CWC PROFESSOR’S RESEARCH GAINING ATTENTION

The research of a Central Wyoming College anthropology and history professor is gaining attention.

 An article by CWC assistant professor Todd Guenther is one of the most popular by those accessing the Nebraska State Historical Society’s website, which has a large online collection of articles written about the region.
 
“Empire Builders,” an article Guenther wrote about an African American homesteading community in eastern Wyoming, was the second most read article, with 81,916 views during the past year. Based on Guenther’s research, the article received NSHS’s prestigious James L. Sellers Award in 2009. He has published numerous research papers about western history, including others on early black settlers in the Equality State, which have received awards from Wyoming, South Dakota, and national organizations.
 
Guenther encourages his CWC Western American Studies students to present archaeology and history conference papers about the research they conduct. He is working with several CWC students on their own publications.
 
“Having journal articles listed on their vitas is an essential part of their academic development and a key component in achieving professional careers in various disciplines,” Guenther said. “The more they write and hone this skill, the better they’ll do whether they go into archaeology, teaching, museums, history, or other related fields.”
 
Recent CWC graduate Clara Copp-LaRocque is co-authoring an article with Guenther about the Three Crossings area along the Oregon Trail. The CWC Archaeological Field School documented that complex of sites and Oregon Trail ruts during the 2009 and 2010 field seasons. Mallory Ann Hayes is writing an article about the history of the Adams Ranch, a picturesque collection of log buildings nestled against the cliffs in Red Canyon.
 
“Empire Builders” can be found at: http://www.nebraskahistory.org/publish/publicat/history/full-text/NH2008Empire_Builders.pdf