Tuesday, February 11th at 12:00 PM EST
Event will begin in 0 days and 5 hours
Winter College, now in its 5th year as an online learning program, offers a week of virtual events featuring Miami University faculty, staff, and alumni. Each day includes a lunchtime presentation on a variety of engaging topics. The program also celebrates Miami University's Charter Day with highlights of its history and the Love & Honor Awards.
How well do you know Miami’s history?
If you’ve spent any time on the Oxford campus, you’ve likely been told that you don’t step on the seal, but you do rub the turtles’ heads. But what have you heard about the giant clam in Upham Hall or Western College’s women’s baseball team?
Join us as Steven Conn, W.E. Smith Professor of History, discusses his newly published book The History of Miami University in Forty Objects.
Conn’s inspiration was the British Museum’s A History of the World in 100 Objects. Through his work with Museums Miami, Conn saw the richness of collections around campus and wanted to help highlight those objects through students’ storytelling.
His goal was to have two groups of students enrolled in the History Department’s capstone course research and publish a book. They decided on six themes they wanted to explore, and then they were turned loose in Miami’s collections — from the Art Museum to the McGuffey House and more. Conn gave the students free rein to frame the book and the essays in it.
Steven Conn is the W. E. Smith Professor of History at Miami University, where he teaches courses in American history. He was previously on the faculty in the history department at Ohio State University. He received his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 1994.
At OSU he created a combined BA/MA degree program in public history and the monthly online features magazine "Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective." In 2021 he helped create a spin-off website in collaboration with Getty Images called "Picturing Black History." Using images from Getty's vast archive, the site brings to light photos you haven't seen to tell stories you haven't heard. Find it here picturingblackhistory.
Steven Conn has spoken on a variety of topics around the country and around the world. A popular and engaging speaker, he is on the roster of Distinguished Lecturers at the Organization of American Historians.
Originally from Philadelphia, Steven Conn is now a resident of the funky town of Yellow Springs. There he is active in a variety of civic activities and projects. He served on the Yellow Springs school board from 2014 until 2022. He has also served on the Glen Helen Association Board.
This event is open to all and free to attend, but registration is required. Questions? Please reach out to J.J. Slager at slagerjj@miamioh.edu.
Special thanks to our sponsor for Winter College:
Support the Andrew Cayton Memorial Fund |
The Andrew R.L Cayton Fund commemorates Dr. Cayton’s profound impact as an instructor, advisor, and mentor of generations of students in the History department and at Miami University. It also supports history students’ research, internships, and other opportunities to expand their education and prepare them for a wide range of careers.
The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Miami University Alumni Association.