The William & Mary Libraries Undergraduate Library Research Awards recognize the creative and original library research completed by William & Mary undergraduate students. Awards are given to students whose papers best illustrate exemplary use of W&M Libraries' tools and resources and the development of information-gathering skills. Four awards are granted each year in two categories: Freshman/Sophomore and Junior/Senior.
Junior/Senior Category
First Place: Sihan Shen ’25 - $750
Sihan Shen ’25 has received the first-place award in the Junior/Senior category for his paper “Elias Boudinot and the Cherokee Nation: Assimilation, Resistance, and the Cost of Survival”. The paper studies Elias Boudinot's role in advocating for Cherokee sovereignty through the Cherokee Phoenix newspaper. Initially resisting removal, Boudinot eventually supported it as a pragmatic means to ensure the Cherokee people's survival. The award committee was impressed by Shen's thorough research and nuanced analysis of Boudinot's evolving stance on Cherokee removal. His commitment to analyzing primary sources and exploring the broader historical context sets his work apart.
Second Place: Enya Xiang ’25 - $500
Enya Xiang ’25 has received the second-place award in the Junior/Senior category for her paper, “The League in Austria and the Anschluss Aspiration”. The paper examines the League of Nations' role in Austria's post-WWI recovery and the persistent desire for unification with Germany. Xiang explores how the League's interventions aimed to stabilize Austria, while the prohibition of Anschluss fueled resentment and led to Austria's turn towards Nazi Germany. The award committee was impressed by Xiang's thorough research and nuanced analysis of the League's impact on Austria. Her work stands out for its unique combination of historical analysis, language skills, and adept navigation of diverse sources.
Freshman/Sophomore Category:
First Place: Saoirse O’Hair ’28 - $750
Saoirse O’Hair ’28 has received the first-place award in the Freshman/Sophomore category for her paper, “From Witches to Cat Ladies: An Analysis of Spinster Tropes and the Reproductive Mandate”. The paper explores how media uses spinster tropes to stigmatize childless women, linking these narratives to historical and economic contexts. The award committee was impressed by O'Hair's thorough research and insightful analysis of media tropes, combined with her demonstrated growth in research skills and effective use of diverse sources.
Second Place: Mia Tzafolias ’28 - $500
Mia Tzafolias ’28 has received the second-place award in the Freshman/Sophomore category for her paper, “The Impact of the Ottoman Empire on Tensions between the Serbs and Other Ethnic Groups in the Former Yugoslavia”. The paper investigates how Ottoman rule influenced ethnic tensions in the Balkans, focusing on demographic changes, political elitism, and ethnonationalism. The award committee was impressed by Tzafolias's thorough research and nuanced analysis of historical influences on modern conflicts, as well as her dedication to refining her research skills and commitment to unbiased research.