program continues to evolve , Archives staff have built in more support for outreach opportunities , including peer-to-peer outreach to involve more undergraduates in archives and archival research .
As student historians , the participants gain important research skills and learn how to analyze and understand primary sources . They come away from the program equipped with professional skills they will use long after leaving UW – Madison .
T . J . and Sophia had the opportunity to present and reflect on their work for the year at
a virtual event on April 19 , 2021 . They both summarized the process and their findings thus far and expressed their hopes for how the histories they ’ ve uncovered will be helpful in the future .
Diversity is Our Strength mural by Madison Artist , Mike Lroy . For more on the State Street Mural project , visit
pbswisconsin . org
Despite the extraordinary circumstances faced this year , the Archives staff not only committed to continuing this project but expanded it by hiring two students instead of one . This was made possible in part by funding from the Office of the Secretary of the Faculty through a
Kemper K . Knapp grant . Both projects will make meaningful contributions to the Archives ’ mission of documenting and understanding the history of the UW – Madison community . Oral history is an essential complement to traditional archival research , and Sophia ’ s topic will help fill a gap in stories from a historically underrepresented group on campus . T . J . has recognized that recent history is as influential and significant to our campus community as stories from fifty or a hundred years ago .
While each student ’ s experience in the program is unique , they are encouraged to brainstorm and research topics of interest to them as long as it gives a voice to groups whose stories are underrepresented . Final projects have taken various forms , including a teaching kit , an oral history , and traditional research papers . As the
As a guest speaker ,
UW – Madison Public History Project Director Kacie Lucchini Butcher said at the event , Sophia and T . J . demonstrated “ why it ’ s so powerful for students to research the history of this institution . And who better to research it than students who are here now , who are having similar experiences , and who are passionate about it .”
Both projects will make meaningful contributions to the Archives ’ mission of documenting and understanding the history of the UW – Madison community .
This is an incredibly valuable program , both for the opportunities it affords our undergraduate students and for the unique perspectives , energy , and creativity the students bring to their projects that will be preserved for access by future generations . It ’ s wonderful to see how this important program has grown over the past three years , and we look forward to seeing what our student historians do next !
University of Wisconsin – Madison | 13