On Saturday, May 4, the History Department held its annual Honors and Awards Luncheon, in recognition of the academic excellence and civic achievement of our undergraduate students this past year. A number of students were also formally inducted into Phi Alpha Theta, the national honors society for history. Thank you to all the supportive family and friends who attended, particularly those who traveled some distance to be with us!
Paper prizes were the first to be awarded in six different categories: Best Paper by a First Year Student, Best Analytical Paper, the Val Rabe Prize for Upper-Level Research Paper; the Bill Derby Award for Best HIST 302 Paper; the Jennifer Wachunas Prize in Women’s History; and the Derek Kaczorowski Memorial Best Senior Experience Paper Prize.
This is the first year that the Senior Experience Paper Prize has been awarded in memory of Derek Kaczorowski ’18, who passed away last year shortly after winning this prize and graduating from SUNY Geneseo.
Professor Catherine Adams presents Jada Atwood with the Best First Year Paper Prize. 
Professor Justin Behrend presents Sarah Healy with the prize for Best Analytical Paper. 
Professor Michael Oberg presents Madeleine Stoklosa with the Val Rabe Prize for Best 400-Level Paper. 
Professor Peter Samuels presents Nicholas Simon with the Bill Derby Prize for Best HIST 302 Paper. 
Professor Yvonne Seale presents Carolyn Felice with the Jennifer Wachunas Prize in Women’s History. 
Professor Justin Behrend presents Ashley Law with both the Senior Academic Achievement Award and the Derek Kaczorowski Memorial Best Senior Experience Paper Prize.
The departmental endowed awards were then announced.
Professor Jovana Babović presents Katherine Peter with the James K. Somerville Sophomore History Endowed Scholarship 
Professor Peter Samuels presents Victoria Cooke with the Dr. William E. Derby Tribute Endowed Scholarship. 
Professor Justin Behrend presents Ben Robinson with the Bonnie C. Henzel Memorial Endowed Scholarship. 
Professor Peter Samuels presents the Margaret and Mary’s Wish Scholarship to Joshua DeBell. 
Professor Michael Oberg presents the Senior Community Involvement Award to Brandon Burger. 
Professor Yvonne Seale presents Cate Shields with the Dr. Kathryn J. Beck Memorial Award for Outstanding Senior History Major.
A final recognition went to Sue Ann Brainard, who is retiring this year from Milne Library after many years of stalwart service as History subject librarian. Professor Michael Oberg made a presentation to her from a grateful History Department.
