Foreword to the Thirteenth Volume

Welcome to the fourteenth volume of Ibid: A Student History Journal, published by the Eta Nu Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society at Texas Woman’s University. As always, Ibid. remains committed to building student confidence through conversational mentorship that experientially grows knowledge.

As the new faculty advisor, I am honored to be a part of this nationally recognized, award-winning student journal. Ibid. has been awarded a prestigious Gerald Nash Journal Prize for each of the previous six volumes. Additionally, the Eta Nu Chapter has been recognized as a “Best Chapter in the Nation” every year since 2013 for its efforts to serve and engage the community, and to encourage student scholarship. It is a joy to work alongside such dedicated and talented students.

As in past years, a generous private endowment allows us to award two “Best Paper” prizes. Named for TWU Professor Emeritus Valentine J. Belfiglio, the Belfiglio Prize recognizes the very best in student research and writing. The winners this year are Aaron Whiting and Hunter Vermeer. In addition to these award-winning papers, the thirteenth volume also includes special departments focusing on Society and Race and Texas History.

I am proud of the extraordinary commitment of the student and faculty editorial boards to the thirteenth volume. Despite the alarm and upheaval caused by the emergence of Covid-19, members of the editorial boards continued to strive, although remotely, for excellence in the publication of our journal. This year, I should like to recognize the efforts of our student editors Kasie Moffett, Kendall Wagner, and Jeremy Faglie. Their hard work and dedication to this project is much appreciated.

This year, Ibid. is dedicated to Dr. Paul Travis.  Dr. Travis is a masterful teacher, much loved by students and widely respected by his colleagues. He has inspired countless students to study history, some of them contributors to the current volume. After teaching at TWU for over twenty years, Dr. Travis begins a much-deserved retirement this fall. We are thankful for his friendship, his guidance, and his example. Out of abundant gratitude, we dedicate this volume to him.

For thirteen years, Ibid. has shaped the development of historical scholars through collaborative relationships between students and faculty.  The outstanding essays that follow demonstrate the strength of that tradition. It is with pleasure that I invite you to enjoy our thirteenth volume.

Aubri E. Thurmond
Faculty Advisor

Page last updated 10:08 AM, April 24, 2026