Posts Tagged ‘Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society’

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Spotlight: Wendy Davis, Campbellsville U

In Spotlight on June 25, 2013 by Randolph Hollingsworth Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Wendy Wood Davis

Dr. Wendy Wood Davis, Campbellsville University

Dr. Wendy Wood Davis has been a member of the Campbellsville University faculty since 2007. As an associate professor in history, she is the faculty sponsor of the Campbellsville University Collegiate Historians, which is now the Alpha Xi Sigma Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society. CU’s Phi Alpha Theta has been very active, including a trip last January to Washington D.C. to attend the Presidential inauguration. She organized student trips to Boston; Cherokee, N.C.; and a “Civil Rights Movement” trip in the Spring of 2012 when the students traveled to Charleston, S.C. and Savannah, GA. You can keep up with the students’ experiences on CU Phi Alpha Theta’s Twitter @CUPhiAlphaTheta.

Valiant efforts are required of historians working in Kentucky’s small private schools – and they often must take on a variety of jobs all in one. She works closely with the Taylor County Historical Society and works with her students to hold fundraisers for this sister organization’s benefit. As one of her students wrote in a testimonial for the University: “Dr. Wendy Davis has been very instrumental in shaping me as a person and a lover of history and teaching. I can honestly say that she cares about all of her students and desires to make history fun and exciting not only for history majors, but for her general education students as well.”

Dr. Davis earned a Bachelor’s degree in Social Studies Secondary Education and Masters in History from Western Kentucky University (WKU). She received a PhD from the University of Kentucky and returned to WKU to get a graduate certificate in women’s studies. She has taught at the college level for the past sixteen years. Her specialty is women’s history, religious history and modern America.

She also serves as an adjunct professor in women’s studies at Western Kentucky University where she teaches both online and face-to-face classes.  As she states in her bio on the WKU website: “I love teaching Women’s Studies because it allows me to help students see the world around them differently. Looking through the lens of gender and from the perspective of women, allows them to understand how diverse experiences can be in today’s society. I also love to watch my students get involved in campus events and causes that are especially important to them.”

Congratulations to Dr. Wendy Wood Davis for all her hard work in furthering the education of so many of our Kentucky students.

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Spotlight: University of the Cumberlands Phi Alpha Theta

In Spotlight on December 26, 2012 by Randolph Hollingsworth Tagged: , , , ,

Dr. Eric Wake

Eric L. Wake, Ph.D.

Today we turn the spotlight on the work of Dr. Eric L. Wake, former KATH president and chair of the Department of History and Political Science at the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Kentucky.  He primarily teaches European and World histories as well as historiography; and, he has crafted many opportunities for students to take leadership roles as young historians at regional, state and national levels.

Recently Dr. Wake received a Meritorious Award for Years of Service at the Biennial Phi Alpha Theta Convention in Orlando, Florida. He serves as the faculty advisor of the Upsilon-Upsilon Chapter of the Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society. Founded in 1974, the Upsilon-Upsilon chapter is one of the most active organizations on campus. The chapter sponsors a popular lecture series, conducts fundraisers; and hosts department pizza parties, a cookout, as well as the closing picnic. Members present at the Regional Phi Alpha Theta Convention and often at National Conventions

With the support of an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant in 1989, Dr. Wake started the annual production of The Upsilonian, an annual journal of the top three undergraduate history research papers chosen by the faculty and students on the Board of Advisors. For example, the 23rd volume published this last summer included these three interesting articles:

  • Kyla Fitz-Gerald, “Robert H. Goddard: The Secrecy of a Physics Professor”
  • Jared Coleman, “Power: The True Purpose Behind the Tennessee Valley Authority”
  • Amanda Sickman, “Sepoy Rebellion of 1857: The Rising Discontent”

You can find all the volumes online at http://www.ucumberlands.edu/academics/history/upsilonian.php.

We give a hearty congratulations to Dr. Wake, his colleagues and to his industrious students!

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37th Meeting a Success

In Business Meeting,KATH Awards,KATH Conference on September 16, 2012 by Randolph Hollingsworth Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Plenary Session at KATH meeting at duPont Manual High School, Sept 15, 2012The 37th Annual Meeting of KATH was a great success: nearly 60 attendees of postsecondary faculty, secondary educators, public historians, and students. Exhibits included representatives from the University Press of Kentucky,  the United States Daughters of 1812 – Kentucky Chapter, the Filson Historical Society, the Kentucky Historical Society, and the Campbellsville University’s Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society.

State Representative Steve Riggs presents legislative citation to Dr. George Herring at KATH conference, September 15, 2012

As part of a surprise organized by the U.K. History Department and the former presidents of the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations, State Representative Steve Riggs presented a legislative citation to our keynoter, Dr. George Herring, Professor Emeritus of the University of Kentucky.

Lunch included the incomparable performance of a Kentucky militiaman in 1812  by the talented teenager, Harry Smith under the auspices of the Kentucky Humanities Council.

The Phi Alpha Theta students from Campbellsville University will serve as guest bloggers for KATH (which will be re-posted to the H-Kentucky listserv) and give a summary of the wonderful keynote and discussion sessions.

The business meeting garnered a positive vote by acclamation for the KATH Constitution 2006 (proposed revisions 2012) which added standing committees to help organize the annual meeting, an Executive Committee 2012-13 (see below) and the presentation of three KATH student writing award certificates.

Congratulations to our new KATH leadership for 2012-13!

Executive Committee, 2012-13

  • President – Allison Hunt, duPont Manual HS
  • President-elect – Pattie Dillon, Spalding U
  • Past-President – none due to no President in 2011-12
  • Community College – Angela Ash, Owensboro CTC
  • Private/Indep – Wendy Davis, Campbellsville U
  • Public historian – Cheryl Caskey, KHS
  • Librarian/archivist – Sara Price, UK
  • K-12 representatives – Crystal Culp (McCracken Regional Juvenile Detention Facility, McCracken County Schools), Chris Snow (Henry Clay, Fayette County Public Schools)
  • Public/comprehensive – not filled
  • Research university – not filled
  • At large – Jake Gibbs, Bluegrass CTC

Additional appointments to serve as members of the KATH Board

  • Secretary – Lori Maltby, Henderson CC
  • Treasurer – Alana Cain Scott, Morehead State U
  • Webmaster – Randolph Hollingsworth, UK
  • Newsletter Editor – not filled

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See more on the KATH 2012 annual meeting, including pictures, at https://kath-online.org/annual-meeting/2012-kath-meeting.

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