Catherine Trainor (1st)
A forty-five minute historical documentary about Fort Ross, a Russian fur-trading and agricultural outpost on the California coast. Though Fort Ross symbolizes the eastern frontier of Russia, while California was the western frontier of America, it is little known by Americans. Viewers will learn about the general history of the fort from its beginning in 1812 to its sale to an American in 1841. The film includes interviews with many of the leading historians and archaeologists who have researched Fort Ross.
Amanda Keith (2nd)
Throughout this site, you will find infomation, stories, videos, and documentation of my journeys through southern Louisiana in fulfillment of my Independent Study thesis at the College of Wooster.
As an English major, Environmental Studies minor, I knew I wanted to focus on American literature and how environmental issues affect the way we interpret an author’s message and his/her characters.
When I visited New Orleans in March of 2010, I fell in love with the city’s charm: the sprawling oak trees and the hot sun, the loud jazz and the alligator po-boys. This was the place for me, and I’ve been back three times since then to collect my data.
Instead of focusing on New Orleans though, I traveled even farther south to Grand Isle and Isle de Jean Charles. There, I found serene beaches, majestic seabirds, the salty breath of the Gulf, and communities of people who treated me like family.
These two areas, along with Last Island, are where I focused my thesis. In my project, I analyzed literature that takes place on Louisiana’s islands which face both coastal and cultural erosion due to various environmental disasters and socio-political issues.
Navigating this site
The menu on the bottom includes both text and pictures that will direct you to the different pages. I claim ownership to most of the pictures taken on this website. Any photo that I did not take personally, is public domain or has “free use rights” and I have noted them throughout the site.
Also, pay attention to the podcasts attached to several of the pages. Some include my narration or meditations on the work I have done, and some are recorded narrations or interviews that I have either personally collected or are public domain. Please take a look at my Contacts page for references and acknowledgements.
Jacob Dinkelaker (3rd)
My project is an interactive public history website that visitors to campus can use to explore campus history and how it relates to architecture, curriculum, and memory. Visitors can use their mobile devices to explore while on the campus of the College itself, or visit the website whenever they want. QR Codes in the buildings themselves and the application SCVNGR direct visitors to the website while on the campus.
Rebecca Alcorn
Alice Dudley
The cultural biography of the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius explores how the interpretation of the statue has changed over time as its location has changed, and how its meaning is also a reflection of the cultures around it.
Alexandria Mackay
The film clip is a trailer for my documentary, “From Bland to Delicious: A Story of American Beer”.
Julie Melrose
Website of my Digital costume archive: a pilot project. My abstract and other info appears on the front page of the website.
Andrew Retzler
My first entry link is to the Wooster Geologists blog. The geology department’s blog has attracted many outside viewers who want to see exactly what we do throughout the year. With my blog post, readers can learn about my I.S. work with the department and get a sense of my thesis.
The second entry link I have provided is a Wikipedia article that describes the rock formation in which my I.S. took place, the Menuha Formation. This article will give everyone a chance to understand the Menuha Formation within Israel, especially fellow geologists who may continue work within this area later.
Naomi Robertson
Analysis of how gender and personality have an effect on deception detection skills.
Fedelia Shaw
My Independent Study looks at the evolution of the National Rifle Association (NRA) from its original goal of promoting marksmanship to its status as the most powerful gun lobby in the United States today. I used Flash animation, Photoshop, and Xtranormal software to represent the story through a variety of different technological mediums. They are all brought together in an interactive timeline that organizes each major event of the NRA’s evolution.