Student Research at Winona State University
Student History Research Symposium
Over the past fifteen years, the history departments of Winona State University and St. Mary’s have co-sponsored a student-research symposium, with UW-La Crosse, Viterbo and UW-Eau Claire joining in recent years.
At each school, senior history majors - and at Winona State Law and Society majors - write a senior thesis based on an original historical question of their choosing and backed through investigation of original source materials. In this way, students do the work of actual historian while sharpening their critical thinking, writing and presentation skills.
Each year, the symposium includes a keynote speaker. Past speakers have included:
- Dr. Stacy Robertson, Oglesby Professor of American Heritage at Bradley University
- Dr. Donna Gabaccia, a nationally known specialist in immigration history from the University of Minnesota
- Dr. Peter Rachleff, a well-known labor historian from Macalester College
The student and keynote presentations are free and open to the public
Additional Presentation Opportunities
- Seniors may present their research every spring at the Ramaley Research Celebration and Creative Scholarship at Winona State University.
- Winona State students from the Department of History and Legal Studies have presented at the National Council of Undergraduate Research, an organization that works to support and recognize undergraduate students who contribute creative and original research investigations to their disciplines.
Research Funding
Students may obtain support from WSU to fund research trips and or research presentations. More information on Undergraduate Research and Creative Projects grants (Regulation 3-22) and Travel Grants for Research and Creative Presentations (Regulation 3-25) and forms are available.
