MSU history students to give public presentations of research
Minot State University students enrolled in HIST 251: Introduction to Public History will deliver public presentations of their local history research Thursday (Dec. 17) in Old Main 211, 10 a.m.-noon. Each student will present research at an individual computer station. The event is free and open to the public.
The nine history majors will offer and comment on electronic presentations of their local history projects. Minot State topics researched are history of the Old Main building, development of women’s athletics and movement of MSU’s athletic teams to NCAA Division II. Other local history topics include V-12 programs at Valley City State Teachers College and Minot State Teachers College, letters of an American soldier who served in World War I and died in France, history of the Scandinavian Heritage Park in Minot, history of the Minot Eagles’ Club/Eagles Wings Christian Fellowship building and history of the Triangle Y Camp.
Bethany Andreasen, professor of history, teaches “Introduction to Public History.” The course introduces students to the field of public history, which involves the public in the process of researching the past, and results in historical presentations that are seen, heard, read and interpreted by a popular audience. Students learn about employment and volunteer opportunities in the field, develop required skills and undertake individual research projects in local history.
“This course has taught us the skills to take our love and knowledge of history and share it with our community,” said Bob Schwartz, senior, who studied the V-12 programs. “The idea of sharing my research into wartime higher education in World War II North Dakota with my community has made the research and creative process of the project far more fulfilling.”
Brandon Rudnick, another student, appreciates getting “real life” experience.
“My project is an overall look into how Triangle Y Camp's activities evolved over time and why they changed,” Rudnick said. “Dr. Andreasen does an excellent job giving her students both pertinent information about the field of public history and great firsthand experiences dealing with different types of public history.”
Some of the students’ research will become part of “Digital Minot: An On-line Museum of Local History,” which Andreasen launched in 2012. Through the Digital Minot Project, the public has access to historical photos, postcards, newspaper articles, advertisements, scholarly journals, legal documents, oral histories and biographies related to the history of the region, as well as electronic historical exhibits constructed by student researchers.
“History 251 and the Digital Minot Project provide university students with opportunity to engage in professional practice of their historical research and writing skills through an interactive project with individuals from the region in which they live, thus increasing their awareness and understanding of the distinctiveness and development of the region,” Andreasen said.
The Digital Minot website can be found at http://digitalminot.minotstateu.edu/dm2015.
For questions, contact Andreasen at Bethany.Andreasen@minotstateu.edu.
About Minot State University
Minot State University is a public university dedicated to excellence in education, scholarship, and community engagement achieved through
rigorous academic experiences, active learning environments, commitment to public service, and a vibrant campus life.
| Published: 12/11/15 |
