Paving the Path to Princeton through Mentorship and Interdisciplinary Experiences
Recent master’s grad Andy Hoyt '21 reflects on how the Trent experience prepared him for success at Princeton University
Receiving personalized attention and mentorship while completing his interdisciplinary master's at Trent helped Andy Hoyt '21 secure acceptance to Princeton University's competitive History of Science Ph.D. program.
When considering where he wanted to pursue his master's, Hoyt chose the Trent History M.A. Program for the opportunity to work with prominent historians like Dr. Stephen Bocking and Dr. Finis Dunaway, coupled with the University's rich academic environment. The chance to work closely with faculty members and the opportunity to serve as a teaching assistant aligned with Hoyt's goal of pursuing a Ph.D.
"The biggest strength of the history program at Trent is by far the mentorship,” Hoyt says.
At Trent, Hoyt's M.A. research primarily dealt with understanding the historical evolution of ecological restoration practices in the American Midwest. His thesis examined prairie restoration, waterfowl restoration efforts, intersection with political history, and recent efforts in tribal sovereignty. Exposure to professors from other institutions and the structure of the thesis, akin to a mini-Ph.D. dissertation, provided a comprehensive learning experience.
“Doing historical research on this scale opened my eyes to all the questions you could ask and the challenge of narrowing them down. It was a process of discovering what a feasible project would look like and how rich these fields were,” Hoyt said.
The thesis highlighted challenges in defining ecological restoration and the need for considering diverse perspectives. Trent's interdisciplinary approach gave Hoyt the opportunity to take classes outside of history, including a course from the Sustainability Studies M.A. program. He also attended events in various departments and taught outside his home department in the School of the Environment. This exposure sparked his interest in the history of science, leading him to pursue a Ph.D. in the topic at Princeton.
While Hoyt continues to refine his Ph.D. dissertation project at Princeton, he intends to continue exploring the history of ecology, U.S. environmental history, political history, and the intersection of environmental management with Indigenous studies. His experience at Trent, particularly in Indigenous studies, has influenced his perspective and will play a role in shaping his future research.