DENTON, July 1, 2024 – Eight students from Texas Woman’s University (TWU) have achieved a significant milestone in their academic careers with the publication of the 17th edition of Ibid., the annual journal of the TWU History Department. This accomplishment marks the culmination of extensive research, writing, rewriting, editing, and polishing.
Aubri Thurmond, TWU history lecturer and Ibid. faculty advisor, emphasized the importance of this achievement. “We’ve had students who published their work in Ibid. and then they’ve been cited by other scholars,” Thurmond said. “They really have the opportunity to contribute to the historical narrative and the conversation between scholars. It’s a really neat experience and a wonderful opportunity for students.”
This year’s edition of Ibid. features nine essays, two of which are by a single author. The essays cover a wide range of topics, including the use of Christian rhetoric in Black-owned newspapers, book reviews focused on the American West, the creation of Arlington National Cemetery, and the impact of Brown v. Board on public school integration.
Ibid. is open to all TWU graduate and undergraduate students, regardless of their major, as long as their submissions have a historical perspective. On average, 10-20 essays are submitted each year from various fields such as sciences, sports, arts, business, health sciences, education, and nutrition.
The submission process involves initial paper submission, editorial review, and further revisions based on feedback. A board, including faculty members from other universities, selects the final essays for publication.
“Ibid. provides students a space to apply the feedback that they received from their professors, to get additional feedback from faculty members and their peers, and continue to improve their work,” Thurmond explained. “The students are very enthusiastic about it, nervous, of course, because they’re vulnerable to have other people read something you’ve written and critique it. But the students seem to get a lot out of it.”
This year’s authors are:
- Miranda Adams (The Encomienda: The Spark to the Pueblo Revolt), an undergraduate history major.
- Haylee Cardinal (The Creation of Arlington National Cemetery), an undergraduate history major.
- Damon Parker (Preaching in Print: The Use of Christian Rhetoric in Black-Owned Newspapers During Reconstruction), an MA candidate in history.
- Meghan Pearce (Nineteenth Century Collegiate Secret Societies and Their Roles Within the Female World of Love and Ritual), an undergraduate history major.
- Madelon Proctor (Review of Citizens of a Stolen Land, and A Book Review of A Failed Vision of Empire), an MA candidate in history.
- Tanya Souther (The Weeping Land and Its People), an undergraduate history major.
- Thandy Tolbert (Women’s Work in the Abolition Movement), an MA candidate in sociology.
- Dawn Welch (A Tale of Two Cities: The Desegregation and Resegregation of Public High schools in Mansfield and Dallas, Texas), an MA candidate in history.
Additionally, the editorial board awarded the Valentine J. Belfiglio Best Paper Awards to Damon Parker and Meghan A. Pearce for their outstanding essays.
“Every volume of Ibid. has its own flavor,” Thurmond noted, highlighting the dynamic nature of the journal. “One of the wonderful things about the process is that for each volume, we can decide what kind of papers we want to accept. It’s always really fun to see what direction it takes and what kind of papers we receive.”
The 17th edition of Ibid. is now available for viewing, showcasing the hard work and dedication of TWU’s student authors.