P HI A LPHA T HETA H ISTORY H ONOR S OCIETY

T HE N EWS L ET TER
IssueIssue V OLUME 35, I SSUE 3

2018 R EGIONAL C ONFERENCES
Every spring Phi Alpha
Theta chapters nation-
wide participate in our
annual regional confer-
ences. These gatherings
provide an outstanding
go on to give a paper at
our national Phi Alpha
Theta Biennial Conven-
tion.
This past spring, twenty-
H IGHLIGHTS IN
THIS I SSUE :
ence, each did an out-
 2018 Regional
standing job planning the
Conferences
event. From issuing the (Pages 1, 4-9, 12)
Call for Papers, to put-
ting together the paper  From the President’s
Corner
sessions on a wide variety
of (Pages 2, 13)
 A Message from the
Executive Director
(Page 3)
 2018 Spring
Induction Ceremonies
(Pages 10-11)

Conference attendees proudly stand together at the 2018 Carolinas Regional Conference
held at Queens University of Charlotte on April 13-14, 2018.

seven Phi Alpha Theta

opportunity for the host
chapters and others in the
region, to showcase the
research of their students.
For many of our mem-
bers, the conference is
their first experience pre-
senting their work in a
public forum. Often-
times, students have such
a positive experience par-
ticipating at a regional
conference that they will
chapters volunteered to topics, to
ensuring
host the conference in
everyone
their region of the coun-
had a
try. For some, several
good ex-
years had passed since
they last offered to host a perience,
t h o s e
regional meeting; while
who host
other chapters have
served as the regional
Continued
host for consecutive
years. Regardless of the on page Prizewinners, Juan Vega and Kelly Marie Lavin, proudly
4... display their best paper award certificates at the California
host chapter’s experi-
North regional conference at Santa Clara University.
P AGE 2 T HE N EWS L ETTER

PHI ALPHA THETA F ROM THE P RESIDENT ’ S C ORNER

OFFICERS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
President
Clayton J. Drees
Virginia Wesleyan University
Vice-President
Jacob M. Blosser
Texas Woman’s University
Executive Director
Graydon A. (Jack) Tunstall
University of South Florida
Advisory Board Chair
Jochen Burgtorf
California State University, Fullerton
COUNCIL MEMBERS
Daniel J. Clark
Oakland University
Ann C. LeBar
Eastern Washington University
David G. Nelson
California Lutheran University
Hosok O
Dixie State University
Jeff Roche
College of Wooster
David L. Snead
Liberty University
ADVISORY BOARD
Maria Arbelaez
University of Nebraska, Omaha
Michael Galgano
James Madison University
Robert Kodosky
West Chester University of
Pennsylvania
Debra Mulligan
Roger Williams University
Timothy Westcott
Park University
Let me open my second presidential mes-
sage by offering my heartfelt gratitude to
Dr. Graydon “Jack” Tunstall, Phi Alpha
Theta’s soon-to-be-retired executive direc-
tor, for all the inspired leadership, positive
energy and warm humanity he has brought
to our Society over the past twenty-four
years. Dr. Tunstall transformed Phi Alpha
Theta from the personal fiefdom it had been
for nearly fifty years under the old secretary
-treasurer, to the vibrant, scholarly, student
-centered organization it has become today.
All 400,000 or so Phi Alpha Thetans around
the country owe him not only our deepest
thanks, but also our promise to continue his
legacy into the future as we turn a fresh page in the history of our Society.
Since this issue of the Newsletter will be the last of his tenure as our execu-
tive director, I invite all of you to join me in wishing Dr. Tunstall the greatest
happiness and ease as he begins this new chapter in his own life. We’ll miss
you, Jack!
It was my recent privilege to represent our national office at the Phi Alpha
Theta regional conferences in the Carolinas (held at Queens University of
Charlotte on 14 April) and in northern California (held at Santa Clara Uni-
versity—my alma mater—on 28 April). It was indeed gratifying on both
occasions to meet the faculty advisors of those regions, and to take in the out-
standing paper presentations of so many bright, enthusiastic and learned stu-
dents. Over the many years I have known him, Dr. Tunstall has often re-
marked that our thirty-five or so regional meetings around the country are
the “life blood” of our Society. I couldn’t agree more and, in fact, I might go
further to characterize these student-centered conferences as the “beating
heart” of Phi Alpha Theta!
I’m sure many long-term members of PAT will remember taking advantage
of our first opportunity to present a scholarly paper at one of these regional
meetings. I certainly did--my first experience with this (representing CSULA
as a grad student) was at the southern California PAT regional held at Biola
University in Los Angeles in spring 1986. My paper on Augustine of Hippo
and the concept of Holy War earned an honorable mention in the European
category on that occasion. It was not the highest honor awarded that day, but
it provided the affirmation and encouragement I needed to carry forward my
study of—and passion for—the discipline of history. It is therefore impera-
tive that all Phi Alpha Thetans continue to nurture the “beating heart” of our
Society by ensuring the health and success of our various regional conferences
around the country.

Continued on page 12...

V OLUME 35, I SSUE 3 P AGE 3

A M ESSAGE FROM THE E XECUTIVE D IRECTOR

Happy Summer everyone! This issue of the newsletter features our regional confer-
ences, which are held nationwide each spring. These annual meetings afford stu-
dents the opportunity to present their research, meet members from nearby institu-
tions and gain experience in public speaking. For many, Phi Alpha Theta regionals
represent the first experience giving a paper on a historical topic. Based on the re-
ports we have received from the national representatives who attended, our host
faculty advisors did an outstanding job of planning and organizing the conference
program. I want to personally thank all of this year’s host institutions and student
members for their efforts to assure that each meeting was a success.
I had the distinct pleasure of attending this year’s Hawai’i regional held on March
17th at the University of Hawai’i-Manoa. Our office manager, Wendy Tunstall-
Werner, accompanied me on the trip and we had a wonderful time combining the
conference with touring the beautiful island of Oahu. Our award-winning Beta-
Epsilon Chapter did an outstanding job of putting together the program and hosting
the event. The success of the conference was due to the collaborative effort of
many individuals, but I would like to especially thank Shirley Buchanan, Chelsea DeMott, Garrett Hillyer, Karen
Jolly and Peter Hoffenberg for their behind-the-scenes efforts to ensure everything went smoothly. I would also like
to recognize History Department Chair, Shana Brown, Peter Arnade, Dean of Arts & Humanities for their support of
Phi Alpha Theta on the UH-Manoa campus. Mahalo nui loa!
As I prepare to retire this fall, I would like to thank my excellent and extremely competent office staff. I am ex-
tremely proud of Wendy, Jessica, Judy and Laura for their work behind the scenes at national headquarters. In my
twenty-four years of as Executive Director, I have had the pleasure of getting to know many of our faculty advisors
and officers, a great deal of whom have become close personal friends. My successes are undoubtedly the result of
their assistance and support. I thank them with all my heart! The search committee will be naming my successor by
the end of summer.
With best regards,

(Left to right: Professor Karen Jolly, Alpha-Beta-Epsilon members Shirley Buchanan and
Garrett Hillyer, Phi Alpha Theta national office manager, Wendy Tunstall-Werner, Phi
Alpha Theta executive director, Graydon Tunstall and History Department chair, Shana
Brown enjoy dinner together at the 2018 Hawai’I regional conference.)
P AGE 4
2018 R EGIONAL C ONFERENCES
...continued from page 1.
ed this spring’s regionals put forth an amazing effort.
The logistics required to create a successful regional
conference involves the hard work of many individuals
including faculty and students, as well as support from
school administration and local organizations. We are
grateful to everyone who made these spring conferences
a huge success!
Alabama
University of Montevallo hosted the Alabama Regional
Conference on Saturday March 3rd. Forty students and
faculty were in attendance, with approximately twenty-
one papers presented. Judson College, University of
West Alabama, University of Alabama-Huntsville, Sam-
ford University, Birmingham-Southern College and La-
Grange College were in attendance. Professor Martin
T. Olliff, long-time faculty advisor for Troy University-
Dothan Campus, served as the national representative.
The program included a luncheon address by Tom
Walker, Founder and CEO of the American Village, a
Conference participants are welcomed at the registration desk
for the 2018 Georgia Regional Conference hosted by
the Georgia Institute of Technology.
T HE N EWS L ETTER
nationally-recognized pioneering classroom that engages
and inspires 35,000 to 40,000 students annually from
Alabama and southeastern states. It focuses on academic
programs related to American history, civics and gov-
ernment. The 2019 Alabama regional conference will
be hosted by Judson College.
Alaska
The University of Alaska-Anchorage hosted the Alaska
regional conference on March 29-30. The conference
began with an opening reception and public lecture by
Rayne Allinson who gave a talk entitled, “King Arthur:
History, Myth or Legend?” The following day, Ray Ball,
faculty advisor for Alpha-Beta-Gamma, provided opening
remarks. Coffee and pastries from Fire Island Bake Shop
and Kaladi Brothers Coffee were served sponsored by
the University of Alaska-Anchorage Honors College,
Cook Inlet Historical Society and the Alpha-Beta-Gamma
chapter. The keynote talk entitled, “How to Catch a
Chameleon: Researching the Life and Death of William
Maitland of Lethington, 1525-1573,” was given by Pro-
fessor Allinson.
Arkansas
On April 7th, University of Arkansas-Monticello was
site of the Arkansas regional conference, which wel-
comed approximately 25 attendees. Nearby schools
present included Union University, University of North
Texas, Arkansas State University and Arkansas Tech
University. John Kyle Day gave the luncheon address,
“Democratic Senator Thomas J. Hennings of Missouri:
Champion of the Black Freedom Struggle.” Papers were
presented on a wide variety of topics, including environ-
mental and gender history. The 2019 Arkansas regional
conference will be held at Arkansas State University in
Jonesboro.
California-North
Santa Clara University hosted the 2018 Northern Cali-
fornia Regional Conference on April 28th. The confer-
ence welcomed 45 attendees from California State Uni-
versity-Chico, California State University-Stanislaus,
California Polytechnic San Luis Obispo, California State
University-Sacramento, Dominican University, Mills
College, Pacific Lutheran University, San Jose State Uni-
V OLUME 35, I SSUE 3
2018 R EGIONAL C ONFERENCES
California North regional conference attendees, chapter faculty advisors and Phi Alpha Theta President, Clayton Drees,
gather together at Santa Clara University on April 28, 2018, for a group photo.
versity and the University of San Francisco. Phi Alpha
Theta’s President, Clayton Dress, served as the national
representative and also provided the keynote address ti-
tled, “An Idea of History: Parallel Journeys in Time.”
Best paper awards were given to undergraduate and grad-
uate students at the conclusion of the conference.
California-South
The campus of California State University-Bakersfield
was the site of the Southern California regional this year.
Miriam Raub Vivian, faculty advisor for the Psi-Zeta
Chapter, did an outstanding job of hosting the April 14th
event, which was attended by some fifty students and
faculty. Paper topics included Asian History, Soviet Rus-
sian History, Southern California history, American
woman and science, medicine and the empire in the At-
lantic world. Jochen Burgtorf of California State Univer-
sity-Fullerton, represented the national office. Sandra
Mendiola Garcia of University of North Texas provided
the keynote address titled, “Stories of Researching Work-
ers in the Informal and Formal Economies.”
Carolinas
This year’s Carolinas regional was held at Queens Uni-
versity of Charlotte on April 13-14th. Students and fac-
ulty from Davidson College, Francis Marion University,
East Carolina University, Erskine College, Coastal Caro-
lina University, Appalachian State University, Belmont
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Abbey College, Lander University, Winthrop Universi-
ty, Greensboro College, Campbell University, North
Carolina A&T University, University of Florida and Uni-
versity of North Carolina at Charlotte participated in the
event. Welcome remarks were provided by John Sisko,
Sarah Fatherly and Barry Robinson. Phi Alpha Theta
President Clayton Drees, gave the keynote address. On
Saturday, Davidson College generously sponsored the
luncheon for those in attendance. Faculty advisors Barry
Robinson and Bob Whalen, the principle conference
organizers, did an outstanding job in arranging the meet-
ing.
Colorado
On April 13-14, Judy Gaughan and Jacqueline Stroud of
Colorado State University-Pueblo, welcomed 50 confer-
ence participants to their campus. Twenty papers were
presented from the students representing Colorado State
University-Pueblo, University of Wyoming, Southern
Utah University, University of Colorado-Colorado
Springs, Colorado State University and Colorado Col-
lege. CSU-Pueblo students showcased their creative
skills in displaying a virtual poster presentation through-
out the length of the conference. The imaginative post-
ers included U.S. History 1877-1945 and U.S. History
1945-present. The opening reception featured a Colo-
rado museum display and a presentation by the universi-
ty library on local museums. The host chapter elected
P AGE 6 T HE N EWS L ETTER

2018 R EGIONAL C ONFERENCES

Prizewinners at the 2018 Hawai’i Regional-Manoa,

proudly display their book prizes for best paper presentations.

to award book prizes for each session of the conference, Florida

which included such areas of history as the Roman
world, the American West, environmental history,
Asian history, U.S. history and history and image. An
award was also given to the creators of the virtual poster
session. The 2019 Colorado regional conference will be
held at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.
Dakotas
On February 15th, the University of South Dakota host-
ed chapters from across the region for their Fifty-Third
Annual Phi Alpha Theta Dakotas Regional Conference.
Panel sessions included topics such as “Propaganda and
Law,” chaired by David Burrow, and “Music and Art,”
with conference participants discussing their papers with
the audience. The plenary lecture entitled, “Woman’s
Cause is One and Universal: Protest and Progress in the
Work of Anna Julia Cooper” was given by Laura Renee
Chandler of South Dakota State University. Clayton Leh-
mann, our long-time faculty advisor for Zeta-Mu Chapter
at the University of South Dakota, once again did a su-
perb job organizing and hosting the conference. We
greatly appreciate Professor Lehmann for his continuous Georgia
support and enthusiasm for Phi Alpha Theta and the re- Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta was the site of
gional meetings. the 2018 Georgia regional conference. In addition to
The Alpha-Nu-Eta Chapter at Palm Beach Atlantic Uni-
versity hosted the 2018 Florida regional conference,
which by all accounts was a resounding success. With
approximately twenty paper presentations, the program
including students and faculty from University of Central
Florida, Rollins College, Southeastern University, Stet-
son University, Florida Atlantic University and the Uni-
versity of South Florida. David Thomas, faculty advisor
for the University of South Florida, served as the national
representative. Participants were welcomed to the
March 17th event with a continental breakfast. Palm
Beach Atlantic University alumnus, Jordyn Marlin, pro-
vided the keynote presentation titled, “Dalriadic Scots in
Argyll: Migration or an Elite Construction?” A special
thank you to faculty advisor Roger Chapman, Becky
Peeling of the Palm Beach Atlantic University Develop-
ment Office and Department Chair, Gary Poe. The
2019 Florida regional conference will be hosted by the
University of North Florida’s Psi-Eta Chapter in Jackson-
ville.
V OLUME 35, I SSUE 3
2018 R EGIONAL C ONFERENCES
students from Georgia Institute of Technology, those
representing Mercer University, North Georgia Univer-
sity, Reinhardt University, Kennesaw State University,
Georgia Southern University, The Savannah College of
Art and Design and Georgia Southwestern University
also participated. The conference welcomed seventy-
five attendees, with some thirty papers presented. Wel-
come remarks were offered by Carol Colatrella, Associ-
ate Dean for Graduate Studies, Dan Amsterdam of Geor-
gia Tech and Phi Alpha Theta national representative,
Heather Chiero of Augusta University. Douglas Flam-
ming of Georgia Institute of Technology gave a talk enti-
tled, “Red, Pink, Gold and Blue: Southern Shrimpers and
Soviet Shrimpers in the Gulf of Mexico, 1945-1975.”
The day’s events concluded with an awards ceremony in
the Hall Building where students received “Awards of
Excellence” for their outstanding paper presentations.
Hawai’i
University of Hawai’i-Manoa kicked off their 34th annual
regional conference on March 17th. The schools in at-
tendance included Hawaii Pacific University, University
of Hawai’i-Hilo, Chaminade University, Brigham Young
University-Hawaii and University of Hawai’i-Manoa.
With sixty people in attendance and twenty-three paper
presentations, the Hawaii meeting was nothing short of
amazing. The Alpha-Beta-Upsilon Chapter President, Gar-
rett Hillyer, provided the welcome remarks. The lunch-
eon address was comprised of several speakers. Phi Alpha
Theta’s Executive Director, Jack Tunstall, served as the
national representative and was accompanied by Phi Al-
pha Theta National’s Office Manager, Wendy Tunstall-
Werner. Ned Bertz of UH-Manoa was presented with
the Baldridge Prize Award. David Chappell and David
Hanlon were honored for their scholarship and service to
UH-Manoa. Niklaus Schweizer of UH-Manoa gave the
keynote address entitled, “Nah Eireannaigh Hawai’i: Ka
Po’e ‘Ailiki ma Hawai’i – The Irish in Hawai’i.” A spe-
cial thanks to the General Federation of Women’s Clubs,
History Club of Honolulu, Sidney Stern Memorial Trust,
Karen Margulies Kimbrell, Jon Davidann at HPU and to
Shirley Buchanan, Professors Karen Jolly and Peter
Hoffenburg for organizing the conference.
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Kentucky
This year’s Kentucky regional was held at Morehead
State University on March 30-31st. Thirty-five people
were in attendance, with twenty students presenting
their research papers. In addition to the host chapter,
also in attendance were faculty and students from Thom-
as More College, Eastern Kentucky University, Western
Kentucky University, Northern Kentucky University and
Austin Peay State University. On Friday, the event
kicked off with a reception at Coffeetree Books, a local
bookstore, and Fizzy Duck Coffee Shop in Morehead,
Kentucky. Dean and Professor of History John Ernst
provided the welcome remarks. Selena Sanderfer, faculty
advisor for Eta-Pi Chapter at Western Kentucky Univer-
sity served as the national representative. A special
thanks to Alana Scott for organizing the successful con-
ference. Eastern Kentucky University will be hosting the
2019 Kentucky regional next spring.
Louisiana
On April 13th, Louisiana Tech University hosted the
annual regional conference at the Hampton Inn and
Suites Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Centenary College, Louisiana College, Loyola Universi-
ty, University of Louisiana-Lafayette, University of Loui-
siana- Monroe, Louisiana Tech University and University
of Arkansas were among the chapters participating in the
conference, which included some fifteen paper presenta-
tions. The keynote address, “From the Kingdom of Kon-
go to Congo Square: Dances and Origin of the Mardi
Gras Indians,” was presented by Jeroen Dewulf of Uni-
versity of California-Berkley. A special thanks to faculty
advisor, Elaine Thompson of Lambda-Rho Chapter for
organizing and hosting the successful regional meeting.
University of Louisiana-Lafayette will host the next Loui-
siana regional conference in spring 2019.
Mid-Atlantic
The Mid-Atlantic regional meeting was held at McDaniel
College on March 24th. Attending schools included
Bowie State University, Georgetown University, George
Washington College, Salem College, Mount Saint Mary’s
University, St. Mary’s College, The Catholic University
of America, Washington College, Shepherd University,
P AGE 8
2018 R EGIONAL C ONFERENCES
Hood College and the United States Naval Academy.
Ninety-five faculty and students were in attendance with
approximately forty-six papers presented. Opening re-
marks were provided by Stephen Feeley. The confer-
ence program included a special event - a competition to
identify historical death masks from the McDaniel ar-
chives. The luncheon address was provided by Lilliam
Cunninham of the Washington Post. Jamie Gianoutsos
faculty advisor for Theta-Psi Chapter at Mount Saint
Mary’s University served as the Phi Alpha Theta national
representative. The 2019 Mid-Atlantic conference will
be hosted by Bowie State University.
Mississippi
This year’s Mississippi regional conference was held on
April 14th in conjunction with the 12th Annual Creative
Arts Festival at the Margaret Walker Center in Jackson,
Mississippi. Phi Alpha Theta chapters in attendance in-
cluded Jackson State University, Mississippi College and
Millsaps College. A special art exhibition titled, “A
Place for All People,” was enjoyed by conference partici-
pants.
Nebraska
The University of Nebraska-Kearney and University of
Nebraska-Omaha hosted the 2018 Nebraska regional in
conjunction with the Missouri Valley History Confer-
ence. Nineteen institutions from across seven states were
represented at the three-day conference. An outstanding
total of fifty-four paper presentations were given. Both
faculty and students had a rewarding experience and
many were impressed with the variety and quality of Phi
Alpha Theta papers. Topics ranged from Cold War-era
history, American history, modern human rights, utopi-
anism and identity politics, Nebraska and Great Plain
history, as well as European history. David Vail gave an
interesting keynote lecture entitled, “Learning from the
Noxious Ones: Exploring the Histories of Insects,
Weeds, and other Unsavory Environmental Characters.”
Long-time faculty advisor, Roger Davis of the Pi-Nu
Chapter at University of Nebraska-Kearney, provided
valuable assistance to ensure the conference a great suc-
cess. Professor Davis will step down as faculty advisor
this year, as we welcome Professor David Vail as the
T HE N EWS L ETTER
new chapter advisor at University of Nebraska-Kearney.
A heartfelt thank you to Professor Davis for all of your
hard work and support of Phi Alpha Theta over the years
- you will be greatly missed!
New Jersey – New York
On April 21st, Dominican College hosted the 2018 New
Jersey – New York regional conference. The host school
welcomed students and faculty from Marist College,
Centenary University, St. Peter’s University and Drew
University. Thirty people attended, with nine papers
presented. Topics ranged from social, religious, and
political history, as well as historiography. The student
paper presentations were outstanding and a wonderful
experience was enjoyed by all who participated. Key-
note speaker, Peter Feinman, from the Institute of Histo-
ry, Archeology and Education, gave a speech entitled,
“Advocating for Local and State History.” Host faculty
advisor of Alpha-Xi-Gamma Chapter, Professor Chris Lib-
ertini, worked effortlessly to ensure the regional confer-
ence was a great success. Thank you Professor Libertini
for your efforts on behalf of Phi Alpha Theta!
New York – West-Central
The 2018 New York-West-Central conference was host-
ed by Nazareth College on April 7th. University of
Rochester, Ithica College, SUNY-Geneseo, SUNY-
Buffalo, Canisius College, St. John Fischer, SUNY-
Brockport, SUNY-Fredonia, Lycoming College, Mans-
field University and Le Moyne College were present at
the conference. The successful event included some fifty
paper presentations. Opening remarks were provided by
Timothy Thibodeau, Alpha-Kappa-Gamma advisor; An-
drea Talentino, Vice President of Academic Affairs and
Phi Alpha Theta national representative, Jonathan Ablard
of Ithaca College. Timothy Kneeland, History Depart-
ment Chair, provided the keynote address. The regional
concluded with awards for best paper presentations.
Students also received honorable mention for their out-
standing work. The 2019 New York-West-Central con-
ference will be hosted by SUNY-Buffalo.
P AGE 9 T HE N EWS L ETTER

2018 R EGIONAL C ONFERENCES

Northwest
The Northwest regional conference
took place at Gonzaga University in
Spokane on April 19-21st. Xi-Gamma
Chapter, Eric Cunningham faculty ad-
visor, hosted the very well attended
event, with 141 faculty and students
participating. A total of ninety-eight
papers were presented. Among the
schools participating were University
of Alaska-Fairbanks, Western Wash-
ington University, Portland State Uni-
versity, Linfield College, Western Or-
egon University, Central Washington
University, Whitworth University,
Montana State University-Billings, Ida-
ho State University, Carroll College,
Boise State University, University of
Portland, University of Alaska-
Anchorage and University of Washing- “Outstanding Paper” winners at the 2018 Florida Regional Conference (left to right):
ton-Tacoma. On Thursday evening, Stephen Krzeminski (Florida Atlantic University, graduate student), Colton L. Babbitt
Shruti Patel of Gonzaga University,
(Florida Atlantic University), Adrianna Halsey (Southeastern University), Melanie Trump
hosted a special lecture series entitled,
(University of South Florida), Rachael Rothstein-Safra (University of Central Florida),
“Practices of the Past in Colonial-Era
and Douglas Benner (University of South Florida, graduate student).
India.” A catered lunch was provided
on Saturday in the Globe Room. Steve
Balzarini of Gonzaga University gave a very interesting versity, Oklahoma Baptist University, East Central Uni-
talk on, “The Way We Were: Forty Years of Phi Alpha versity and Rogers State University were in attendance.
Theta in the Northwest Region.” A special thanks to The conference program included optional afternoon
Eric Cunningham for all your effort in organizing the activities, such as a tour of the Laboratory of History
highly successful conference. Next year’s Northwest Museum and a book signing with Erika Gasser of the
conference will be held at Idaho State University’s Chi- University of Cincinnati. The conference kicked off on
Friday with a welcome reception from 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Rho Chapter.
The reception was followed by a dinner and roundtable
Oklahoma discussion on “History and Politics” in the Nigh Universi-
On March 2-3, the University of Central Oklahoma ty Center ballroom from 7:00-8:30 p.m. At the lunch-
hosted the Phi Alpha Theta regional conference in con- eon on Saturday, Phi Alpha Theta national representative
junction with the Oklahoma Association of Professional and long-time faculty advisor, John Maple, of Oklahoma
Historians. The two-day conference drew approximate- Christian University, provided the opening remarks.
ly 120 participants, with some sixty students presenting The keynote address, “Vexed with Devils: Manhood and
papers. Students and faculty from nearby Oklahoma Uni- Witchcraft in Old and New England,” was provided by
versity, Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma Christian Dr. Erika Gasser of the University of Cincinnati.
University, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Continued on page 12...
Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Cameron Uni-
V OLUME 35, I SSUE 3 P AGE 10

2018 SPRING INDUCTIONS

Students were inducted into the Nu-Theta chapter at Hartwick College
on April 19, 2018.
“Today I was inducted into Phi Alpha Theta, the
National History Honor Society. I am so proud of
myself and my friends for all our hard work!” -
Marissa Hull of California State University -
Channel Islands.

Find Phi Alpha Theta on

Facebook, Instagram and
Twitter!

Chapter induction?
Graduation ceremony?
Community service?
Chapter activities?
The Theta-Sigma chapter at Southern Arkansas University welcomed new members
Tag us in your photos for a
of Phi Alpha Theta at their April 18, 2018 induction ceremony.
chance to be featured!
We enjoy hearing from our
students and faculty!

“Believe you can and you’re

halfway there.”
~Theodore Roosevelt
V OLUME 35, I SSUE 3 P AGE 11

2018 SPRING INDUCTIONS

On April 30, 2018, new members of the Iota-Theta chapter at Arcadia University
proudly display their membership certificates.

“Officially inducted into Phi Alpha Theta! It wouldn’t have been Congratulations to member, Kathleen Malley, who was inducted
possible without the help of my friends and the faculty of the history into the Mu-Omega chapter at Saint Joseph’s University
department.” -Kira Higgins-Simmons of Salem State University on April 22, 2018.
V OLUME 35, I SSUE 3 P AGE 12

2018 R EGIONAL C ONFERENCES

...continued from page 9. of the national office at the luncheon. Next year’s re-
gional conference will be hosted by Abilene Christian
The 2019 Oklahoma conference will be hosted by Cam- University’s Zeta-Beta Chapter.
eron University’s Alpha-Alpha-Kappa Chapter.
Utah
Pennsylvania-West
Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, sponsored this
The Alpha-Alpha-Lambda Chapter at Grove City College year’s regional conference on March 31st. Seventy peo-
hosted the Pennsylvania West conference on Saturday, ple were in attendance and thirty-five papers were pre-
March 10th in Grove City. Among the chapters in at- sented. Dixie State University, Weber State University,
tendance were Mercyhurst University, Jefferson Col- Westminster College, Brigham Young University-Provo,
lege, Geneva College, Slippery Rock University, Saint Utah State University and Utah Valley University attend-
Vincent College, Juanita College, Mansfield University, ed what, by all accounts, was a highly successful meeting.
Thiel College and Fairmont State University. Forty-five The conference program began with a statement that
students presented their papers on a wide variety of his- expresses the very essence of our regional meetings: “As
torical topics. The luncheon speaker, Elaine Frantz of a part of Phi Alpha Theta’s mission to encourage re-
Kent State University, gave an interesting presentation search, good teaching, publication and the exchange of
entitled, “Five Things you have misunderstood about the learning and ideas by bringing students and teachers to-
Ku Klux Klan.” The conference concluded with best gether for intellectual and social exchanges, we are excit-
paper awards. The regional was made possible thanks to ed and honored to welcome each of you to the regional
the generosity and support of Grove City College Presi- conference. This year we have thirty students from all
dent Paul McNulty. over Utah presenting on a wide range of topics across
Texas – Northeast history.” Students presented papers on a wide variety of
historical topics, including Utah history in the 19th and
The campus of Texas A&M-Commerce was the setting 20th centuries, Medieval and Ancient World, 20th Cen-
for our Texas Northeast regional meeting, which con- tury U.S. history, Latin America, Japan and Beyond and
vened on March 24th. Students and faculty from Texas the Victorian Era. Guest speaker, Evan Haefeli, of Texas
Woman’s University, Midwestern State University, Abi- A&M University, gave a talk on “Religious Toleration
lene Christian University, University of Texas- and Diversity: Framing a History,” at the luncheon.
Arlington, Tarleton State University, University of Mary Jane Chase, faculty advisor for Phi-Eta Chapter at
North Texas, University of Texas-Tyler, East Texas Bap- Westminster College served as the national representa-
tist University and Texas Wesleyan University attended. tive at the conference. The 2019 Utah regional meeting
For some schools, this was their very first experience will be hosted by Dixie State University’s Alpha-Omicron-
attending a regional meeting. Approximately fifty peo- Chi Chapter.
ple participated, with thirty-two students presenting
papers. Topics included war and persecution, evolution We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of
of European religion, World War I and its aftermath, this year’s regional meeting sponsors for their hard work
culture and nation-building in Latin American and space and for providing our students with the opportunity to
reform in Texas. Student papers in both graduate and gain valuable experience in presenting their research in a
undergraduate categories proved to be high quality public forum. A complete list of our 2019 regional con-
work. A pre-conference dinner at Luigi’s Italian Café ferences will be available on our website in the near fu-
took place on the Friday evening before the event. ture.
Opening remarks were made by host faculty advisor,
Andrew Baker. Phi Alpha Theta’s Vice President, Jacob
Blosser of Texas Woman’s University, served as the na-
tional representative and made announcements on behalf
V OLUME 35, I SSUE 3 P AGE 13

F ROM THE P RESIDENT ’ S C ORNER

...continued from page 2.
Some chapters hesitate to step forward and offer to host a regional meeting because of the perceived planning, ex-
pense and effort required to do so. However, if chapter faculty advisors, student members and history department
support staff can get organized early in the process, the job of hosting a regional isn’t as daunting as one might think.
In an effort to encourage chapters to host and thus keep PAT’s “beating heart” alive, let me share a few tidbits of or-
ganizational advice that I have managed to pick up over many years of hosting and attending regional conferences in
Virginia and around the country. Understanding that every region does things a little differently, here are my
thoughts on “how to host a regional meeting.”
Preliminaries: You should probably start by sending out a "call for papers" via email in early November (for a
spring conference) to all your region’s chapter advisors—go to the Phi Alpha Theta website at http://
www.phialphatheta.org/chapters.cfm to compile an updated email address list. When calling for papers, indicate
the date of the conference and set the conference fee, establish limits on the size of papers, announce the deadline for
electronic paper submissions, and list the categories (grad and undergrad, U.S. vs. Euro. vs. World) you’ll be honor-
ing with awards. Prizes can consist of vouchers for books obtainable from the national PAT office, or you can award
clean copies of used books—my students enjoy shopping for these as a chapter activity to prepare for the conference!
Judges: It is important to find "impartial" paper judges (i.e., not connected to the host school or to a participating
school) so that the host school has a fair chance to win paper awards without the taint of favoritism. You might ap-
proach public librarians in your city, for example, to help with judging--or you can call in "favors" from history col-
leagues at nearby or even distant institutions. I've often asked old buddies from grad school to serve as judges and
have sent papers all over the country as a result—distance shouldn’t matter as long as you get the judging results
back in time for the conference.
Expenses: Host chapters have recently been trying to keep the charge per attendee to between $25-$35 in order to
encourage student attendance. If you get a keynote speaker (colleague or national officer) for free, get used books
(or book vouchers from national) as prizes, provide a buffet or boxed lunch, and even touch your dept. chair or your
PAT treasury for a little support, you ought to be able to keep your expenses under control and will very likely
break even. Be sure to announce the conference fee with your call for papers.
Panel Chairs & the Conference Program: Faculty advisors who attend the conference with their students will
usually volunteer to chair panels, as will your history dept. colleagues--solicit such volunteers in your call for papers.
One host chapter decided a few years ago to have students chair sessions, an innovation that worked very well.
Once all the papers have been submitted, you'll need to get the program together and then email it via attachment to
all chapter advisors at least a week ahead of the conference itself so that nervous student presenters and panel chairs
can prepare themselves. Panels should run about 75 minutes each, allowing for 3 student presentations with Q&A to
follow. You can probably expect between 40-60 paper submissions total, so you'll want to run 3 time sessions (2 in
the am, one after lunch) of several panels each. Total attendance will likely fall somewhere between 50-80, which
includes student presenters, faculty and observers.
Happy Regionals to You All: Do get in touch (cdrees@vwu.edu) if you have any questions or wish to share
your “best practices” on how to host a regional conference!
Sincerely,
 Phi Alpha Theta
History Honor Society, Inc.

https://www.facebook.com/patnational

@phialphatheta

@PAT_History

Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society

University of South Florida
4202 East Fowler Avenue SOC107
Tampa, FL 33620-8100

Phone: (800) 394-8195

Fax: (813) 974-8215
Email: Info@PhiAlphaTheta.org

VISIT US ONLINE AT
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