About the trip...

This March, the junior honors students had the exceptional opportunity to visit Washington, D.C., for five days of intensive research. To prepare for their honors thesis next year, students gathered documents and familiarized themselves with the historiography of their topics at the Library of Congress. They explored the various reading rooms within the institution and immersed themselves in its vast collections with the guidance of experienced librarians. Beyond archival research, students also spent a day to explore the Smithsonian museums, including the National Museum of American History and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. These experiences provided invaluable insights crucial for shaping each student’s honors project, equipping them with the essential skills to navigate archives, synthesize documents, and communicate historical research.

An important highlight of the trip was the opportunity to connect with the city’s extensive UR History alumni network. During our stay, students had the privilege of engaging in dinner discussions with Nick Hamlin, Adam Konowe, and Mark Zaid to gain insights into their prestigious career paths and experiences as departmental alumni. Additionally, students met with Dr. Jeffrey Reznick, senior historian at the National Library of Medicine, to learn from his expertise in research, archival management, and public history. These interactions fostered lively discussions that allowed students to share their research interests and receive invaluable advice and feedback.

I extend my gratitude to Ruben Flores, Jacqui Rizzo, Melissa Greish-Marianetti, and Thomas Fleishman for their support and guidance in organizing this trip. Moreover, I express appreciation to the alumni for generously sharing their time and wisdom with our students to enhance their academic and professional growth.

-Dr. Michael Hayata

Visiting Assistant Professor

Nora Culver wrote: "It was wonderful to spend a few days in Washington, D.C., with other (mostly) history students. Often, studying history can feel like a very personalized, individualized undertaking, with everyone on their own separate path. While this is true to some extent given the sheer flexibility and range of the discipline, it was eye-opening and fulfilling to share in the experience of archival research with other passionate students. Even though we are all pursuing very different projects, the trip allowed us to navigate the process together while still leaving room for autonomous exploration. Spending hours combing through primary source journals on my topic and then hanging out and talking with my classmates about it at museums and over meals created a sense of larger community and support. I feel much more confident in and excited about writing a thesis, as well as personally closer to the other students in the program. Having the opportunity to speak with alumni really cemented the feeling of being part of a department with its own history and continuity through past and present, and we felt immensely encouraged and inspired by these meetings. I will look back fondly on this trip and I hope that I can contribute to supporting the next group of students that go." 

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