Marianne Kelly, Outstanding Graduate

Prof. Hardesty calls Marianne Kelly one of the ten best students he’s had in more than a decade of teaching: “In my time working with Marianne, I have been consistently impressed with her intellectual curiosity, reading and writing skills, and maturity. She is a diligent and dogged researcher, often far exceeding expectations.”

Marianne was always drawn towards the humanities but found it difficult to settle into a major initially. She ultimately chose history because it enabled her to combine her interests (political philosophy, geography, and literature) and understand them better by placing them within their historical context. Prof. Hardesty’s “Colonial America/Atlantic World” HIST 499 course shifted Marianne’s perspective on writing as a tool for learning (rather than just a finished product) and provided the needed background and direction for postgraduate research. 

Hoping to research English colonial cartography, Marianne was one of 15 international applicants accepted into Trinity College Dublin’s prestigious accelerated MA program in Early Modern History. Prof. Hardesty believes “she has the analytical tools to be successful, make meaningful contributions,
and take full advantage of the resources that Trinity offers young historians.”