Library Research Award 2022

First Place: Savannah Scott '23

"Wartime and Womanpower: The Organization of the Women’s Committee of the Council of National Defense"

When the United States declared war on Germany in 1917 and entered World War I, the federal government understood that civilian mobilization and a strong homefront would be essential for American success in the conflict. The Committee of Women’s Defense Work of the Council of National Defense, commonly known as the Women’s Committee, was created to organize American women for the war effort. This paper argues how the executive Women’s Committee used pre-existing connections to women’s voluntary associations and the fundamental concept of federalism to organize, mobilize, and inform American women for the war effort. The women at the federal level worked to balance their personal beliefs, shaped by Victorian attitudes regarding gender roles, with wartime needs in their policies and actions. The federalist organization and the policies of the Women's Committee would expand the role of women in the United States during the war despite the wishes of some members of the executive board.

Completed for HIST 470 with Dr. Brandon Marsh

Second Place: Katelyn Harrison '23

"Sir Edward Grey and the Concert of Europe: A Final Attempt to Save Europe from War"

In July of 1914, Europe fell into a conflict that resulted in the onslaught of the First World War. British Foreign Secretary Sir Edward called the Great Powers of Europe together in an attempt to de-escalate the tensions. Grey reinvigorated the Concert of Europe System as the foundation of his diplomatic actions. The Concert System involved multilateral negotiations between the Great Powers of Europe. While the Concert had prevented some conflict in the nineteenth century it failed to stop the First World War. This article examines how the July Crisis presented a challenge that the Concert system could not reckon with for namely two reasons. First, the Austro-Hungarian Ultimatum sent to Serbia was an unprecedented document that Grey and other statesmen were not prepared to contend with. And second, Grey’s complex system of ententes and his exclusion of Russia from the Four Power mediation muddied the path forward as negotiations were ultimately rendered ineffective. 

Completed for HIST 470 with Dr. Brandon Marsh

Honorable Mentions:

• Meghann Burgess, "Love and Labor: Footbinding in Rural China in the Twentieth Century"
• Alison Keister, "Management Plan for Reducing Wolverine (Gulo gulo) Habitat Fragmentation in Canada: Travel Corridors Between Tonsa Peak and Stuart Knob"
• Sarah Rodes, "Cinema and Censorship: Artistic Limitations in Chinese Cinema"

• Undergraduates enrolled in a degree program in any discipline at Bridgewater College who have completed a one-semester scholarly paper or creative project for which library research is a substantial component.
  • Students who graduated in May 2022 may submit their work from Spring 2022
• Only assignments completed as part of Spring 2022 or Fall 2022 coursework are eligible
  • Submissions may come in the form of written assignments, infographics, musical compositions, and more—as long as library research was conducted as part of the assignment creation
  • Works co-written with faculty are not eligible
  • Papers or projects completed as part of a summer research fellowship are not eligible
• Individual and group projects are eligible
  • Awards for group projects are split between each group member

Submissions must include the following documents:

1. Completed research project in Word or PDF format (without any edits since the submission for coursework)
   1. A bibliography of sources used in your paper or project
2. 300-500 word reflective essay that touches on:
   1. your research strategies,
   2. how you used library resources and services to complete your paper or project,
   3. and how your research enhanced your growth as a scholar
3. Signed recommendation form from the faculty member who assigned the research paper or project
   1. Download the recommendation form here

Submissions for the 2022 Library Research Award are closed.

Check back later for information on next year's award!

Submissions will be evaluated on three criteria: 

1. The originality, depth, breadth, or sophistication in your use of information sources in the research project
2. The ability to select, evaluate, and synthesize library resources and use them successfully in your paper or project
3. Evidence of growth as a scholar/development of research skills.

The Judging Committee will include a librarian, the CEL Director of Student Research, and one faculty volunteer from each school.