The Architecture of Inquiry
In 2025, the University of Minnesota’s Department of History embarked on a bold new initiative to redefine undergraduate honors research: the Distinguished Scholars Program (DSP). Developed by Professor Andrea Sterk, who directed the program this first year, in collaboration with Howard Louthan, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, this pilot was designed to address a growing desire among students to immerse themselves more deeply in the discipline and historical methods.
The core of the program is a rigorous, two-semester senior thesis project. Professors Louthan and Sterk noted that the standard one-semester capstone often felt rushed, leaving students struggling to balance course content with the demands of original research. By expanding the timeline to a full year, the DSP allows for a dedicated focus on methodology and process, moving from consumption to the production of knowledge for students.
The yearlong program begins in the spring semester before students’ senior year, when they develop a research project, find a faculty advisor in their field of interest, and apply to the program. Many do research or relevant language study over the summer, some receiving departmental or university research awards for this purpose. Students in this year’s cohort, from CNRC as well as History, worked in archives across the U.S. (from Minnesota to Los Angeles) as well as abroad (in France, Germany, and New Zealand). They pursued research in a range of languages including Latin, French, German, Spanish and Yiddish.
In the fall students take the Senior Thesis Workshop (HIST 4961V), where they develop their projects within a supportive cohort environment. In the spring, they work independently with faculty advisors in their specific field of research to produce a 30-50-page thesis of near-publishable quality. As CLA Dean GerShun Avilez observed, this process marks a significant milestone: the shift from learning about others' discoveries to the “challenging and rewarding work of production of knowledge.”
Behind every student achievement is a community of support: people who encouraged late nights of research, listened to ideas in progress, offered reassurance during moments of uncertainty, and celebrated each step along the way. Thank you for the many ways you have helped our students reach this moment.
Gershun Avilez, CLA Dean
While the program emphasizes independent inquiry, it is far from a solitary journey. “Behind every student achievement is a community of support,” noted Dean Avilez, highlighting the roles of faculty mentors, graduate students, and families who encourage students through late nights of research. Professor Sterk expressed surprise and pride at the students’ growth, particularly their enthusiasm for critique. Initially daunted by the prospect of a massive thesis, the students evolved into confident researchers, even requesting extra practice sessions to refine their presentations. This collaborative effort has resulted in “remarkable projects,” some of which are already being prepared for publication or used as elite writing samples for graduate and professional school applications.
The highlight of the pilot program took place on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at the first annual History Honors Conference. Faculty, graduate students, parents and friends crowded into Heller Hall to hear seventeen students share their findings in professional panel presentations.
The panels reflected a vast chronological and thematic range, including:
- Policing and Crime: London, Los Angeles, Minneapolis
- From the Roman Empire to Early Islam
- Literary Visions of Europe and the Wider World: Medieval to Modern
- Race & Gender in North American History
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War and Its Aftermath in the 20th Century
Watch the conference presentations.
In his opening remarks, Dean Avilez reminded attendees why this work is so essential in the modern world. He stated that at a time when information moves quickly, historians offer “careful analysis, evidence-based reasoning, context, and perspective.” He emphasized that history is not just about the past, but about understanding how power operates, how communities endure, and how individuals make meaning in the world.
At a time when information moves quickly and attention spans are often pulled in many directions, historians offer something essential: careful analysis, evidence-based reasoning, context, and perspective. Historians teach us to ask not only what happened, but why it happened, who was affected, whose voices were amplified, whose voices were excluded, and what lessons we might carry forward. Those habits of mind are deeply valuable... Here, undergraduates conduct research, work alongside faculty mentors, pursue independent inquiry, and contribute original ideas to ongoing conversations.
Gershun Avilez, CLA Dean
As the first cycle of the pilot concludes, the program is already looking toward the future. The program is open to history majors and non-majors with a 3.5 GPA in History, a viable historical project, and a faculty advisor in their field. Professors Louthan and Sterk encourage any qualified student to apply; more information is available on the program website. For those who participate, the program offers a rare opportunity to "spread their wings" as researchers and contribute original ideas to the ongoing human conversation.
This story was written by Kefoue Makena, a graduate student in History.
