“As a native Floridian, I wanted to know more about my state's unique history. I chose to research married soldiers and their wives because I wanted to unite the 'separate spheres' of the sexes and also to unite gender, social, and military history.”
Amy Parker came to campus for a tour and spring football game and found a place that “felt like home.” She says she fell in love with the campus and feels people here have gone out of their way to help her succeed.
Amy has a 3.9 overall GPA, majoring in History. She has been working on her Honors in the Major thesis, examining the marriages of Confederate soldiers and their wives in Florida during the Civil War. “I have excelled in my coursework and gained a great appreciation for the past.” This thesis topic of Civil War conflict fascinated her since elementary school. “As a native Floridian, I wanted to know more about my state’s unique history. I chose to research married soldiers and their wives because I wanted to unite the “separate spheres” of the sexes and also to unite gender, social, and military history.” Amy read through many of the correspondences between the families, and feels she has brought the story of these couples to life. “Sometimes, I think I’d fit pretty nicely in nineteenth-century America because of my values and personality. However, the enormous opportunities that are available to me today make me immensely grateful.”
Amy has also volunteered at FSU’s Institute on World War II and the Human Experience, particularly with the Tom Brokaw Collection.
There are two professors who have help make her experience at FSU more complete is Dr. James Jones and Dr. Elna Green. Amy says Dr. Jones has a gift for conveying history like no one else. “He’s like the Energizer Bunny of the History Department: he just keeps going and going.” Dr. Green serves as Amy’s thesis director and professor of several courses. “She is a talented professor who cares about her students, even though she is very busy. Her thought-provoking guidance has made the whole thesis process even more worthwhile and enlightening.”
After graduation, Amy plans on entering graduate school for a Master’s degree followed by a Ph.D. in history, with the ultimate goal of becoming a college professor. “As far as my research goes, I intend to focus on Civil War gender, social, and military history like my thesis does.”
“I have changed as an individual while at FSU. I’ve matured greatly. If there is anything I can take away from my college experience, it is that hard work is not only rewarding but fun, too.”