Gustavus Adolphus College history and gender, women, and sexuality studies professor Maddalena Marinari, PhD, was named the winner of the 2021 Faculty Scholarly Accomplishment Award at the College’s annual Honors Weekend Convocation on Saturday, May 1.
“Every year, members of the Gustavus faculty produce scholarly work that is published in highly-ranked journals, presented at national and international conferences, and contributes to the shared body of knowledge that moves our world forward in the pursuit of truth and wisdom,” Provost and Dean of the College Brenda Kelly said at the Honors Convocation ceremony. “The scholarly achievements of our professors also inform their classroom teaching and collaborations with our undergraduate students, deeply enriching the liberal arts education we offer at Gustavus.”
Dr. Marinari’s research focuses on the historical restriction and mobilization of immigrant populations. She is the author of Unwanted: Italian And Jewish Mobilization Against Restrictive Immigration Laws, 1882-1965, and a co-editor of A Nation of Immigrants Reconsidered: U.S. Society in an Age of Restriction, 1924-1965. She is frequently quoted in press coverage of immigration issues and her research expertise has contributed to stories by outlets such as Public Radio International, MinnPost, and the Washington Post along with other media organizations.
In the last year, Dr. Marinari’s research has explored the experiences of immigrant, refugee, and other marginalized communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, a project that was awarded a rapid-response grant by The Social Science Research Council in September 2020. In partnership with the University of Minnesota’s Immigration History Research Center, the project is one of 62 across the globe—and one of the only to involve undergraduate students—to be recognized with a grant by the SSRC.
“I applaud Dr. Marinari for partnering with Gustavus students to tell the stories of people whose lives have been deeply and disproportionately impacted by the multiple pandemics of our time,” said Chaplain Siri Erickson, who also serves as Special Assistant to the President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. “This important research is a wonderful example of the power of the liberal arts and the ability of the humanities to help address inequities and contribute to the creation of a more just society.”
The award capped a busy week for Marinari, who presented research with Gustavus students Cat Lim ’21 and Lillie Ortloff ’22 at the University of Minnesota’s “Emerging Immigration Histories of the Pandemic” panel on Monday. She was also recently named a winner of the Minnesota Campus Compact Presidents’ Civic Engagement Leadership Award, which recognizes an individual or group who has significantly advanced their campus’ distinctive civic mission by forming strong partnerships, supporting others’ civic and community engagement, and working to institutionalize a culture and practice of engagement.
“Knowing all the great work my colleagues around campus are doing, I am incredibly honored to be this year’s recipient of the faculty scholarship award,” Marinari said. “It feels great to join so many of my predecessors who have done tremendous scholarship. I take this award as encouragement to keep writing and speaking about immigration history, immigrants in the United States today, and the role of scholars in current immigration debates.”
First awarded in 1986, the Faculty Scholarly Accomplishment Award was reestablished in 2004 and is now announced during the annual Honors Day Convocation. Award recipients are nominated for this honor by fellow faculty members based on professional accomplishments regarding research activities in private, public, or corporate settings; publication; presentations at scholarly meetings or conferences; and exhibits or performances. This award is the highest accolade a Gustavus faculty member can receive for distinguished scholarly achievements.