12th Dittman Competition Winners Announced

April 2009—Raynor Memorial Libraries have announced the results of the 12th Maria Dittman Library Research Competition.  The winners will receive their prizes at a recognition ceremony to be held April 17th during National Library Week.

Congratulations to the winners!

Undergraduate: Mark Kelley for his paper, "The Golden Age of Comic Books; Representations of American Culture from the Great Depression to the Cold War," written for History 124 (American Cultural and Intellectual History) with Dr. Kristen Foster

Graduate/Professional: Kathy Lemley for "Does Plasma Β-Endorphin Influence Exercised-Induced Hypoalgesia in Healthy Adults?" written for Exercise Science 192 (Advanced Exercise Physiology) with Dr. Sandra Hunter

The competition is launched each January and all Marquette students are invited to submit their A-grade papers from the previous calendar year.  Each submission must be accompanied by a one-to-two-page description of the research process, including sources used, citation style, difficulties encountered, and what was learned about research during the writing of the paper.  Competition guidelines and a list of past winners are maintained online.  As current committee chair Mary Frenn said, "The competition gives library staff an opportunity to connect with a group of talented students who make the most of what the library offers.  We know many winners have gone on to success in master's and doctoral programs."

Staff of the University Libraries conceived the competition in 1997 to honor retiring instruction librarian Maria Dittman, who taught research skills to thousands of students in her 25+ years at the university.  The first awards were made in 1998, funded entirely by the Librarians' Assembly.  An elected committee of librarians and support staff now organize the annual competition and award process.  When Maria Dittman passed away in 2005, her family designated the Dittman Competition for memorial gifts, ensuring a long future for the competition.  A permanent plaque for the award was commissioned and hangs near the entrance to the bridge.