Cory McKenzie, of Hampstead, New Hampshire, has always taken the road “less traveled by.” He is a sophomore history and philosophy double major, though he found his way into the philosophy department “quite by accident.” A member of the University Honors Program, Cory’s innate curiosity and love of reading have led him to study Japanese, theology, New Hampshire history, and Uechi-ryu karate, which he has practiced for nearly four years. “I seem to get interests and throw myself into them for a few years,” he says. However, no matter what roads he takes on his quest for learning, he revolves around history. His Research Experience and Apprenticeship Program (REAP) grant allowed him to complete his first “big” research project. Cory is appreciative of the skills he learned by researching Russian Orthodoxy, from learning how to sort through huge masses of information to being persistent. He would like to perform more research during the summer of 2012 related to New Hampshire court history. Cory will graduate in May 2014, at which point he will consider going to graduate school for either history or philosophy.
Cathy A. Frierson, professor of history, has taught at the University of New Hampshire for twenty years, with a specialty in the study of modern Russia and the former Soviet Union. Dr. Frierson nominated Cory McKenzie for the Research Experience and Apprenticeship Program (REAP) and served as his mentor over the summer of 2011. She frequently mentors students, but Cory’s project was unique because of his travels to the Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York, and the Museum of Russian Icons in Clinton, Massachusetts. Dr. Frierson used this mentorship opportunity to introduce Cory to the historical research process by helping him develop his interviewing and writing skills. She says that writing for Inquiry has helped Cory even further: “It is always useful for exceptionally bright writers with intricate minds to learn how to simplify their writing for a broader audience.” Cory’s research inspired Dr. Frierson in her own research projects, so REAP was an enriching experience for both student and mentor: “Cory is an astute observer with a richly articulated mind; his reports and our discussions were fascinating and fun.”
Read Cory McKenzie's research article Refuge from Communism: A Monastery in New York Preserves Russian Orthodoxy >>
