May 2005

Ashley Brown and Claudia Calhoun Share Lax Prize

The Andrew Lax Prize, recognizing distinguished work in American Studies, was shared by two seniors this year: Claudia Calhoun and Ashley Brown. The prizes were awarded to the students at the American Studies At-Home by Professors Elizabeth Young and Paul Staiti of American Studies and Professor Robin Blaetz of Film Studies.

Both students completed senior theses that looked at film in the context of American culture. Claudia wrote about musical Westerns, interested in how the films constructed masculinity and femininity in the post-World War II period. Ashley looked at race and racial difference in Alfred Hitchcock's movies, focusing on Lifeboat, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and North by Northwest.

For the two young film scholars, the traditional "book award" was replaced by a "DVD award." Claudia, whose senior thesis examined Calamity Jane, received Warner Home Video's Doris Day Collection. Ashley was delighted to receive Criterion's Hitchcock Collection.