Peter Manktelow '10

Summer Research: Social Responses to the Civil War: An Analysis of Southern Popular Music

My objective is to become an expert in my field. Financial and academic support at the graduate level relies on a candidate's ability to produce and present scholarship. This program promotes these future goals, providing me with the opportunity to develop, present, and publish scholarly research at the undergraduate level.

Peter Manktelow came to The College at Brockport not knowing what he wanted to do. His interests were diverse… English history, teaching, photography. But after a few history courses and tutoring students in history at the College’s Learning Center, history became his passion. “It (tutoring) made me realize how much I liked history,” he says.

Manktelow’s college career reflects his range of interests. He’s received praise for his writing, winning first place in the College’s Celebration of Writing competition in 2009 in the Scholarly Essay category. He is a member of both the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society and the Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society. He is a scholar/athlete, lettering on the cross country team and earning NCAA Academic All-American honors in 2007 and 2008.

But his experience in the Summer Research program stands out. “The summer research program was an amazing experience. It’s a boost to your academic confidence when someone puts their faith in you that you can do this. It’s exhilarating,” he says.

After he completes his undergraduate degree Peter intends to earn a master’s and a doctorate and devote his career to teaching and research. “There’s a point in your research when you know what’s coming next and it’s an awesome feeling to be that engaged with the material,” he says.

From the faculty mentor…

“My own area of research is Southern culture and ideology. Peter’s research has already helped me prepare units on Civil War music for presentations to local history teachers and to students at Brockport. Civil War cultural and social history is a growing field and Peter’s research will be on the cutting edge of new research.”  -John Patrick Daly, PhD, associate professor of history

About the Summer Undergraduate Research Program

The Summer Undergraduate Research Program stipends from the Brockport Foundation allow students, working with their faculty mentors, to focus solely on scholarly research without the pressure of working another summer job. The College also provides support for housing summer scholars at no additional costs to the student.