Two recent graduates share the Kenneth E. Showalter '50 Special Collections Research Award

by Tom Perry

Marietta, Ohio (05/09/2018) — Marietta College's Hailey Bennett '18 (Marietta, Ohio) and Mandee Young '18 (Poca, West Virginia) were recently named co-winners of the Kenneth E. Showalter '50 Special Collections Research Award, which is awarded annually by the Legacy Library.

Bennett won for her infographic on the Washington County Library, while Young won for her infographic on "A Building of All Trades." Both students were nominated by Sara Rosenstock, Associate Professor of Graphic Design.

"The (students were) challenged to research the history of a building in Marietta, sort through all of the possible storylines and information to include in the project, and eventually edit it all down to the essential information that would educate the reader in an approachable, interesting and effective manner," said Rosenstock about the assignment in her Graphics 250 course. "The amount of information included in (these posters) is impressive and the (student designers) created an effective contrast between all the sections without overwhelming or confusing the reader."

The $500 award is presented annually to an undergraduate or graduate student who authors the best research paper using the primary sources of the Slack Research Collections of the Legacy Library. The Kenneth E. Showalter '50 Special Collections Memorial Endowment that was established in 2010 by Robert and Shirley Showalter funds the award.

The selection process followed a blind review standard in which information identifying the author of the project was removed prior to consideration. The award committee this year was composed of: Dr. Suzanne Walker, Associate Provost of Undergraduate Education; Dr. Douglas Anderson, Director of the Legacy Library; and Mr. Joe Straw, Reference and Instruction Librarian.

Located in Marietta, Ohio, at the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio rivers, Marietta College is a four-year liberal arts college. Tracing its roots to the Muskingum Academy back in 1797, the College was officially chartered in 1835. Today Marietta College serves a body of 1,200 full-time students. The College offers 45 majors and is consistently ranked as one of the top regional comprehensive colleges by U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review, as well as one of the nation's best by Forbes.com. Marietta was selected seventh in the nation according to the Brookings Institution's rankings of colleges by their highest value added, regardless of major.

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