Join us in celebrating Robert Petsch and Brady Hall, the 2025 Steely Research Award recipients.
The W. Frank Steely Library Research Award is available to any NKU undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral student who participates in either the Heather Bullen Summer Research Celebration or Celebration of Research and Creativity. Along with their research artifacts, students provide a research narrative and a love letter to Steely, to show their growth as a researcher and their use of library resources and services. Each year, the committee chooses up to two recipients, who each receive a $500 cash prize.
Robert Petsch – first-year student, majoring in History
Project Title: ""The Love that Dare Not Speak Its Name": Creating the Homosexual in Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Century Britain"
“Looking back, Steely wasn't just where I did my research - it became part of my academic routine and helped shape how I work. The resources definitely made my project better, but the space itself also gave me room to grow as a student. I'm genuinely thankful for both the practical help and the supportive environment I found there.”
Use of the Library: Robert not only had a fantastic research project to share but also wrote compelling narratives about how he used library resources. He drew on a range of sources, including online articles and physical books, some of which he received through our Interlibrary Loan service. He also explained how the sources he found helped him refine and narrow his topic, something we all know to be challenging. Lastly, he shared the impact that multiple librarians had on his work, through individual consultations and a class visit.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jonathan Reynolds
Brady Hall – senior, majoring in Economics and English
Project Title: "Effects of National Tariffs on Kentucky’s Spirits Industry: Extrapolating 2018 Tariff Effects to Explain."
“My project began with a research consultation that I scheduled through the Steely website. I met with a librarian who walked me through access to databases like JSTOR, EBSCOhost, and ProQuest, but also helped refine my search strategies using Boolean logic to target specific economic and policy studies. This was prefaced by a meeting with my entire Seminar in Economics class that focused on specific disciplinary databases and questions. That session gave me more direction than most online researching resources or textbooks.”
Use of the Library: The award committee greatly enjoyed learning about Brady’s research process, which he described in detail in his application. To conduct his research, he consulted a variety of Steely’s online resources, such as JSTOR. In addition to using our online library tools, he also sought research assistance from one of our librarians. He explained his process thoroughly, down to the specific keywords he used, while also providing a clear overview of his overall approach.
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Linda Dynan
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If you’re looking to up your research game, librarians will be available for consultations throughout the summer. You can also utilize our chat service, wherever you are, to get help as well!
