University Libraries awarded six undergraduate students with the inaugural Jim and Mary Lois Hulsman Undergraduate Research Award implemented specifically to recognize undergraduate research. This inaugural award celebrates outstanding undergraduate research that demonstrates information literacy skills by incorporating proficient use of University Libraries resources and information literacy skills. The award was made possible by generous contributions from long-time library supporters Jim and Mary Lois Hulsman.
Ellerie Ann Freisinger, currently a sophomore majoring in English, won the first place award in the Emerging Researcher category for, Racial Condition of America Through ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’. Here’s the introductory paragraph:
Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852, remains a seminal literary work to current day. It created a progressive narrative about slavery during the 19th century, and since that time it has undergone multitudes of new editions targeted for different occasions, demographics, and time-periods. When investigating the differences in the editions, readers are allowed a primary glance into the social environment during the time of its publication. Thus, by selecting the same image of Tom and Eva from two different editions that were published in 1938 and 1964, the details in them can be analyzed with the effect of understanding the possible reasons for their artistic divergences. Continuously, from this conclusions can be drawn about how these divergences communicate two different racial attitudes, one that is degrading and one that is mature and realistic, both reflective of the social environments during the times they originate.
The Department extends its congratulations to Ellerie for her outstanding research!
