The Valerie Waksmunksi-Starr History across the Humanities Conference
The History across the Humanities Conference (HATH) is a student-led conference sponsored by the Youngstown State University Department of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Alpha Gamma Beta Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honors society.
HATH was founded by Valerie Waksmunski-Starr, a master’s student in YSU’s History Program (2013-2015). Valerie studied the intellectual and political history of China during the Spring and Autumn Warring States periods. Her thesis was on the use of abdication mythology as an element of historical rhetoric in Ancient China. During her time at YSU, Valerie was diagnosed with cancer and lost her battle on June 29, 2015, having just completed her thesis. She is greatly missed by the History faculty and by all who knew her. The HATH Conference is named in her honor.