On Friday March 3rd, Dr. Lesley Gordon’s Civil War class and UA graduate students visited Vicksburg National Military Park alongside Dr. Susannah Ural of the University of Southern Mississippi, USM graduate students, and UA and USM ROTC Cadets. During the tour, students heard presentations from Dr. Gordon and Dr. Ural as well as graduate students and NPS rangers. Students were able to engage firsthand with the history of the battlefield, the experiences of soldiers in a Civil War campaign, and the broader meanings that Vicksburg had for the outcome of the war.

According to grad student Brianna Meyer, “The trip was a unique opportunity for undergraduates to interact with graduate students” outside of the typical classroom setting, and that the change of setting allows students to open up in new ways. On top of the great learning experiences, grad student Kayla Jordan emphasized that her day at Vicksburg was “an amazing trip!” and “a lot of fun!”