Digital Scholars Celebrated at Trexler Library

The students presented projects that they had completed as independent summer scholars.

By: Grace Oddo '22  Wednesday, September 1, 2021 11:24 AM

This July, the Digital Learning Team and Trexler Library hosted a presentation of the Mellon Digital Scholars, which featured five students who showcased their summer research projects. The six-week program centered on topics with hands-on methods, techniques, tools and practices within digital scholarship.

The students worked in collaboration with Susan Falciani Maldonado, special collections & archives libarian, Lora Taub, dean of digital learning and professor of media & communication, along with Trexler Library and digital learning staff. The event was not only a celebration of the students’ hard work, but a celebration of the ability to collaborate and present research fully in-person. 

“Broadly speaking, this has been a time to reflect on what it means to be researchers together,” said Taub at the beginning of the presentations. “I want to make note of what a joy it has been for those of us returning to campus together to be in The Hive." (The Hive is the nickname of the Digital Learning Center in Trexler Library.)

The program was made possible by Muhlenberg’s grant from The Andrew Mellon Foundation, a foundation focused on practicing the liberal arts and engaging students as partners in pedagogy and scholarship.  

Digital Scholar Projects

  • Morgan Bishop '22:  Bishop presented “Dracula’s Map.” Using maps and other literary footprints, Bishop traced the timeline of the legend of Dracula. 
  • Abby Robuck '24: Robuck presented “Soviet Motherhood,” which examined representations of motherhood and femininity through Soviet history. 
  • Niamh Sherlock '23: Sherlock examined visual theatre, audience accessibility and the future of the arts in the presentation “Must Go On.” 
  • Sarah Wedeking '24: In “Asexuality in Media,” Wedeking explored and analyzed asexual representations on television shows, including animated programs like Steven Universe
  • Lottie Segal '23: In “Elizabethan Dress, Gender and Politics,” Segal explored gender and politics through costume in Tudor, England.