A new book built from student research in SUNY Fredonia’s archives is now available to purchase to support the College Foundation's Bicentennial Fund.
“A Cabinet of Curiosities: 200 Years of Higher Education in Fredonia, New York” explores the university’s history through objects preserved in its collections. Edited by Amanda Shepp, Coordinator of Special Collections and Archives at Reed Library, and Dr. Mary Beth Sievens, who is a professor of history, the volume grew from mentored research projects in which students chose an artifact, researched its place in campus history and wrote about what they discovered.
“It was wonderful to watch Fredonia students apply the skills they developed as History and Social Studies Adolescence Education majors to these projects,” Dr. Stevens said. “The essays in the volume demonstrate our students' ability to research, analyze, and to write interesting stories about the history of higher education in Fredonia. Readers will experience the interests and enthusiasms of individual students whose collaborative efforts teach us a great deal about the history of higher education in Fredonia.”
“Seeing which artifact each student selected was a very fun process,” Shepp said. “The topics that each student wanted to explore were quite varied, and some were very unexpected. It was a very fun challenge to present each class with a variety of materials that are interesting to explore and also tell our story, and I’m delighted with how engaged the students were with our University History collections.”
Books are available to purchase at the Foundation House and Reed Library on campus. You can also fill out this form to purchase a book. The book costs $100, with all proceeds going to the Fredonia College Foundation Bicentennial Fund.