Reflection
What did you enjoy about this project?
I enjoyed the opportunity that this project gave of researching and exploring the history of Trinity athletics. I also really enjoyed seeing how my historical research project has grown and developed. My research project started with a photo of an intramural basketball team who happened to live in the athletic dorm and has now turned into a large web that so many people and events are connected to
What surprised you about this project?
I was surprised at the amount of information that is available in our university archives and special collections. Up until this project, I had no idea that Trinity used to have an athletic dorm.
What was the most challenging aspect of the project?
The most challenging piece for me was the interview piece of the project. I have tracked down and reached out to several children and spouses of men who lived in the athletic dorm in the 1950s. However, I have not received a response to any of my potential interviewees. I think a large reason for this is most of the documents I am researching are over sixty-five years old, so a lot of the evidence is lost or limited because of the length of time.
How did you manage it?
Since I was not able to interview someone from that time period, I interviewed a current Trinity student-athlete to help shape my argument. Originally, I had planned for my interviews to enhance my historical narrative but by interviewing a current student, I was able to enhance my argument of the benefits of Division III athletics.
If you could start over, what would you do differently?
If I could start over I think I would make more of an initiative in setting my own deadlines and better laying out my schedule for the project. At times, I felt that I was scrambling to find elements, like secondary sources or interviews way too late in the process.
What did you learn about history and/or the historical process through this project?
One thing I earned about history through this project is the documentation process for many of these articles. Most of my primary evidence is news articles and yearbook photos developed by Trinity students. This has caused me to realize that most of history is connected and created through others’ personal accounts and can oftentimes be very one-sided or opinionated.
What did you learn through this project that can be applied to life outside the classroom?
This project strengthened my researching skills and finding sources outside of database research. This project also strengthened my communication skills. Whether arranging interviews, setting up meetings, or peer-editing, I was able to improve my conversation skills by putting myself out there and getting into contact with other people.