Dear colleagues and Phi Alpha Theta chapter advisors,

We are happy to announce that Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY will be hosting the 2015 Phi Alpha Theta New York Upper/Lower Regional Conference.  We look forward to hopefully welcoming you and your students to our campus on Saturday, April 25, 2015 for the conference. 

 Please find attached a flyer advertising the conference.  We welcome proposals on all topics and all periods of history.  Students do not have to be a member of Phi Alpha Theta (the National History Honor Society) to present a paper.  A student must be a member, however, in order to be selected for one of the awards that are given out for best papers at the conference.  Recent (2014) college graduates can also present at the conference. We hope that you will encourage your students to consider presenting a paper. The conference is a perfect opportunity for students to share their ideas with each other and faculty in a collegial environment.  As you know, participation in the conference is also an impressive addition to a student’s academic dossier.

Short abstracts with contact information must be received by Sunday, March 29, 2015.  This information can be sent to Janine.Peterson@marist.edu individually or, preferably, in one batch.  Abstracts will be considered and students notified of acceptance shortly after that date.  A complete version of the paper (no more than 12 pages), which should correspond to a presentation of no more than 20 minutes, must be submitted by Sunday, April 12, 2015 so that we can distribute them to session chairs.

We will send out a reminder CFP closer to the deadline.  There will be a minimal ($10 or under) registration fee; a light breakfast, lunch, and refreshments will be provided.  We are also soliciting faculty who will be attending or accompanying students and are willing to serve as a session chair and commentator on a panel.

Marist College is located on the banks of the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie, NY, 60 miles south of Albany and 60 miles north of Manhattan.  It is easily accessible by Metro-North Railroad from the south, as well as the NY State Thruway and Taconic Parkway from both north and south and I-84 from east and west.  We look forward to your participation and welcoming you to Marist this spring.  Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.

Best wishes,

Kristin Bayer (Kristin.Bayer@marist.edu) and Janine Peterson (Janine.Peterson@marist.edu)