Project is student-faculty collaboration

SHERMAN, TEXAS — A new pictorial history book written cooperatively by Austin College faculty members and students examines the rich 160-year history of the school. This book, Austin College, is the culmination of a collaborative learning project led by history professor Light T. Cummins, with the assistance of college archivist Justin Banks. 

The students who worked on the book with Cummins ( back row far left) and Banks (far right).

The book is scheduled for release by the Arcadia Publishing Company on November 9. Advance copies will be available for purchase at the Austin College campus store beginning on Thursday, November 5, in connection with the festivities marking the inauguration of Dr. Marjorie Hass as the 15th president of Austin College. Dr. Hass wrote the forward for the book. 

“This volume tells the story of Austin College in photographs,” Cummins said. The book uses pictures to document the history of the College from the era of the daguerreotype to that of the digital image.  

Eight students in a history class taught by Cummins during the spring of this year wrote the text for the new book. Four student archive assistants under the direction of Banks selected the pictures used in the volume.  

The student authors are Elizabeth A. Elliott of Arlington, Texas; David C. Loftice of Van Alstyne; Trang Ngo of Amarillo; Joshua Pollock of San Antonio; Paige Rutherford of Amarillo; Victoria Sheppard of El Dorado, Arkansas; William Weeks of Euless; and Jacqueline M. Welsh of Greeley, Colorado.  

The students who selected the images in the book are Gunjan Chitnis of Irving; Susan Le of Garland; Rebeka Medellin of San Antonio; and Ayesha Shafi of Mansfield, Texas. 

The archive assistants chose the almost 200 images in the book from thousands contained in the college’s extensive collections. College archivist Banks prepared the images for publication. The student authors then wrote the narrative, linking it to the photographs. The text explains what appears in the pictures while it also provides a full chronological history of the college. Professor Cummins edited the volume and provided continuity for the narrative.  

“Most college history books are written by historians,” Cummins said. “This is one of the few that has been written by students, and, as such, it offers a student perspective about the history of the College.” 

The book highlights the history of student life, the academic program, athletic activities, and the growth of the campus. It also examines how Austin College has responded to changes in American life from before the Civil War to the present day. 

“Austin College has a unique history,” Cummins noted in that regard. “One of the greatest historical qualities of the College is that it can adapt positively as it changes with the times.” 

The book is the latest volume in the Arcadia Publishing Campus History Series. 

Austin College is a leading national independent liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas. Founded in 1849, making it the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original charter and name, the college is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Recognized nationally for academic excellence in the areas of international education, pre-professional training, and leadership studies, Austin College is one of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges that Change Lives.