Colleen Goodhue is the 2021 MALS Thesis Award recipient for her work in the Creative Writing track.
Her thesis, titled Ready for Emergency: The Women of the Flint Sit-Down Strike, portrays the full breadth of women's involvement in the sit-down strike the Flint General Motors auto plant. There may be acknowledgement of a women's militia who helped with the strike effort, but there were also countless other women touched by this moment in history. Through archival work in the University of Michigan's collection of the women's oral histories of the women, the thesis enriches this historical moment by examining it through the lens of women's lived experiences.
Tell us what brought you to Dartmouth:
It's funny, when I applied to MALS I had a much different idea of what I wanted my graduate education to be. My background is in documentary film and television and I originally wanted to do a cultural study of documentary subjects. I took a literary journalism course and my whole plan shifted. I am so happy with my thesis, and I have a better idea of what I want to do next. I think that's the great thing about a liberal arts education – it creates a space for change.
What's next for you?
This fall, I started a new job in Western Massachusetts where I produce multimedia programs for museums. It's a nice blend of research, writing, design, and media production. I plan to continue writing and would love to write a book in the next few years.
David Hirsch is the 2021 MALS Thesis Award recipient for his work in the Globalization track
Olympic Mettle: Strengthening the International Olympic Committee for the 21st Century is the title of David's thesis, and in it he explores the history, structure, purpose, and organizational nature of the IOC. He proposes that by developing a media-driven approach—informed by communications theory and media analysis— the IOC's work on Communicating about the IOC's work on sustainable development will reinforce key messages for key constituencies: that the IOC is a positive global force and that it is a reliable partner.
Tell us what brought you to Dartmouth:
I came to MALS with a background in international affairs journalism and strategic communications. I worked with pioneering journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault on the PBS human rights newsmagazine "Rights and Wrongs." I covered the United Nations, NASA, and general assignment for NHK, Japan's sole public broadcaster. Prior to coming to MALS, I served as head of global media relations for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). I currently work at Dartmouth. As an interdisciplinary program, MALS allowed me to build an academic foundation around my varied background in global media and international affairs. MALS also put me into close contact with current thinking and trends driving society.
What's next for you?
The MALS coursework, independent study, and thesis research have expanded my interest in the issues that are influencing the work of the international media and the international community. I look forward to pursuing those interests through further research and writing.
Wilson Mazile is the 2021 MALS Thesis Award recipient for his work in the General Liberal Studies track
Wilson's thesis, titled Haitian Social Innovation: "A Case Study Analysis in Haitian Epistemology, Microfinance, and Blockchain Technology," examines structurationist theory and methodology of phenomenological structuralism, to demonstrate the compatibility of infant digital technologies with the social structure, practical consciousness, indigenous value systems, and predisposition for social innovation of Haitian culture.
Tell us what brought you to Dartmouth:
As I was finishing up a B.A. in International Politics from Penn State, I sought out an interdisciplinary program that could explore concepts of governance, politics, public policy, sociology, and anthropology using a global lens. As our academic world requires a more interdisciplinary approach towards new knowledge creation, the MALS program at Dartmouth offers a forward-thinking conception of the social sciences that challenges and advances the curricula of traditional disciplines. I chose this program for its dynamism in liberal arts discourse.
What's next for you?
I am exploring career options in International Affairs, Management consulting, FinTech, Thinktanks, Nonprofit management, and academia.
Jamie Garden is the 2021 MALS Thesis Award recipient for her work in the Cultural Studies track
Jamie's thesis, Erased and Displaced: The Whitewashing of Trans Womanhood and Lesbian Identity, draws on Afro-pessimism and materialist feminism to explore the ways in which butch trans women, especially Black butch trans women, challenge our current collective understandings of (trans) womanhood, butch-femme relationship dynamics, and the role of racialization in gender performance and socialization.
Tell us what brought you to Dartmouth:
I chose MALS because of the strong interdisciplinary focus. Being able to work on my thesis with faculty from any department truly allowed me to be in control of my research and to thrive.
What's next for you?
I plan to take time away from academia to focus more of my energy on community organizing and pursue a Ph.D. in American Studies or African American Studies beginning in Fall 2022.
