Collections
Students of the Pandemic
On January 21, 2020, the CDC confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in the U.S. Two months later, states across the nation initiated lockdowns to halt the spread of the virus. We continue to feel the impact of the pandemic as the 2021-2022 academic year comes to a close. What was it like to be a college student during the pandemic? What unique challenges emerged for students? How did life on campus change when students were able to return to Wells? This collection of oral histories from Wells College students explores these and other questions. This project was supported by funding from the Endeavor Foundation.
San Pedro Sister Community
The San Pedro Sister Community Project began in 2004 as a way for the residents of Cayuga County, NY to build meaningful and enduring relationships with the residents of San Pedro, a small rural community in Morazán, El Salvador. Guided by the goal of walking in solidarity with the people of El Salvador, the organization has collaborated with the residents of San Pedro in establishing scholarship and artisan programs, and in supporting other community-driven initiatives, including those focused on food security and housing. This collection explores the creation of the San Pedro Sister Community Project and the organization’s continued work in El Salvador through the memories of Cayuga County volunteers.
Appalachian Mountain Horses
Through selective breeding, the Appalachian people developed a multi-purpose “using horse,” who possessed both a comfortable, ground-covering gait and a strong desire to please its human companion. These mountain horses plowed small hillside farms and served as the preferred mounts of rural families, mail carriers, pack horse librarians, and frontier nurses needing to travel long distances over rugged terrain. This collection of oral histories from individuals who have lived with and cared for these horses—often for generations—explores the ways that place and culture produced the mountain horse, and in turn, how these horses influenced a region. This collection is a collaboration with Eastern Kentucky University and is available through the William H. Berge Oral History Center. This project was supported in part by a Summer Research Grant from Wells College.
Ghostly Encounters
Recent studies find that three in four U.S. adults hold at least one paranormal belief. One in five say they have seen or been in the presence of a ghost. Although some scholars expected paranormal beliefs to decline with the rise of science, these beliefs persist. Why do people today believe in ghosts? Do people who believe that ghosts exist or that they have encountered a ghost face stigma from others? Why are these encounters such meaningful experiences for the people who claim to have had them? During the Fall 2022 semester, students in Professor Renfrow’s sociology of the paranormal collected oral history interviews to answer these and other important questions about this potentially discrediting set of beliefs.
Wells College Student-Athletes
Athletics and physical education have been important parts of Wells College since its founding in 1868. A century and a half later, Wells is now an NCAA Division III institution where 37% of enrolled students are student-athletes. What is it like to be a student-athlete at Wells? What motivates prospective students to select Wells, and what are the benefits and challenges of being a student-athlete here? Students enrolled in SOC/ID 223 Oral History during the Fall 2023 semester collected oral histories from their peers to explore these questions.
