Outreach to the Secondary Schools

A Letter from the Outreach Fellow

My name is Dalicia Raymond and I am a third-year PhD student in English at the University of New Mexico. When not reading and writing, I enjoy exploring New Mexico’s outdoors as well as marveling at its incredible thunderstorms and sunsets. I originally hail from Oregon, but moved to Albuquerque in 2014 for the Medieval Studies program at UNM and have participated in the medieval outreach program since. My own research focuses on Arthurian literature, medieval magic, the “other” in medieval texts, and medievalism (how the medieval is represented in post-medieval work). Although my main research focuses on Middle English texts, my interests extend to Old English and medieval history as well. I’m excited to work as the Outreach Fellow this year and look forward to collaborating with the dedicated educators of Albuquerque to provide enriching experiences for students.
The Institute’s Outreach Program is designed with the goal of connecting secondary school students with university students in two ways:

1. We bring university students to Albuquerque classrooms to give presentations and interactive lessons that supplement teachers’ curricula. In the past, graduate students have presented sessions on the history of the English language, Beowulf, Chaucer, Arthurian legends, medieval manuscripts, monsters, the Crusades, and daily life in the Middle Ages (this is by no means an exhaustive list). Presentations tailored precisely to a given curriculum are also an option, whether they address the topics above or another topic being explored in class. Graduate student presenters will work with interested instructors teaching specific events, texts, or themes of the Middle Ages. Presentations can be devised for any class on virtually any aspect of the Middle Ages, relating to art, culture, drama, history, language, literature, or music, and can be created with a teacher’s specific class and lesson plans in mind.

2. We are pleased to offer high school students the opportunity to work with a university student on a research project in a peer mentoring program. This is an excellent chance for high school students to delve deeply into a topic of their choice and personal interest using UNM library resources, and also to get a sense for the kind of academic writing done on college campuses.
If you are interested in having a presentation done for you class, arranging a research project peer-mentorship, or collaborating with the IMS Outreach program in another way, please let us know! You can email me at dalicia@unm.edu.

Dalicia Raymond
IMS Outreach Fellow (2016-2017)
dalicia@unm.edu

About the Outreach Program

The Medieval Studies Outreach Program to the Secondary Schools is the curricular enhancement arm of the Institute for Medieval Studies. The Outreach Program has been operating since 1992 and provides support, encouragement, and professional collaboration for those who are looking for resources for learning and teaching about the Middle Ages in primary and secondary schools.

Peer-Mentoring in Secondary Schools (Modules) and On-Campus Peer-Mentoring revolve around a close interrelationship between UNM faculty and students and secondary school students and faculty in the New Mexico private and public schools. This program's mission, with regard to secondary school students, is to share with them the curricular resources of UNM in advance of their coming to the university.

The Medieval Studies Outreach Program has received national and international attention in the top professional instruments of Medieval Studies: The Medieval Academy Newsletter, the Old English Newsletter, and a special issue of a major journal devoted to its peer-mentoring activities: "Initiatives in the Secondary Schools: The New Mexican Model" in SMART [Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Teaching] 5:1, n.s. (Spring 1997).