UAM Students Make History, Present History At Phi Alpha Theta National Convention (1/11/12)

            MONTICELLO, AR — Five students at the University of Arkansas at Monticello joined college students from across the United States and around the world to present original research to the biannual convention of Phi Alpha Theta history honor society January 3-7 in Orlando Fla.
            UAM history majors Christopher Carr and Rebecca Vaught of Lake Village, Jason Higgins and Quinton Morgan of Monticello, and Roy P. Wisecarver of Crossett represented UAM’s Alpha Nu Zeta Chapter at the convention.  
            Carr, a general studies major and chapter secretary, presented an essay entitled “Sunnyside Plantation: A Plantation and its People.” Higgins, a junior history major, presented an essay entitled “Through the Eyes of a Marine: The War Experiences of Leslie Wayne Hopper.” Morgan, a junior history major and chapter treasurer, gave a presentation entitled “Cultural and Ideological Exchange over the Silk Road.” Vaught, a senior history and English major and chapter president, presented her research project entitled “Robert Johnson: King/Faust of the Delta Blues.”  
            Wisecarver, a junior history and English major, chapter vice-president and the UAM chapter’s official delegate to the convention, made two presentations.  On the first day, he presented a paper entitled “Westward Expansion: A Look at the Cunninghams,” which discussed the earliest white settlers of the plantation that ultimately became the grounds of the University of Arkansas at Monticello. On the last day of the conference, Wisecarver presented “Through Hell to Hopelessness: Ashley County, Arkansas in the Civil War.”  
            Phi Alpha Theta was founded at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 1921. Members must maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and earn at least 12 credit hours in history. UAM’s Alpha Nu Zeta chapter has received the Best Chapter Award for four consecutive years for institutions with enrollments between 3,000 and 6,000.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured from left are Dr. John Kyle Day, assistant professor of history and faculty co-advisor of Phi Alpha Theta, Wisecarver, Vaught, Carr, Morgan, and Higgins.