The program’s purpose is to encourage scholarship in the field of colonial American history, and the members of the group have presented prizes to Samford students for six decades. Fifteen Samford students were recognized last Thursday for the submission of their papers, and Dr. Jonathan Bass, chair of our Department of History, introduced Keely Smith, the author of the winning paper, and four other students to offer synopses of their research. Keely’s topic was “The Power of Faith in Florida: The Effects of Catholicism on Diplomacy under Pedro Menendez.” Without referring to her notes, she gave a concise, elegant description of the elements of her paper. I suspect that she could have talked for two hours, given the extent of her research. The room filled with applause at the conclusion of her remarks.
The world is better because Samford students are nurtured in their development of intellect.