Student History Research Symposium is April 19 at SMU

WINONA, Minn. — Seniors from five area universities will present the results of their historical research at the Student History Research Symposium on Saturday, April 19, at Saint Mary’s University. The event — free and open to the public — is sponsored by the history departments of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Saint Mary’s University, Viterbo University of La Crosse, and Winona State University.

In addition to the student presenters, Dr. Kirsten Fischer, associate professor of history at the University of Minnesota, will highlight the day with her presentation, “Religion and the Founders: A Conversation about Original Intent.”

Saint Mary’s University and Winona State University have co-sponsored a student research symposium for eight years, with UW-La Crosse and Viterbo University joining last year. This year they welcome UW-Eau Claire to the event. Each school asks senior history majors — and at Winona State, law and society majors — to write a senior thesis based on their original research of a historical question of their own choosing. In this way, the students actually do the work of historians, and in the process, deepen their research, writing and speaking skills.

All symposium sessions will be held on the third and fourth floors of Saint Mary’s Hall. The symposium opens at 9 a.m. in Salvi Lecture Hall (Room 332) with a short welcoming ceremony and coffee. At 9:15 a.m., students will present their research in concurrent sessions of three students each. At 10:30 a.m., a complimentary brunch will be served in the Common Room, followed by a second session of concurrent panels at 10:45 a.m. and Dr. Fischer’s talk at noon.

The last round of student presentations run from 1:15 to 2:30 p.m.

For further information, contact Dr. Tycho de Boer, Department of History, Saint Mary’s University, at (507) 457-6995 or tdeboer@smumn.edu.