Ella Nilsen of Dalton, New Hampshire, is a sophomore history Honors in Major student at the University of New Hampshire. In her research project for Dr. Cathy Frierson’s history course, Ella focused on the Jewish experience in the late Russian empire. Dr. Frierson nominated Ella for the Research Experience and Apprenticeship Program (REAP) award she received for the summer of 2010. In addition to working with Dr. Frierson, Ella was determined to learn more about the Russian Jewish background of her own family and explore, in particular, the reasons behind her grandmother’s decision to keep the family’s Jewish ancestry a secret.
Ella’s research with Dr. Frierson of the history of Russian anti-Semitism greatly informed her understanding of events that unfolded in her own family. Dr. Frierson encouraged her to write about her research for Inquiry. Ella said, “The process of discovering this family history and uncovering the family secret was certainly difficult but incredibly rewarding.” Learning the contents of the family secret as well as why it was kept for years has brought her family closer together and was the most satisfactory part of her project. For Ella, “the project made history come alive . . . as it involved piecing my family story together. It reinforced the value of research and learning for me.” Ella will graduate in May 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in history and plans to pursue research and investigative journalism.
Professor Cathy A. Frierson has been a member of the Department of History at the University of New Hampshire since fall 1991. Professor Frierson is Ella’s faculty advisor and nominated her for a Research Experience and Apprenticeship Program (REAP) award for the summer of 2010. Ella provided research and editing assistance on the introductory essay discussing oral history methods for an anthology of interviews Professor Frierson conducted with survivors of Soviet repression. That volume is currently under review at a major university press. A frequent mentor, Professor Frierson believes the writing and research involved in writing for Inquiry are invaluable experiences for students in the discipline of history.
Read Ella Nilsen’s article No Longer a Secret: Uncovering My Family’s Russian Jewish Heritage >>
