Texas Wesleyan students represented the Omega Zeta chapter of Phi Alpha Theta history honor society at its Biennial Conference Jan. 4-7 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Participation in the conference was competitive among the Phi Alpha Theta members at Texas Wesleyan. Seven students were selected to represent the university. Each made a 15-20-minute presentation.  

The History Program at Texas Wesleyan regularly provides students the opportunity to develop and demonstrate their public speaking at such meetings.  Additionally, the fielding of questions after each presentation enhanced students' presentation and cirtical thinking skills. During some down time at the conference, students and faculty visited the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History.

Students/Paper Titles

• Kelsey Becker, “Too Sexy for My Holy War: The Role of Women in the Crusades”
• Cesar Espino, “The Early Struggle for Mexican American Rights”
• Clara Friedlander, “Catching Fire: Media and the Triangle Factory Fire”
• Wyatt Hail, “Strategic Change and the Battle of the Somme”
• Selina Humphrey, “Praying with Private Parts: 14th Century Devotional Art”
• Chloe Mefford, “The Half-Blood King and the Seven Years’ War”
• Casey Wilson, “Where Do They Belong?: The Desegregation & Busing of Hispanic Children in Fort Worth, Texas"

Dr. Brenda Matthews (A.M. Pate Chair of American History), Dr. Alistair Maeer and Dr. Christopher Ohan accompanied the students and chaired sessions at the conference.

Student transportation to/from and accommodation in Albuquerque was provided by the generosity of the Dr. Elizabeth Alexander History Scholar Fund and the McCann Fund. 

About Phi Alpha Theta

Phi Alpha Theta (ΦΑΘ) is an American honor society for undergraduate and graduate students and professors of history. The society has more than 350,000 members, with about 9,500 new members joining each year through 860 local chapters. The Omega Zeta Chapter was chartered at Texas Wesleyan on April 23, 1979.

For more information about Phi Alpha Theta or the History program at Texas Wesleyan, visit www.txwes.edu/history.