Student presents on medieval history at prestigious undergraduate conference

Student Clara Zonis ‘23 (History) of Schenectady, New York, presented a paper at the 15th Moravian Undergraduate Conference in Medieval and Early Modern Studies, which was held on Dec. 4 at Moravian University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. 

Zonis’s paper, “Giving Joy to Britons: Political Prophecy in Medieval Wales,” focused on the unique tradition of poetic prophesy that emerged in 6th century Wales to defend Welsh sovereignty.   

She was one of 45 students from colleges and universities across the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions to present at the conference, which also featured medieval music by Concordian Dawn and a special exhibit on illuminated manuscripts at the Moravian University Art Gallery. 

“I found the audience for my paper to be engaged and eager to ask lots of questions,” Zonis said “This was a great experience and I listened to a lot of interesting talks.”  

Zonis’s scholarship in this area is part of her minor in Medieval & Early Modern Studies, an interdisciplinary program at SUNY New Paltz that combines study of the arts, literature, history, philosophy, religion, and political institutions of Europe as well as its colonies from the periods between the collapse of the Roman Empire and the French Revolution. Students take courses from art history, Black studies, English, history, languages, literatures & cultures, philosophy and political science & international relations. 

“Clara had written an outstanding paper: superbly informed and reflective of a deep knowledge of medieval Wales,” added Eugene Heath, professor of philosophy and coordinator of the Medieval & Early Modern Studies minor. “This was a wonderful opportunity for her but also for those who got to listen to her.”  

For more information about this minor, please contact Heath at heathe@newpaltz.edu.