Recently I began writing this four part series about scholars that have won awards from the Council of Graduate Schools and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses at various regional CGS conferences. You can take a look back and read the original intro, as well as the first post of the series, here.

In the final installment of this series I introduce you to Daniel Papsdorf from Wichita State University. Daniel won a Distinguished Master's Thesis Award for his thesis entitled, "Trade, Diplomacy, and War Along the Waters: The Mississippi During the American Revolution." What a relevant time to reflect on Daniel's thesis -- as I write this, the waters of the Mississippi are rising, and the swollen river is creeping over the banks, swallowing entire communities from Tennessee to Louisiana. Although Daniel's work focuses on the time period of the American Revolution, current events demonstrate that the mighty Mississippi has as much an impact on people's lives today as it did when, as Daniel stated, "it served as both a highway and a border between empires" centuries ago. The river is still a valuable asset to America; however, Daniel reminded everyone at the awards ceremony that this waterway has always played a pivotal role in the history and development of this country. The Spanish settlers are now a thing of the past, and the Native American communities have unwillingly relinquished the power they once held over this land -- but while the river floods this spring, as it undoubtedly did at times during the American Revolution, Daniel's work displays that understanding the history of this river is in essence understanding the history of this country. I had a chance to briefly speak with Daniel after the awards ceremony, and he mentioned that he was trying to get down to New Orleans this summer and gain access to some archives to continue his research. I hope Daniel gets access to those archives -- and at the same time, I hope that those living along the Mississippi remain safe and recover quickly from the flood damage. Congratulations to Daniel and all the other award winners, it was a pleasure to meet them and listen to their presentations. Below is a picture of Daniel, and a summary of his thesis as it appeared in the awards program.