The History Department would like to congratulate and commend undergraduate history student Ronnie Karanja for his stand-out work this year! This academic year, he served as Dr. Rachel Gross’ outstanding undergraduate research assistant and participated in CU Denver’s annual Research and Creative Activities Symposium (RaCAS) 2026. As a dedicated sophomore, Ronnie assisted Dr. Gross in her research on military surplus stores in the UK, Australia, and the Philippines. Dr. Gross commends Ronnie for his ability to follow a lead, which led to new research discoveries for Dr. Gross’ future work!
Ronnie’s RaCas project, The History of the Army-Navy Store Since World War II, focused on six oral interviews he conducted with current and former Army-Navy store owners from across the U.S. He argues that surplus stores have appeared in many aspects of U.S. history and culture since the conclusion of WWII. Notably, surplus influence shows up in fashion, protests, counterculture movements, and police militarization. Ronnie also argues that the Army-Navy surplus store is a “dying industry” in the U.S. Surplus stores lack a place in mainstream consciousness today. Ronnie argues that this shift results from a lack of involvement in large-scale wars, as he finds that surplus store success and U.S. war involvement are directly correlated.
Ronnie had a great time attending research preparation and networking events in the EUReCA program, and he is grateful that CU Denver is able to provide funding for undergraduate research. While Ronnie does not plan on furthering his research on Army-Navy surplus stores, he is excited to see where Dr. Gross’s research leads in the future. Ronnie hopes to go on to be a history teacher, and Dr. Gross believes that his “enthusiasm for research, critical thinking skills, and ability to talk with a range of people will all serve him well in that role.” Congratulations to Ronnie on his great work this year, and keep up the good work!