The
3rd Annual “Back to the Sources” Student Research Conference was held on Tuesday, December 3, 2019 by the Department of History, Humanities, and Languages. 31 students, from UHD and other area institutions, presented original research throughout the day on a variety of topics ranging from the rise and fall of Gilley’s honkytonk in Houston, tradition and modernism in the paintings of Velazquez, the Czech-Slovak Legion after World War II, and the ethical pitfalls of using Virtual Reality for therapeutic purposes. Attendees listened, learned, and joined in conversations and debate with the impressive group of student presenters. Student awardees recognized for the quality of their research include Andrea Casas, Angela Galvez, Minerva Rodriguez, Ryan Chandler, Elise Whatley (SHSU), and Dalanie Aufill (SHSU). The keynote address was given by Dr. Iana Konstantinova, Professor of Spanish at Southern Virginia University, who encouraged student researchers to take risks, to learn from failures, and to find their passion and let it guide them into the future.
The Department of History, Humanities, and Languages offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in History, Humanities, Philosophy, and Spanish. The curriculum in these individual programs hones students’ interpersonal, communication, and analytical skills through critical inquiry, research, and respectful debate—the basis of all university life. Our graduates have gone on to graduate school and into positions such as managers, teachers, lawyers, interpreters/translators, research analysts, and a variety of other fields where these skills are highly valued.