The Samuel C. Williams Library is much more than a place for students to study into the late hours of the night and print engineering design drawings out on temperamental printers— in reality, it is a museum that hosts a wealth of history, which among many things captures the essence of the Stevens family as well as the accolades of some of the greatest engineers known to date, including Frederick Winslow Taylor, Alexander Calder, and even Leonardo da Vinci.
What is not as well-documented, according to Leah Loscutoff, Archives and Special Collections Librarian, are the women who enrolled as the first female undergraduate students dating back to 1971.
“I realized that there was not a lot documented,” said Loscutoff, “We want to use oral history to get their stories.”
What exactly is oral history? According to Ms. Sadie Sullivan, an oral history consultant whom Loscutoff invited to host a workshop, oral history is one of the most popular methods of conveying history. It involves the collection and subsequent preservation of historical information using sound recordings or video to obtain a more direct, personal account of history. “Whereas a journalistic piece might engage readers for the next following days or weeks, oral history recordings and transcripts are meant to engage the audience tonight, tomorrow, or even 100 years from now,” Sullivan states.
With Women’s History Month approaching in March, Loscutoff believes that this project will “build a sense of pride” among both alumni and current students, male and female alike. As of right now, several interviewees have been confirmed, and Loscutoff anticipates either two or three interviews to be recorded before the Stevens Women’s History Month celebrations begin.
Linda Beninghove, Director of the Samuel C. Library, is excited that Ms. Loscutoff has the passion for this subject. “I believe this project will get people interested in the history of Stevens and institutional archives,” said Beninghove. “It serves as an excellent way to engage, especially with alumni.”
Loscutoff, Beninghove, and other members of the Stevens administration, including Kristie Damell, Associate Dean of Students, Susan Metz, Executive Director of Diversity and Inclusion, and Melissa Fuest, Assistant Vice President of Alumni Engagement & Annual Giving and Executive Director of the Stevens Alumni Association have all shown eager support of the project. The project leaders are also considering reaching out to undergraduate students with an interest in oral history and alumni engagement. “This [project] will serve as a connection between past, current, and future students,” said Beninghove, who along with Loscutoff is considering having undergraduate students conduct interviews after some sort of training.
The history embedded within the archives of the Samuel C. Library is undoubtedly important, as it gives insight into some of the greatest minds in the fields of science, technology, and engineering. However, as Ms. Sullivan noted in her workshop, John Neuenschwander, a renowned oral historian and judge, famously noted that history should never be “desensitized.” Loscutoff, Beninghove, and the various other promoters of this project are hoping to document the undocumented by kicking off the oral history project with the recordings of voices that we best not forget.
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