Wagner College junior Nicole Mahoney has been named a 2009 Gilder Lehrman History Scholar. As one of fifteen Gilder Lehrman History Scholars, Mahoney will participate in a five-week program in Manhattan this summer that combines historical research, seminars with eminent historians, and behind-the-scenes tours of historical archives.
Applicants to the 2009 Scholars Program represented 170 colleges and universities across the United States.
“These are the brightest young historians in America,” said Professor James G. Basker, president of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, which sponsors the program. “We see them as something like Rhodes Scholars among history majors. We hope this spurs them all to consider careers as scholars, history teachers, or public historians in the future.”
This summer, the Gilder Lehrman History Scholars will explore how Americans perceived Abraham Lincoln during his lifetime. By looking at documents written about Lincoln, they will gain insights into Lincoln's image and the American psyche before, during, and after the Civil War. They will prepare both written pamphlets and short documentary films about their research. In addition, students will meet with historians such as Eric Foner, James McPherson and Steven Hahn and explore various archives throughout New York City.
