History students atWest Virginia Universityreceived three of the six overall awards for best research papers at the Phi Alpha Theta state conference in Buckhannon.
Phi Alpha Theta is a national honorary society for history. The group hosts state and regional conferences each year and presents awards to the best student research papers.
WVU students Gwyndaf Garbutt of Morgantown won second place, Kelly Benner of Bridgeport earned third place, and Joe DeHaven of Martinsburg received an honorable mention. Other University students who presented their original research were Doug Bell of Wheeling, Bryan Richards of Weirton, Brian Sarginger of Lutz, Fla., Angie Sirna of Bunker Hill, Jessica Young of Scott Depot and graduate student Jeffery Leatherwood of Waynesville, N.C.
Student participation in academic conferences like the Phi Alpha Theta conference is central their education as historians,said Katherine Aaslestad, WVU history professor and Phi Alpha Theta faculty adviser.It helps them see how communities of historians operate, share ideas and learn from each other. Conference participation also gives our students an edge in applications for graduate and law school.
Additionally, the following WVU student research papers received Best Paper of the Panel Awards: GarbuttsHeretic or Nuisance: A Brief look at the Factors Behind the Accusations of Lollardy Against Margery Kempe,YoungsForced Awkward Interactions: The Role of Lower-Class Women in Early Urban Charleston, South Carolina,BennersThe German-American Bund: The Final Resistance to German-American Assimilationand DeHavensAmerican Janus: The Enduring Symbol of a Paradoxical Nation.
WVU is on tap to host the 2009 Phi Alpha Theta conference.
TheDepartment of Historyin theEberly College of Arts and Sciencesat WVU serves over 7,000 students annually through general education undergraduate and graduate courses. The department offers classes focusing on a variety of world regions and time periods. Degree requirements acquaint students with the history of several regions and periods and develop skills in research and writing.