K-State student wins Kirmser Award with her essay about the relationship between human emotion and nature as seen through poetry.
Unlocking the secrets of the library – and its powerful research potential – led one K-Stater to a $1,500 prize.
Emma Rupprecht came to K-State to study English education after her high school English class sparked an initial interest in literature. She enjoyed her teacher and the class material and was excited to continue her education at her dream school.
“I couldn’t imagine going anywhere else. Since I was six years old, I knew I wanted to go to K-State. Everyone is so nice here; they smile at strangers, hold doors open and the professors are very supportive.”
When Rupprecht first arrived at K-State, she heard about an educational seminar with Sarah K. Kearns, a K-State librarian. It offered guidance about writing a research paper for submission to the Kirmser Award, which encourages students to learn how to conduct research using library resources.
Through the seminar, Rupprecht learned how to use Hale Library’s databases to find scholarly sources.
“Before coming to K-State, I had only received a very narrow education about researching,” Rupprecht said. “The seminar helped expand my view and was one of the main reasons I won the Kirmser Award.”
Rupprecht’s research
After reading Bright Dead Things by Ada Limon (2022 poet laureate of the United States), Rupprecht had the idea to combine her passions for English and nature in a research proposal.
“I’ve always loved nature, so I wanted to research how nature affects our brains,” she said. “Ada Limon’s poetry is all about the relationship between humans and nature, so I centered my research around her poetry collection.”
Rupprecht unpacked Limon’s poems bit-by-bit in her essay. She specifically analyzed poems about human grief revealed through descriptions of trees. She drew conclusions from those connections about the relationship of humans to nature.
Superb surprise
“I wasn’t expecting to get the award, but I am so grateful that I did,” Rupprecht said. “The money is a huge help, and I can focus more on my studies. The Kirmser Award has opened a so many doors for me.”
By Kate Ellwood