Thomas Peterson’s Fulbright opportunity

History major Thomas Petersen (’26 history) has just received a once in a lifetime opportunity to conduct research this coming summer.

A junior here at the Iowa State History Department, Petersen will be trading Ross Hall for St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada through the Fulbright Program! Petersen will be studying under Professor Clive Bladwin, a professor in Social Work and Canada Research Chair in Narrative Studies. The project Petersen will be working on is mostly self-guided, leaving him the choice on what he would like to research as long as it still relates overall to narrative identity. Petersen shared that he will study “non-mainstream” religious groups, such as New Age groups, alternative spirituality movements like paganism and Wicca, and Evangelical & Charismatic movements like Pentecostalism. When in Fredericton, Petersen plans to participate in interviews with individuals in the area such as religious leaders. This alongside the use of previously done interviews will be the foundation of an academic article Petersen hopes to co-write with Professor Bladwin. This article would cover topics such as how religious identity shapes/changes narrative identity.

Not only will Petersen get the chance to conduct research, but he will also have the opportunity to explore living in a new place. He will get to experience a different culture, while participating in work that can transform his future, just a snapshot of the endless opportunities that come with being a student in the Iowa State University History Department!