knowledgeable about the subject matter and communicates content in class in a clear and effective manner. He does a great job expressing his particular arguments about elements of German history. He shows passion for the subject matter and makes the material seem very interesting.”
Anonymous student reviewer, Modern Germany Since 1871, University of Notre Dame, Spring 2020.
“Dr. Kettler was certainly very knowledgeable of the material he was teaching. He was always willing to discuss the material he was addressing with his students because he clearly had a love for the subject. Dr. Kettler also was very respectful of the students and their questions in the academic setting. He is also always willing to help a student if they are struggling or just want to understand the history discussed and its effects on the world today.”
Anonymous student reviewer, Modern Germany Since 1871, University of Notre Dame, Spring 2020.
“Dr. Kettler is one of the nicest professors I’ve had – he genuinely cares about what he’s teaching and it’s clear that he loves what he does. He tries to make the course material interesting with wacky videos and fun facts. This guy emits some serious dad-vibes, and I love it :)”
Anonymous student reviewer, Modern Germany Since 1871, University of Notre Dame, Spring 2020.
“It was clear he was very knowledgable about the subject, and I think the variety of assignments definitely promoted my critical thinking skills.”
Anonymous student reviewer, Modern Germany Since 1871, University of Notre Dame, Spring 2020.
“Professor Kettler knew a lot of specific information about topics in European Studies, so the class was able to spend more time on case studies and rely less on general theory. Professor Kettler also tried to establish intellectual curiosity in students, which is an uncommon and highly beneficial teaching strategy.”
Anonymous student reviewer, European Studies Today, University of Notre Dame, Fall 2019.
“Teacher was amazing. Did a really good job at exposing the complexities and intricacies of a topic that is often simplified in general discussion. Got students very engaged and subject matter was interesting.”
Sophomore, University of California, Berkeley, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Empire in the Era of Nationalism, Fall 2016.
“Really enjoyed this discussion [section] with Mark. He was very helpful, approachable, and full of thought-provoking questions. He encouraged us to think critically, think as a historian, and always use evidence to support claims. Great at facilitating discussion and encouraging students to participate in critical discussion. Also had some witty historical jokes. Best GSI [graduate student instructor] I’ve had so far! He was GREAT!”
Senior, University of California, Berkeley, History, The History and Practice of Human Rights, Fall 2014.
“Mark, in all honesty you were the most intelligent / effective GSI I have had in my four years at Cal. You are a very engaging person and always bring in relevant information to the discussion that you are an expert in. I always felt that I gained something from each and every discussion. I also enjoyed how kind you were and never imposed your thoughts / ideas and never forced us to speak. Your teaching method is beyond effective and I think you are a great GSI.”
Senior, University of California, Berkeley, Middle Eastern Studies / Peace and Conflict Studies, The History and Practice of Human Rights, Fall 2014.
Courses
University of Notre Dame
Modern Germany Since 1871
The Holocaust and its Legacies
German Colonialism and its Legacies
European Studies Today
European History, Politics, and Society: Global and Regional Challenges
What is Europe?
HOLY CROSS COLLEGE
European Police-States
Colonialism and Post-Colonial Society in East Africa
Western Civilization I
Western Civilization II
The Haunting of Europe
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
Reading and Composition in History: Empire in the Era of Nationalism (1789-Present)
War and Peace: International Relations since 1914 (Teaching Assistant)
The International Economy in the Twentieth Century (Teaching Assistant)
The History and Practice of Human Rights (Teaching Assistant)
European Economic History (Teaching Assistant)
Europe and the World: Wars, Empires, Nations 1648-1914 (Teaching Assistant)