Majors: African American Studies, American Studies
What kind of opportunity did you take part in?
Over the summer I completed the majority of the preliminary research for my senior thesis project which is also serving as my project for the Center for the Humanities fellowship program. In my American Studies thesis, I am researching the ways in which collective grief of real and fictional white male public figures has been used to bolster neoliberalism in America.
What was a highlight of your experience?
One of the main highlights was the ability to spend a great amount of time honing my archival research skills as well as planning a large, long-term project. As a student who is hoping to attend graduate school in the next few years, these are two skills that I know will be extremely useful. The moments when I would find a newspaper clipping or figure out a way to organize a chapter were very satisfying to me because it allowed me to know that the project I was working on was one of quality. Additionally, my advisor, Professor Saba, has been extremely helpful in the process. Being able to work one on one with a professor on a project that both of us are personally invested in has been extremely rewarding. Receiving real constructive criticism has been a highlight because it lets me know that my professor cares enough about the project to let me know where I am going astray.
How did your summer experience impact you?
This summer experience has been extremely important to my Wesleyan experience. This past summer I was able to live in NYC and take advantage of the vast resources of the city while also devoting my full time and energy to research. It was truly incredible to be able to be working on my academic future for a summer while not having the looming stress of finances and limitations. Without this grant, that would not have been possible.
