OHIO ACADEMY OF HISTORY NEWSLETTER FALL 2013 What’s Inside: 1-2 Message from the President 3-4 Spring Executive Council Meeting Minutes 5 2013 Prizes and Awards 6 Call for Papers 6 Call for Editorial Board Members 7 Call for Nominations 7 Call for Submissions for Spring 2014 Newsletter 8-10 Call for Awards Message 11-12 Business Meeting Minutes from the 12 Reimagining Europe Review 13-14 OAH Executive Council President and Committee Members 14 Financial Report Like most of you, I wear many professional hats. As befits someone with a faculty position at a public university (Kent State), I’m a teacher of undergrad- uates in courses that range from the large U.S. survey to specialized offerings for juniors and seniors in both content and methodology. Because Kent has graduate programs, I’m also an instructor of and mentor to M.A. and Ph.D. students. Outside of the classroom, I’m a researcher with a specialization in the history of U.S. foreign relations, particularly during the post-1945 period, busy visiting archives, making sense of mountains of documents, and writing papers, articles, and books. I also regularly perform a myriad of service tasks such as reviewing books and manuscripts, serving on professional committees, editing a book series for the Kent State University Press, and otherwise engag- ing with scholars beyond my own institution. No doubt many of you perform these sorts of tasks as well. Some of my work outside the classroom stems from my self-identification Upcoming Ohio as a historian of U.S. foreign relations and has been the result of my association Academy of History with the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations (SHAFR), the disciplinary “home” for scholars of U.S. foreign relations. SHAFR is an incred- Conferences ibly large and vibrant organization, and this year’s conference, held in Arling- ton, Virginia, drew more than four hundred attendees. (I began these remarks April 4-5, 2014 shortly before heading to Arlington and completed them not long after return- at The Ohio State University ing home.) I have been attending SHAFR conferences with some regularity since the mid-1980s, served on several prize committees and the Executive March 27-28, 2015 Council over the years, and spent fifteen years working in various capacities at Ohio Northern University on the Society’s journal, Diplomatic History. Much of what I know about pro- fessional service and engagement is due to my involvement in SHAFR, where (Continued on page 2) 1 Message from the President (Continued from page 1) a number of senior colleagues have mod- can do all of those things—and more—for tive response I received from members eled the sort of professional conduct, presenters. This is especially the case for when I was putting together committees devotion to task, and corporate responsi- graduate students, as the spring confer- for the coming year. Those interested in bility that I’ve tried hard to emulate. Just ence provides a friendly and supportive learning more about the Academy’s mani- as important as the professional benefits environment as well as an abundance of fold committees should consult the list on I’ve gained through my work in SHAFR constructive criticism. But beyond receiv- our website or contact any current com- have been the personal benefits, as many ing feedback on one’s own work, valuable mittee chair or officer. Anyone interested of the people I’ve met in the organization though that is, presenting a paper at the in committee service in the future should have become close friends. SHAFR is a spring conference, I think, also provides contact current Vice President Jonathan big part of my professional identity, just as a wonderful basic introduction to the Winkler. membership in such organizations as the entire professional conference experience, I know that each of you faces a vari- Society for Historians of the Early Ameri- from putting together a paper proposal, ety of professional and personal demands can Republic, the American Association constructing a coherent panel (one of that force you to consider carefully each for the Advancement of Slavic Studies, the initiatives we hope to roll out for the new request for involvement. But as we or the American Alliance of Museums 2014 conference is a feature on our newly move toward the new academic year, I’d probably is for many of you. redesigned website that will allow panel- like to ask each of you to keep the Ohio The Ohio Academy of History, the ists to find others working on similar Academy in mind as you plan your activi- only statewide organization for histo- topics), and learning to meet length and ties and commitments for the coming rians of all stripes, is also an important time deadlines. The spring conference year—and beyond. Consider putting part of my professional identity, bringing also provides a wonderful opportunity together a panel for the spring confer- together as it does historians who share for scholars from around the state to hear ence. Our Program Committee, chaired the common experience of working or about cutting-edge research, provide by Kelly Selby of Walsh University, is studying in (or near) Ohio. I know I informal mentoring through service as open to a wide variety of session formats. speak for many of you when I say that my session chairs and commenters and spon- Think about contributing a piece about work with the Academy over the years taneous critique as audience members, your research or other professional topic has provided all sorts of opportunities for and maybe even pick up a few tips on to a future issue of the Newsletter. Editor professional engagement and growth. As style and public presentation. Molly Wood is anxious to hear from you. is likely true for many of you, I delivered The spring conference, in sum, Or nominate a colleague for one of the my first professional paper at one of the is a win-win for presenters and Academy’s prizes. (See the list of com- Academy’s annual meetings (in my case, attendees alike. mittee chairs and prize announcements the 1991 meeting at Capital University). A second valuable professional op- elsewhere in this newsletter.) Although Since then, I’ve chaired and commented portunity that the Academy presents, at our first inclination as historians might on numerous conference sessions, chaired least from my perspective, comes through be to self-identify as specialists in this or a variety of Academy committees, done a its various committees. Like all profes- that field, I believe that our common con- stint as Secretary-Treasurer, and served as sional organizations, the Academy de- nections with the state of Ohio are also Vice President/President-Elect and now pends on a dedicated cadre of volunteers important, and that the sort of interaction President. All of these activities have been who serve in elected leadership positions with other historians in the state that the professionally and personally enriching, and on its Executive Council and staff its Academy provides is incredibly valuable, and together they suggest some of the Standing and Prize Committees. By my both professionally and personally. I am opportunities that the Academy presents count, the officer and committee roster anxious as President to establish contact for students as well as history professionals. for 2013-14 contains the names of forty- with historians at all levels who are new Perhaps the most visible way to be two different individuals donating their to the state and ask each of you to pass involved in the Academy is through our time and talents to various aspects of the the names and contact information of annual spring conference (4-5 April 2014 Academy’s work. Some of those individu- new colleagues on to me so that I can do at Ohio State University and 27-28 March als are junior scholars or professionals just that. In the meantime, let me reiterate my 2015 at Ohio Northern University). As we beginning to become active in the Acad- belief that the Academy has much to offer all know, research is a vital part of being a emy; some are seasoned veterans whose every historian regardless of station. I en- historian at any level, whether it’s writing contributions to the Academy are numer- courage each of you to become involved papers in undergraduate classes, complet- ous; and some fall somewhere in between. by making connections within the organi- ing a thesis or dissertation at the graduate Just like my work on SHAFR committees zation and to thereby make a difference. level, or publishing articles and books over the years, my own work on various as professionals. But public presentation Academy committees has afforded me Mary Ann Heiss, President and discussion of one’s work is important the opportunity to learn from some Ohio Academy of History too, for it’s in that setting that new ideas wonderfully generous individuals whose can be tested, hypotheses defended, and collective sense of responsibility, patience, intellectual turf claimed. Delivering a and dedication were—and are—admira- paper at the Academy’s spring conference ble. I was extremely gratified at the posi- 2 Ohio Academy of History Executive Council Meeting 5 April 2013 Location: 141 Williams Hall, Bowling Green State Univeristy sion on formally selecting ONU as host for 2015. Suggestion was In attendance: Wood, Heiss, K. Selby, S. Selby, Mancuso, Martin, made that if ONU’s facilities & amenities were deemed unsatisfac- Hedler, Hale, Kern, Dorn, Winkler, Weininger (via phone) – tory, perhaps the university would provide money to offset cost of [Martin & Mancuso excused early to return to duties on Conference/ catering or rental of other facilities for dinners, etc.