The History Department concluded our academic year with a celebration of student achievement at our annual Prize Day event on Friday, April 24th. Fifteen students received awards, sixteen students were inducted into Phi Alpha Theta, and seventeen students were recognized for their invitations to join Phi Beta Kappa, a national honors society.
Phi Alpha Theta is “a professional society whose mission is to promote the study of history through the encouragement of research, good teaching, publication and the exchange of learning and ideas among historians.”
UConn’s chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, Epsilon of Connecticut, was chartered in 1956. Phi Beta Kappa is the oldest honors society in the United States and the “ideal Phi Beta Kappa member has demonstrated intellectual integrity, tolerance for other views, and a broad range of academic interests.” New members will be inducted on May 2 in a separate ceremony.
Award winners were encouraged to invite their family and friends to the event, and several members of the History Department faculty and staff were in attendance. Awards were followed by a keynote talk given by Professor Brendan Kane, titled “The Perils and Promises of Public Engagement.” Professor Charles Lansing gave closing remarks and invited award recipients and their families to join us for refreshments.
Prizes and Recipients
- Albert E. and Wilda Van Dusen Scholarship – Tim Brown (GS)
- Bruce M. & Sondra Astor Stave Prize in Recent American History – Robert Dubovy III (GS)
- Connecticut Celebration 350 Scholarship – John Guthrie ’26 and Ava Mitchell ’26
- Graduate Student Teaching Excellence Award – Zhengyuan Ling (GS)
- Hamill Graduate Scholarship in Latin American History – Javier Castillo (GS)
- Heather A. Parker Award for Excellence in Writing – Elyssa Hume ’27
- Karl Z. Trybus Undergraduate Award for Exceptional Work in Modern European History – Gwyneth Smith ’26
- Maddalena and Joseph Perrella Scholarship – Olivia Esparza-Finsmith ’28 and Gianluca Latina ’27
- Michael L. Dunphy Scholarship – Yusuf Mansoor (GS)
- Roger N. Buckley Award – Adam Thiesen ’26
- Sandra Rux Award – Everett Padro ’26
- Undergraduate History Excellence Award – Jacob Flinchbaugh ’26
For a description of each prize and a list of previous recipients, please visit our Annual Events page.