History Department

Honors Program

Senior Honors Thesis:  To write an Honors thesis a student finds a thesis supervisor (preferably in the spring of his or her junior year), enrolls in a senior thesis tutorial (HIST 409) at the start of the senior year, and continues during the second semester (HIST 410) until completion of the thesis, due on Tuesday, April 11, 2012 by 4:00pm.  Applicants will be notified of the Department decision by late April 2012.  The writers of successful theses not only satisfy the research requirement and receive two tutorial credits, but also graduate with Honors in History.  Majors who are writing theses are expected to make a presentation about their research to the department's Honors Colloquium, which meets each week in the Fall semester.  Please refer to the Honors Program at Wesleyan at http://www.wesleyan.edu/registrar/honors.htt for helpful honors information.  The Junior History Majors Research Requirement Planning Form must be completed by Junior majors during course registration, signed by their advisor and then submitted to the History Department office by May 1.  (NB: History thesis writers are normally eligible for Davenport Study Grants that provide research support during the preceding summer; this can give the work an advantageous head start.)

 

University Honors:  Is the highest award Wesleyan bestows.  To be eligible, a student must fulfill General Education Expectations, earn High Honors on their thesis/project, be recommended for University Honors by their department, and qualify in an oral exam administered by the honors Committee.

 

Prizes Awarded by the History Department

Butler Prize:  Is awarded for the best Honors thesis in African, Asian or Latin American History.
Dutcher Prize:  Is awarded to the graduating senior with the best record within the major.
Meyer Prize:  Is awarded for the best Honors thesis in American History.
Morgan Prize:  To a senior major or majors in History who best demonstrated the integrity and commitment to the community that characterized David Morgan's thirty-seven years of service to his college, to his department and to the University.
Robins Prize:  Is awarded for excellence in European History.
White Fellowship:  Is awarded to two of the department's outstanding juniors to support summer research on a senior thesis.
Taylor Scholarship:  Is awarded annually to a History major based on outstanding academic achievement and other qualities such as fine character, good fellowship, leadership, and service to the Wesleyan community.

PRIZE RECIPIENTS FOR 2011-2012
BUTLER PRIZE:  Paul Schaffel
DAVENPORT GRANT:  Dahlia Azran, Emma Caccamo, Sarah Chrystler, Aria Danaparamita, Alexandra Galef, Gavin Swee, and McNeil Taylor
DUTCHER PRIZE:  Bernard Lillis, Charlotte Robertson, and Ana Sekulic
MEYER PRIZE:  Aaron Forbath and Bernard Lillis
MORGAN PRIZE:  Kevin Donohoe and Sarah-Anne Tanner
ROBINS PRIZE:  Charlotte Robertson and Ana Sekulic
TAYLOR SCHOLARSHIP:  Dahlia Azran
WHITE FELLOWSHIP:  Dahlia Azran, Aria Danaparamita, Alexandra Galef, and Keisha Mayers 
PHI BETA KAPPA:  Spring 2012:  Kevin Donohoe, Han Hsien Liew, Chelsea Reutcke, Ana Sekulic, and Alexandra Wang