W Alum Comes Home
Most students leave home to attend and then graduate from college. But for me, graduating from college actually brought me home – if, in fact, home is where the heart is.
After graduating from the W in August of 2006, I started my Master's degree in Southern Studies at the University of Mississippi. Unexpectedly, though pleasantly, my first year of graduate school brought me straight back to my alma mater, where I have always felt truly at home, to continue a very special endeavor I began as an undergraduate. This article isn't about me, though; it is about the Oral History Project, an undertaking I am honored to be a part of. 
The goal of the Oral History Project, started by Dr. Bridget Pieschel, is to collect the experiences of the women who have graduated from the W. Thus far the project is concentrated on those alumnae who are Golden Girls (50-year graduates); they are interviewed about their experiences. The culmination of this project's efforts will be a book of the transcripts from our discussions with alumnae.
I learned the importance and the fine art of conducting an oral history from two remarkable professors, and I am fortunate to have encountered them on my journey to become one of the W's educated women and successful alums.
During my first semester at Ole Miss, I had the great pleasure of taking a class called Documentary Fieldwork under Dr. David Wharton. This class helped me hone a skill that I began learning under Dr. Bridget Pieschel at the W.
A little over a year ago, Dr. Pieschel informed the Southern Women's Institute Club members (The SWI Club is a group of students interested in the various projects that Dr. Pieschel brought to the W through the Southern Women's Institute) that we had an opportunity to help conduct oral histories of the W's Golden Girls.
I had always been fascinated with our history and I jumped at the opportunity. I was able to participate in a group interview with the 1956 Golden Girls at last year's Homecoming, and then I struck out on my own. I conducted one interview last summer and was immediately hooked. The idea of history being fun and exciting was new to me (I majored in math and English). From that moment on, I have taken advantage of every possible opportunity to record the history of the W through the voices of its alumni.
Last fall I completed a "small" project about the Joe Hogan case on my own (the Supreme Court ruled in 1982 that the W, as a state-supported university, could not discriminate against men; Hogan brought the suit and was the first man to enroll). Most of the oral histories recorded for this project were taken from the women and men who were affected by this decision. I was able to put together a small piece of the puzzle by recording some people's feelings about what effect this momentous event had on the W and its history.
This spring I had the honor of working with Dr. Pieschel again, this time as an intern for the Southern Women's Institute. She allowed me to continue work on the Oral History Project by collecting, transcribing, and preparing for publication the stories of some of the Golden Girls interviewed. She also allowed me to supervise and schedule the gathering of Oral Histories from the class of 1957 at Homecoming this year. Six of us conducted nine interviews over the weekend.
These interviews just fascinate me each time I do one. I am always reminded that no matter the number of years separating graduation dates, W grads have a bond that cannot be broken.
I plan not only to continue with my internship through the end of the summer, but to continue my oral history work far beyond that. I am taking a History of Higher Education course in the fall and I already have permission to focus on the history of our beloved MUW. I am sure you will be hearing more from me in the not too distant future – I want your stories too!
As Susan Puckett, newly elected President of the historic MUW Alumnae Association, reminded us in her fabulous acceptance speech at Homecoming - "the W is a jewel." It is our job to remind everyone of that fact every chance we get. I will continue to do my best to preserve the history of the W and I know that many of you share this desire.
Okay. So this article turned out to be more about me than I had originally planned. But, when it comes to the stories I have had the opportunity to record through the Oral History Project, I have learned that "W" girls (and boys!) of every generation can certainly speak for themselves. The Oral History Project Publication will showcase this certainty to all who read it.
Sarah Sheffield is currently a graduate student in the Southern Studies Department at the University of Mississippi. She graduated from MUW with degrees in math and English in 2006, where after she joined the historic MUW Alumnae Association.