The HGSA Congratulates Dr. Barry Johnson, Ph.D.

The History Graduate Students' Association congratulates Dr. Barry Johnson, Ph.D., who has successfully defended his dissertation on Tuesday, December 14th.

Barry spoke before his four-person committee and an audience of approximately 30 friends, relatives, and graduate student associates during his two-hour defense of his research and conclusions. HGSA alumni in attendance included Drs. Louis Jones, Renee Bricker (who had flown up from Virginia for the day), and Richard Frye. Following the public defense, the audience left the room so that the committee could discuss Barry's work. When the audience was called back in, Prof. Charles Hyde congratulated Barry and saluted him with the title "Doctor" for the first time. The committee and Barry then had a champagne toast, courtesy of the HGSA.

Barry's is the third successful doctoral defense for the department in the last 12 months, proving that graduate school isn't forever and whetting our appetities for more successful dissertations!

-Tim Moran
President, HGSA

"The Accidental Public Historian" with Prof. Charles K. Hyde: Tuesday, December 7th

"Gender, Civilization, and Slavery" with Marja van Tilburg: Friday, November 12th

32nd Annual North American Labor History Conference

Call for Papers: Newberry Library Center for Renaissance Studies: 2011 Multidisciplinary Graduate Student Conference

Call for Papers
Proposal Deadline: October 15, 2010
Conference: January 27 – 29, 2011, at the Newberry Library, Chicago

We invite abstracts for 15-minute papers from master’s or Ph.D. students on any medieval, Renaissance, or early modern topic in Europe or the Mediterranean or Atlantic worlds. We encourage submissions from disciplines as varied as the literature of any language, history, classics, art history, music, comparative literature, theater arts, philosophy, religious studies, transatlantic studies, disability studies, and manuscript studies. We hope to include at least one panel of papers related to the digital humanities.

Submissions accepted online only; see www.newberry.org/renaissance

Priority is given to students from member institutions of the Center for Renaissance Studies consortium, who may be eligible for reimbursement for travel expenses to attend.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL PDF VERSION

60 West Walton Street, Chicago, IL 60610 312.255.3514 renaissance@newberry.org

Join the HGSA for a Library Resource Session

Tuesday, 5 October 2010
5:00 to 6:00PM
Adamany Undergraduate Libary
Lab B, 2nd Floor

Cindy Krolikowski will host a demonstration on acquainting graduate students on the available resources that Wayne State Univeristy has to offer in historical sources.

Don't miss this great opportunity to discover and learn the latest information available for your upcoming papers, theses, and dissertations.

Hope to see you there!
The HGSA Officers

91 Years of the Free Press Online

Cindy Krolikowski, Library Goddess III, informs that Wayne State now has access to the Detroit Free Press Historical Full Text, 1831-1922. For those accustomed to flogging microfilm, this is a remarkable new research convenience!

Cindy states that the easiest way to access it is to get into the Wayne State University Library System's home page.

Click on the tab that says "Article Databases."

Either type in the name "Detroit Free Press" and choose from the two choices offered, or click on the letter "D" from the list of the alphabet displayed underneath the "Search" box and scroll down to "Detroit Free Press Historical Full Text, 1831-1992."

Happy researching!

HGSA presents Comps Workshop

Friday, 8 October 2010
1:30-3:30 PM
3339 Faculty/Administration Building

Preparing for Your Toughest Year in Graduate School

Between Course Work and a Dissertation comes the Comprehensive Exams, COMPS. Selecting one's committee, determining the reading lists, and preparing for the questions, are not an easy process. Some have described preparing for and taking the written and oral exams as the hardest thing they've ever been through in Academia.

The workshop is intended for both Ph.D. and Masters students. WSU History Department faculty, senior graduate students, and Gayle McCreedy (Administrative Officer) will be on hand to talk about the process and to provide survival tips.

Students and Plagiarism – A Vast and Growing Gulf of Ignorance

The culture of the Internet is leading bewildered students to more and more plagiarism, while the lazy habits of online research are making such thought-theft a new norm, according to an Aug. 1 New York Times article by Trip Gabriel. Some students are mistaking un-sourced Internet material for “common knowledge,” the writer says, and “many students simply do not grasp that using words they did not write is a serious misdeed.” Gabriel’s examples include a student whose paper included purple cut-and-paste text from a website; the student wanted his writing tutor to help him change the text color to black. It’s an important issue for us to grapple with as academics and as prospective faculty members. Read the entire article at: The New York Times

-Tim Moran
President, HGSA

HGSA Rough Riders Clinch 2010 Intramural Softball Championship

Wednesday, 28 July 2010

The HGSA's Rough Riders defeated the Psychology Department's Discovery Channel in a 10-9 victory last night at Varsity Field. The Rough Riders have finished their season with a 8-1 record. After what seemed like a slow start the game picked up some speed in the bottom of the 4th inning with a 3-run homer by Andrew Opalewski--bringing the score to 4-6, in favor the opponent. The History Department's own Jim Campbell hit a grand-slam in the bottom of the 5th inning bringing the score to 8-6. By the end of the 7th inning, the score was tied at 8-8, but the Riders rallied back with a two-run homer by Dan Dekker to lead them to victory, and the championship!

To see more about the Rough Riders and their winning season visit their webiste at: The Rough Riders

Our many congratulations to the team!

-Errin T. Stegich

Manager, The Rough Riders

Vice-President of Administration, HGSA

The Newberry Library's Atlas of Historical County Boundaries Project

Americanists should be aware that the Newberry Library has published, electronically, a complete interactive version of its Atlas of Historical County Boundaries for the United States.

The webportal can be found at: http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp. From the site you can choose to view a variety of historical information by state, you can choose to go directly to the interactive map site, or you can choose to download the Atlas information in one of three different formats:
GIS files for use with GIS programs / software, KMZ files for use with Google Earth / Google Maps, or PDF Map Book files which present the county maps for each state in an easily readable & printable form.

The web portal is very fast and easily navigated. It covers county backgrounds from the creation of the first county through December, 2000. The project uses primary sources as documentation for every change in county shapes, sizes, and boundaries, rather than synthesizing secondary sources. The resource is an offering of the Dr. William M. Scholl Center for American History and Culture.

-Tim Moran
President, HGSA

Noggin makes the brain go 'round?

Need a jolt of brainpower? C'mon, most of us have used up our cerebral capacity by the time we've finished lunch, let alone having a reserve for deep library work or a night class. According to an article in the New York Times by Tara Parker-Pope, scientists think the answer to gaining more brain power may be exercise. Exercise generates a chemical that counteracts bone-morphogenetic protein (BMP), which sends the brain's regenerative chemicals to sleep. Here's what the Times said about the good chemical: "... the notable increase in Noggin, a beautifully named brain protein that acts as a BMP antagonist. The more Noggin in your brain, the less BMP activity exists and the more stem cell divisions and neurogenesis you experience." Mice at Northwestern whose brains were infused directly with large doses of Noggin became, Dr. Kessler says, "little mouse geniuses, if there is such a thing. They aced the mazes and other tests." So check out the full article at http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/07/your-brain-on-exercise/, and perhaps plan a trip to the Mort Harris Center for some Zumba, or a take a jog around the block before that next big project, exam, or thesis/dissertation committee meeting comes up!

And speaking of brainpower, don't forget that the next HGSA meeting will be on Wednesday, July 14, at 4PM in the Bonner Room in the F/AB.

-Tim Moran

President, HGSA

HGSA Rough Riders take 2nd Place in Intramural Regular Season

Our congratulations go out to the players of the HGSA and History Department's own Rough Riders Intramural Softball Team!

The Rough Riders have just finished their regular season schedule with a .800 record (that's 5 wins and 1 loss). But don't worry, it is not too late to root on the team--their next game is Wednesday, July

21st, 6:15PM at Trumbull Field (on the corner of Trumbull and Warren Ave.).

For more information, schedules, pictures, and team stats visit: The Rough Riders Great work so far guys--keep it up!

-Errin T. Stegich
Manager, The Rough Riders
Vice President of Administration, HGSA

"To Stop Cheats, Colleges Learn Their Trickery"

Since plagiarism and cheating are hot topics these days, New York Times writer Trip Gabriel shares with us some thoughts and insight on how one school is combating the growing issue. This article is helpful to all in our field who teach, or plan to teach in the future...

"To Stop Cheats, Colleges Learn Their Trickery"

-Tim Moran
President, HGSA

HGSA Meeting

Wednesday, 14 July 2010

Happy Bastille Day! The next HGSA meeting is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 14 July 2010 at 4:00PM in Bonner Room.

Please mark this date on your calendars!


Prise de la Bastille by Jean-Pierre-Louis-Laurent Houël, 1789

Shut Up and Write

Given the fact that it is summer and the weather is getting nicer, Dr. Williams wanted to share the following article on confronting procrastination and writing. Hopefully, some of you will find this article to be helpful and inspiring.

Please click on the link below to view the article.
http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/summer/summer2

Respondus Workshop for History Deptartment Instructors

Thursday, 17 June 2010

The Office of Teaching and Learning will be holding a Respondus Workshop for History Deptartment instructors. Respondus is a software program by which instructors can give an exam, quiz, or assignment over the Internet.

It's on Thursday, June 17th, 11-1 PM in OTL's facilities in Purdy/Kresge.

Everyone is advised to be familiar with BlackBoard Basics for Instructions prior to attending this workshop. Also, OTL recommends that you bring your laptop in order to upload the appropriate software.

Date Change For Next Theory Group Meeting

Tuesday, 22 June 2010

The Theory Group meeting date has been changed to Tuesday, 22 June 2010.

Please join us for the next theory group meeting from 6:30 to 8:30PM in the Bonner Room.

We will be discussing Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels' Communist Manifesto

Upcoming Theory Group Meeting

Tuesday, 8 June 2010

Please join us for the next theory group meeting from 6:30 to 8:30PM in the Bonner Room.

We will be discussing Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels' Communist Manifesto.

HGSA Meeting

Wednesday, 2 June 2010

Enjoying your summer, but missing your History friends? Never fear - we have an HGSA meeting scheduled at 4:00 p.m. in the Bonner room.

Please join us as the new officers get their feet wet!

2010-2011 HGSA Election Results

We would like to congratulate the following officers-elect for the 2010-2011 academic year.

Timothy Moran, President
Maria Wendeln, Co-Vice President of Education
Beth Fowler, Co-Vice President of Education
Joelle Del Rose, Vice President of Social Affairs
Errin T. Stegich, Vice President of Administration
Elizabeth Ryan, Recording Secretary
Peter McGrath, Treasurer

This positions will be effective August 2010.

Earth Day Tree Planting

Saturday, 24 April 2010

Barry Johnson, WSU doctoral student, has passed along the following invitation to plant trees!

If you are free and would like to volunteer, please join us on Trumbull Avenue from Warren to the expressway service drive (just west of WSU campus). We'll plant twenty eight trees, starting at 9:00am on the Saturday the 24th, we will be finished before noon. This is a joint operation between City of Detroit General Services Division, Greening of Detroit, and Wayne State.

HGSA Elections 2010-2011

It is time to select the 2010/2011 H.G.S.A. officers. Please email your nominations for the following offices to Dr. Hummer at hummer@wayne.edu no later than 5:00 p.m.Friday, April 9:

* President
* Vice President Education
* Vice President Social
* Vice President Adminstrative
* Treasurer
* Secretary

Dr. Hummer will verify each candidate's willingness to stand for election and email the ballots during the week of April 12. Voting will end Monday, April 19 at 5:00 p.m. Votes will be sent via email to Dr. Hummer. For a description of each officer's duties, please consult the H.G.S.A. bylaws. A copy is available in the History Office.

We encourage you to consider running and look forward to another year of successful graduate student contributions!

Sincerely,

The H.G.S.A. Officers

CV Writing Workshop

Wednesday, 31 March 2010 from 12:30 to 1:30PM in the Bonner Room.

The H.G.S.A. is hosting a CV writing workshop on Wednesday, March 31st, from 12:30 to 1:30 in the Bonner Room. Dr. Denver Brunsman will be our panelist. Please mark you calendars for this important and informative event.

Also, remember the "Teaching History On-Line" workshop on April 6th, at 3pm, in FAB 3339. Dr. Richmond, Dr. Shor, and John Moore are the panelists. They have requested that attendees propose topics to be discussed. Please direct all inquiries to Maria Wendeln at an1204@wayne.edu.

HGSA Breakfast Club Meeting

Thursday, 25 March 2010 at 7:30AM at the Campus Restaurant.

Doctoral Theory Group Meeting

Wednesday, 24 March 2010 from 7:30 to 9:30PM in the Bonner Room.

Doctoral students interested in joining the theory group to discuss chapters from Foucault "Power/Knowledge" and "Foucault for Historians."

Documents will be available under the documents folder on BlackBoard by the end of next week.

Teaching History On-Line Workshop

Tuesday, 6 April 2010

Attention all History Graduate Students! The H.G.S.A. is hosting a “Teaching History On-Line Workshop.” It will be held on Tuesday, April 6th at 3:00 p.m. in FAB 3339.

Our presenters are Dr. Marsha Richmond, Dr. Francis Shor, and John Moore.

The presenters have requested that attendees propose the topics to be discussed. If you have a particular topic or question, please send them to Maria Wendeln at an1204@wayne.edu and she will forward them to our panelists.

Doctoral Theory Group Meets Again...

Wednesday, 10 February 2010 at 7:30PM in the Bonner Room

Attention doctoral students! The theory reading group enjoyed its first meeting on January 27th. All those interested, please join us!

We will be reading Robert Darnton's chapter "The Great Cat Massacre." Links to the pdf file can be found under the "Discussions" link on BlackBoard.

HGSA Bake Sale

Tuesday-Wednesday, 26-27 January 2010

State Hall, 11AM to 5PM

We need volunteers to help run the bake sale. Please contact Elizabeth Ryan, ah5845@wayne.edu, if you are free either day to assist.

WINTER 2010 BROWN BAG COLLOQUIM

Friday, 15 January 2010

Maria Wendeln, "The Last Royal Spectacle: the Trial and Execution of Louis XVI's Sister"

Errin T. Stegich, "The Naked Villain: William Shakespeare and Sir Thomas More, a Dialogue on 'King Richard III'"

Call for Papers

The HGSA is already preparing for the 32nd Annual North American Labor History Conference, October 21-23, 2010. We are issuing a “Call for Papers” for anyone interested in giving a paper. As last year, the HGSA will sponsor a student panel. The theme for next year’s conference is “Class, Social Movements, and the New Politics.”

Please contact Amy Holtman French at au1251@wayne.edu for additional information.