Excellence in English: Student Profile of Sarah Boulard
English courses at Ohio State encompass and foster all kinds of research. Graduating English major Sarah Boulard signed up for a community rhetoric class in the spring of 2006 with Ohio State Newark Assistant Professor Elizabeth Weiser, and ended up working with Dr. Weiser on a case study to persuade the community that the Newark Earthworks should be a World Heritage Site.
The Newark Earthworks is an ancient Native American site, one of two such sites in Ohio (the other is in Chillicothe). It is believed that the sites marked lunar events and were connected by trails and rivers. The Newark Earthworks, one of 14 sites in the U.S. nominated for World Heritage status, is currently leased by a country club that uses it as a golf course.
Boulard's project is designed to persuade the community that World Heritage status would be a positive development for Newark. "What we're trying to put together is a case study on how the World Heritage Site designation would impact the community: economically, rhetorically, and what that would mean for community development, for tourisms, and funding and preservation of the mounds," said Boulard. There are currently no World Heritage Sites in Ohio.
Dr. Weiser, Boulard's advisor, believes this is an essential step in preserving the Earthworks. "One of the greatest challenges facing the Earthworks has always been how to change the perception of local residents toward this one-of-a-kind gem of history, science, and culture. Recognizing and publicizing the incredible achievements of the people who lived and created in this place many centuries ago will not only help Newark economically, but also with its own struggle for self-identity as a former industrial powerhouse. I think Sarah's project is really Ohio State at its best, helping its local communities to become more than they thought possible."
Boulard, who takes classes at both the Columbus and Newark campuses, has also taken classes with Dr. Richard Shiels, a Professor of History at the Newark campus who is director of the Newark Earthworks Center at Ohio State. Shiels established the Newark Earthworks Day on May 3 to promote the project to the community. For more on the Newark Earthworks Site, visit Dr. Richard Shiels web site, www.octagonmoonrise.org.
