Meet Our Fall 2022 Fellows

The Lepage Center is delighted to announce its Fall 2022 History Fellows: Alise Adornato BA’23 and Tripp Wright MA’23. The Fellows will assist the Center in all the ways it communicates historical scholarship and perspectives to various audiences, including events, workshops, and social media. Below are some of their thoughts about the Lepage Center and studying history, by way of introduction.

Alise Adornato

Why did you choose Villanova?

Having applied to Villanova as an Early Action candidate who had never visited campus before, the idea of attending Villanova was somewhat distant. However, by the end of my college process and a quick visit for Early Candidates’ Weekend, the sense of community and service at Villanova struck me and ultimately made my decision clear. Villanova offers the perfect mix of a suburban campus near a large city with a commitment to service that I wanted to continue past high school. Moreover, at Villanova I have been able to pursue all my interests, History, French, as well as a pre-medical track due to the great advising I have received.

Why did you apply to be a Lepage fellow?

The Lepage Center came to my attention via Dr. Rosier who emphasized it could be a great opportunity to interact with contemporary issues and historical programming outside of class. After reading the description of the role, I agreed the Lepage fellowship would enable me to apply history to things happening in the world today, rather than passively engage with them in class. I hope I can help create an atmosphere in which non-History students attend the Center’s programming and get hooked, as I believe we can all benefit from viewing issues through a historical lens.

What are you looking forward to this year? (Either in the history program or the center)

I am excited to expand the use of Hindsights, the center’s blog, this year. While writing narratives of events is a great way to engage on the blog, I believe writing op-eds on current events would serve the blog even more and increase engagement. Therefore, I cannot wait to keep up to date on things going on in the world and write about them.

What is your next step after graduation?

After graduation, I am planning on attending medical school or a one-year special masters’ program. I am currently in the process of applying to both and am excited to see where the future lies ahead.

What are your long-term goals/career path?

My long-term goal is to carry out a career in medicine, potentially in Orthopedics. While I would like to work in a hospital setting for the beginning of my career, later on I would like to utilize my French skills by volunteering with Doctors without Borders. By working with Doctors without Borders or similar organizations, I will be most fulfilled as it combines helping underserved populations with medicine.

What is your favorite historical topic/origins of historical interest?

Modern World History most interests me because of its close impact on the present. I am fascinated by the patterns one can draw from Modern World History, particularly World War II and its aftermath. World War II is the defining moment of the century, reshaping the world around us, whether it be ideas, countries, or alliances. Thus, classes, films, or books about World War II immediately capture my attention.

How do you like to spend time outside of class and academic study?

Outside of class, I am very involved with Special Olympics at Villanova. Currently I am on the Volunteer Coordinator Committee, which means my three fellow committee members and I have the pleasure of selecting and training 77 Volunteer Coordinators who will be the backbone of the Annual Fall Festival here on campus. On a different note, I enjoy watching films and documentaries and have recently pushed myself to get into running.

Tripp Wright

Why Villanova?

Villanova’s graduate History program just hit so many of my personal criteria for graduate programs it felt like a no-brainer. The uniqueness of Villanova’s program to provide funding for master’s students that also do not have to compete with PhD students for attention and funding was one the biggest deciding factors for me. There is also a committed and engaged faculty that matched my research interest. Plus, it was a great excuse to escape the Texas summers!

Why Lepage?

I have always held a particular affinity and fascination with public facing history work. After attending many of the events last year — both panels and workshops — I knew that the Lepage Center was an invaluable resource for the Villanova community and beyond. I wanted to contribute to historical work and public engagement that is meaningful and impactful. I knew that the Lepage center would help me achieve that.

What are you looking forward to this year? (Lepage or elsewhere)

The Lepage annual series on Climate Change is going to be an amazing lecture series that has some cutting-edge historians in a diverse array of fields and approaches to understanding climate change in historical perspectives. I am particularly looking forward to the October 6th event on scientific, corporate, and political denial of climate change.

Post-graduation goals?

Currently, I am applying to a Study/Research Fulbright grant to Germany for a 10 month long funded research opportunity. If awarded, I will spend August 2023-May 2024 in Germany researching and practicing my German language and I will apply to PhD programs back in the U.S. for the following year.

Long term goals/career path?

My goal is to continue down this academic career path and pursue a PhD in Modern European History with the intention of becoming a university professor. I want to be able to conduct innovative historical research, while still providing the high-quality instruction and guidance that so many faculty have shown me, both here at Villanova and throughout my academic career.

Favorite historical topic/origins of historical interest?

My main topic of research interest has shifted since my undergraduate degree, but currently my focus has been on the Cold War and the intersections between memory and history. I’ve been interested in ideas around division and how societies divide and separate from others and between themselves. Cold War Germany has provided some exciting ways to explore concepts of division.

Time outside of class?

Outside of class, I really enjoy rock climbing and going to the climbing gym as I spend the day bouldering. Before Villanova, I was a rock climbing instructor in Austin, TX. I enjoy the community and problem solving that rock climbing provides. Also, I always find time to relax at home with my cat Yue and playing board games with friends.