University of Washington

HISTORY ALUMNA AWARDED PRESSLY PRIZE FOR EXCELLENCE IN SECONDARY EDUCATION UNDERGRADUATE AWARDS CEREMONY Each year the Department of History awards the Pressly Prize for Excellence in Secondary Education to a Washington State educator who has excelled at teaching history at the high school level. In 2017, the Undergraduate Studies Committee selected Sarah Fisher of Central Kitsap High School (CKHS) to receive the prize. Fisher herself graduated from the UW with a BA in history in 1983, making the awards ceremony an especially meaningful occasion. SARAH FISHER (CENTER) STANDS WITH FAMILY, FORMER STUDENTS, AND DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY FACULTY. Fisher traces her love of history to several courses she took at the UW, including classes on the history of India, the history of South Africa, and the history of slavery in a global context. In considering how her time in the undergraduate classroom influenced her later career in education, Fisher remarked, "I remember that the professors of all three of those classes demonstrated for me what I think is key in teaching, and that is mutual respect between students and professor so that the class becomes a 2-way conversation where everyone learns from everyone else … all these professors modeled enthusiasm for learning and thinking and questioning and analyzing and overall just curiosity. I try to model this for my students as well." F R I E N D S O F H I S T O R Y P R I Z E F O R O U T S TA N D I N G S T U D E N T L E A D E R Given to a graduating history major or a history graduate student, this award recognizes her or his outstanding work to integrate the study of history with community and public engagement. This year's awardee is Gordon Shelton-Jenck. A history major with minors in Germanics and labor studies, Shelton-Jenck distinguished himself as a leader in research and activism related to labor rights and history. His Honors in History thesis, "'It's Time for Teachers' Lib!': Washington's Teachers at the Crossroads of Gender and Class Struggles," received honorable mention for the department's Power Paper Prize. In addition to an internship with the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies, Shelton-Jenck was also active with United Students Against Sweatshops during his time at the UW. P O W E R P R I Z E F O R O U T S TA N D I N G R E S E A R C H P A P E R This award, named in memory of a former history major at the University of Washington, is given to undergraduates who have produced truly outstanding research papers in a University of Washington History course. Hannah Fumiko Russ (winner) – "'It Must be Odd to be a Minority': Multiracial Japanese Americans, Racial Segregation, and the U.S. Empire" Gordon Shelton-Jenck (honorable mention) – " 'It's Time for Teachers' Lib!' Washington's Teachers at the Crossroads of Gender and Class Struggles" 2  U N I V E R S I T Y O F W A S H I N G T O N

• Cover