Shelby Cumpton, of Quitman, won the prestigious Kimberly S. Hanger Award, given to the top undergraduate research paper presented at the state meeting of Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society on March 17th in Alexandria.
The LCU history major’s paper entitled: “Why Should Not Woman Seek to Be a Reformer?: The Relationship Between the Abolitionist Movement and Women’s Rights,” examined the connections between the women who advocated for the end of slavery and the advancement of women’s rights.
By virtue of her victory in the competition which included all Louisiana chapters from private and public universities across the state Cumpton took home a cash prize and a book award from the Phi Alpha Theta National Office.
The Hanger Award honors Dr. Kimberly Hanger, a history professor at the University of Tulsa from 1993 to 1999, when she died of leukemia at age 37. Her research focused on slavery in New Orleans, and she published two books before her death: “Bounded Lives, Bounded Places: Free Black Society in Colonial New Orleans” and “A Medley of Cultures: Louisiana History at the Cabildo.”
LCU Debate Team to compete at National Competition
Five members of the Louisiana Christian University (LCU) Debate Team which includes Shelby Cumpton, a senior history major from Quitman, will travel to Boise State University this March 22-26 to compete in the final contest of the season. Four national champions will be crowned at this event, and debaters from LCU have a chance to win the top spot in the novice, junior varsity, varsity and professional divisions.
“Debate at the national level is both high-level and intense,” said Wildcat Debate Coach Brian Manuel. “These students that are traveling to represent LCU are seasoned debaters that have proven themselves in the trenches of competition. I know they will do well and all of them have the potential to return home with a national award.”
Also representing the LCU team which will compete against over 30 universities across the nation is Misty Tanner, Toriance Fontenot, Phoebe Lim and Madison Clarke.
“There are much larger programs that we will be facing, but in the realm of debate that doesn’t matter,” Manuel said. “ The quality and caliber of our LCU debaters are second to none. We don’t shy away from competing against anyone. All it takes is persuading the judge in the room to win the round, and our team is ready to compete.”
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