History

1. Alexandra K. Vicknair alexandra.vicknair@asu.edu
Education:
 ArizonaState University,School of History,Philosophy, andReligiousStudies.Tempe,AZ.
History Doctoral Student,Fall 2014-Present
 CaliforniaState University,Stanislaus, Turlock,CA.January2011 to June 2013.
Master of Arts, History (withDistinction)
Specialization: ModernUnitedStates Historywith special focuson Environmental Activism,Law,
and Policy.
 Universityof CaliforniaatSantaBarbara, Santa Barbara, CA.September1999 to December2003.
Bachelorof Arts, ArtHistoryand History(Double Major).
Specialization:Renaissance ArtHistory andHistory
 AlamedaHighSchool,AlamedaCA.Graduated1999. Overall GPA 4.2, Ranked14 inclass of 502.
Master’s Thesis:
“Mindsets, Motivations, MickeyMouse,andthe Mountains:The Social,Political,andIntellectual
Foundationsof the Mineral KingControversy,1965-1978.” June 2013.
Committee: Dr. Samuel O.Regalado (Chair),Dr.BretCarroll,and Dr. PhilipGarone.
Abstract:
In February1965, the UnitedStatesForestService sentouta prospectuscallingforbidsfrom
private developersfora year-roundresortinMineral KingValley,partof the SequoiaNational
ForestinCentral California.The ForestService ultimatelyselectedmediamogul WalterE.
Disney,throughhiscompanyWED Enterprises,Inc., asthe winner. From1965-1978 a battle
overMineral KingValleyensuedinthe media,the government,andthe courts,whichresultedin
Mineral KingValleylegallybecomingpartof the SequoiaNational Parkin1978; thus, savingit
fromfuture development.Thisthesisstudiesthe three groups involved—the UnitedStates
ForestService,WaltDisney,andthe SierraClub—andtracestheirhistoriesandideologiesto
conclude thatthe Mineral Kingstory isessentiallyaconflictoverthe managementof public
lands.The Mineral Kingbattle, therefore,fitsintothe largernarrative of the history of United
Statespublicpolicy,of Californialandscapes, andshowcaseshow Americansfought,and
continue tofight,the federal governmentforcontrol overtheirenvironment,andultimately,
theirdailylives.

2. Awards:
 Winnerof FirstPlace Prize inGraduate Divisionof HumanitiesandLetters,27th
Annual California
State StudentResearchCompetition.Cal PolyPomona.Pomona,CA. May11, 2013.
 Winnerof OutstandingGraduate StudentAward.CaliforniaState University,Stanislaus.
Departmentof History.Turlock,CA.May 11, 2013.
 Winnerof SecondPlace Graduate DivisionResearchPaper.NorthernCaliforniaPhi AlphaTheta
Regional Conference.CaliforniaState University, Sacramento.Sacramento,CA.April 20,2013.
 Third-Place Winnerof University-Wide StudentResearchCompetitioninthe Graduate Artsand
HumanitiesCategory.CaliforniaState University,Stanislaus.Turlock,CA.February2013.
 First-Place Winnerof University-Wide StudentIn-ProcessThesesCompetitioninthe Artsand
HumanitiesCategory.CenterforExcellence inGraduate Education.CaliforniaState University,
Stanislaus.Turlock,California.November30, 2012.
 Winnerof the Holder-Caswell OutstandingGraduate StudentAward.CaliforniaState University,
Stanislaus.Departmentof History.Turlock,California.May11, 2012.
Fellowships and Grants:
 Winnerof the Graduate Student ProfessionalAssociationTravel Award.ArizonaState University.
February2016.
 Winnerof the CenterforExcellence inGraduate EducationGraduate AssistantFellowship
Award.CaliforniaState University,Stanislaus.Fall 2012.
Conference Presentations:
 “Creatinga National Park:Yosemite’sEarlyTourism, Art,BuiltEnvironment,andRethinking
National ParkIdeals,1850s-1860s.” Oceans and Deserts:Charting Transdisciplinary Currentsin
Environmentand Culturewithin the Artsand Sciences. College of HumanitiesStudiesGerman
Department.Universityof Arizona. Tucson,AZ.April 1-2,2016.
 “Creatinga National Park:Yosemite’sEarlyTourism, Art,BuiltEnvironment,andRethinking
National ParkIdeals,1850s-1860s.” 37th Annual SouthwestPopular/American Culture
Association.Albuquerque,NewMexico.February10,2016.
 “Mountainsand Mindsets:Historyof the Politicsand Ideologies of the Mineral King
Controversy,1965-1978.” CaliforniaState UniversityState-Wide ResearchCompetition. Cal Poly
Pomona.Pomona,CA.May 11, 2013.
 “Mindsets,Motivations,MickeyMouse andthe Mountains:The Social andPolitical Factors
involvedinthe Mineral KingControversy,1965-1978.” NorthernCaliforniaRegional Conference
for Phi AlphaThetaHistoryHonorSociety.Sacramento,CA.April 2013.

3.  “Dreamsof A Garden:How an AgrarianIdeal Drove CaliforniaFarmersfromDryWheat to
IrrigatedOrchardFarming,1854-1910.” NorthernCaliforniaRegional Conference forPhi Alpha
ThetaHistoryHonor Society.SantaClara,California. April 2012.
Published Works:
 AlexandraK.Vicknair. Reviewof Rightoutof California:The 1930s and theBig BusinessRootsof
Modern Conservativismby KathrynS.Olmstead.PacificHistorical Review.May2016.
 April Kamp-Whitaker,ThomasSpencer,andAlexandraVicknair. HistoricStructureReport:The
Grandstand:Arizona StateFairgrounds.www.transpolisglobal.com.Spring2015.
University Service:
Arizona State University:
 Phi AlphaTheta,HistoryHonorSociety
President, Spring2015-Present
 HistoryGraduate StudentAssociation
ClubLiaison,Fall 2015-Present
 TeachingAssistant,Fall 2014: History111: IntroductiontoAsianHistory
History106: AsianCivilizations
Spring2015: History306: Outlaws,Indians,andWomenof the West
History100: Global Historyto1500
Fall 2015: History338: AmericanIndianHistorySince 1900
Spring2016: History337: AmericanIndianHistoryto1900
History306: AmericanWestinMyth and Movie
 InvitedParticipantinthe Graduate Professional StudentAssociationAnnual Graduate Research
Symposium.ArizonaState University.March15, 2016.
CaliforniaState University,Stanislaus
 Phi AlphaTheta,HistoryHonorSociety(Fall 2011-Spring2013)
President, Fall 2012-Spring2013
 Teaching Assistant, US 2600, Fall 2012-June 2013.
Lectures:
“CeasarChavezand the DelanoGrape Strike,1965-1978.” US 2600, Dr. Regalado,Spring2012.
“ProgressivismandConservationism:TeddyRoosevelt,GiffordPinchot,andJohnMuir.”US
2600, Dr. Regalado,SpringandFall 2012.
“The BlackPanthersandthe Radicalismof the Civil Rights’Movement,1966-1969.” US 2600, Dr.
Garone,Fall 2011.

4. RelevantWork and Volunteer Experience:
 H-NetWaterEditor,HumanitiesandSocial Science H-NetOnline.Summer2015-Present.
 Assistedwiththe planning,research,design,andconstructionof “Underthe Oaks:The DailyLife
of the Yokutsand Miwoks,”a permanentexhibitforthe GreatValleyMuseumatModesto
JuniorCollege.Modesto,CA.October-December2013.
 ReaderforProfessorPaul Muncy,Social StudiesDepartment,DeltaCommunityCollege.
Stockton,CA.Courses:UnitedStatesHistory, 17A-C.Fall Semester2013.
 Part-Time Teacher,HuntingtonLearningCenter,K-12,withanemphasisonAPHistory,AP
English,Spanish1-3,and SATVerbal. July2013-July2014.
 AssistedUniversityProfessorwithsecuringrightstodigital imagesforbook, aswell asorganized
powerpointforlecture tour.January2011 and April 2013.
 AssistedArtistsandArtGallerieswithPublicRelations,MediaOutreach,andEvents.BayArea,
California.April2005-December2010.
ResearchInterests:
 Historyof the AmericanWestandCalifornia
 AmericanandGlobal National ParkNarratives
 19th
Century AmericanPaintingandPhotography
 Historyof IdeasandCulture
 Historyof Landscapesandthe Environment
 Historyof TourismandModernism
 Historyof PublicLandPolicy
 Historyof EnvironmentalLawandActivism
References:
 Dr. Gray Sweeney,Professor.School of Art,ArizonaState University.Tempe,AZ85287.
(480)965-1677, Gray.sweeney.asu.edu.
 Dr. Paul Hirt, Professor. HistoryDepartment, ArizonaState University. Tempe,AZ 85287.
480/727-9084, Paul.hirt@asu.edu.
 Dr. DonaldFixico,Professor.HistoryDepartment,ArizonaState University.Tempe,AZ85287.
(480)727-9082, Donald.fixico@asu.edu.
 Dr. Samuel O.Regalado,Professor.CaliforniaState University, Stanislaus.209/667-3692.
 Dr. Katherine Royer,ProfessorandHistoryDepartmentChair.CaliforniaState University,
Stanislaus.One UniversityCircle,Turlock,CA,95382. 209/667-3692.
More ReferencesAvailablebyRequest