Q&A with Katie Callam:

Why did you apply to Mellon Scholars Program?
I applied to the Mellon program because I was intrigued by the application of technology to serious scholarship. I was interested in both the opportunity to collaborate with faculty and in having a chance to conduct independent research in the arts and humanities.

What have you found most challenging about it?
I have been challenged to find ways to present music history research using digital technology, as this has not yet become common practice in the field of musicology.

How do you think your experience in the program has contributed to your experience at Hope College?
Being a part of the Mellon program has been a very rewarding part of my Hope experience. I have especially enjoyed working with a diverse group of faculty from many arts and humanities disciplines. I am also grateful for the opportunity to conduct independent research, as it has helped me to become a more well-rounded scholar. My work with the Mellon program will certainly benefit me in graduate school and beyond.

What are your most significant accomplishments as a Mellon Scholar (i.e., projects, presentations, grants)?
I presented my sophomore Mellon research project at the 2011 Hope Celebration of Undergraduate Research. I received a 2011 summer research grant through the Mellon program to study composer Clara Schumann's piano trio; I will present this research at the 2012 Hope CUR and the 2012 NCUR conference. I am also a recipient of the 2011-2012 Earhart Emerging Scholars Award from the Michigan Colleges Foundation.

What do you expect to do beyond your time at Hope College?
After graduating from Hope, I plan to attend graduate school to study musicology.

What advice would you give to a student who is considering the program?
I would encourage a student considering the Mellon program to give it a try. It involves a lot of hard work, but presents numerous scholarly opportunities. Even if a Mellon scholar decides not to become a professor or "professional" scholar, experiences from the Mellon program will be useful in further education and beyond. Students will benefit from collaboration with the faculty involved with the Mellon program, as they are some of Hope's finest.

Katie Callam in Mellon News and Events:

Katie Callam's research on the Clara Schumann piano trio has been selected for presentation at Posters on the Hill, April 23-24, 2012.

Katie Callam, “The Creative Process of Composer Clara Schumann,” April 13, 2012.
Celebration for Undergraduate Research and Creative Performance

Katherine Callam's "The Compositional Process of Clara Schumann's Piano Trio in G Minor, op. 17" Accepted by 2012 NCUR, January 6, 2012
National Conference on Undergraduate Research

Katie Callam, "Ralph Vaughan Williams and the English Musical Renaissance: A London Symphony, 'Who Wants the English Composer?', and a New English Music," April 15, 2011.
Eight Mellon Scholars present projects at Celebration for Undergraduate Research.