Edith Garland Dupré Library Annual Caffery Competition: Call for Student Papers 2020

Deadline for submissions was February 28, 2019.

The winner will be announced in May 2019.

More information about the Jefferson Caffery Research Award can be found on our library's website.

The competition is open to both undergraduate and graduate students of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette who are not full-time continuing faculty or staff. The students must be currently enrolled or have completed the submitted paper during the previous two academic semesters (not counting summer school).

Papers will be reviewed and judged by a panel consisting of the University Library Committee, the Head of Special Collections, and referees designated by the panel. Papers will be judged on the quality of research, clarity and writing skill. The majority of primary source materials used to write a paper must reflect the use of materials held in the Special Collections Department of Dupré Library. Papers that do not meet this criterion will be disqualified. That paper which in the opinion of the panel, most merits the Jefferson Caffery Research Award, will be announced May 2020. Those reviewing the submissions will be guided by a rubric which is available in this guide. However, the panel may, at its option, decide that none of the submitted papers meet the criteria and standards of the Competition and that the award is to be returned to the Fund for reinvestment.

Deadline for submissions of papers: February 28, 2020

Winner will be announced: May 2020

Topic

No restrictions are placed on the topic or subject matter of submitted papers; however, all papers must cite or directly investigate primary source materials held in the Special Collections Department of Dupré Library (University Archives and Acadiana Manuscripts Collection, Louisiana Room, Rare Book Collection, Ernest J. Gaines Center, Cajun & Creole Music Collection, Microforms and U.S. Government Information).

Format

All papers must be typed in a standard non-script font no smaller than twelve characters per inch, double-spaced, unbound and adherent to the style manual recommended in the author's discipline. The text of papers should not exceed thirty pages.

Abstract

All papers are to include an abstract of no more than 250 words. Please identify the style manual being followed.

General

All papers must be in English and must be in the work of a single author.

Submissions

Papers are to be submitted electronically with all contact information, including ULID, to duprelibrary@gmail.com no later than February 28, 2020. 

For more information on the Jefferson Caffery Research Fund Annual Award, contact the Office of the Dean of Libraries at (337) 482-6396 or email duprelibrary@gmail.com.

The Special Collections Department of Dupré Library contains materials of relevance and scholarly interest to students from all academic departments of the University. Students interested in submitting a paper to the Competition should visit the Jefferson Caffery Reading Room on the 3rd Floor of Dupré Library to review the catalog of library holdings in these areas. The staff in the Special Collections Department are available for consultation. Interested students may call (337) 482-6031.

Jefferson Caffery (1886-1974) was born in Lafayette, La. His father, Charles D. Caffery, was a lawyer who served as Mayor of Lafayette from 1897 to 1903. He was influential in getting Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute sited in Lafayette. Caffery's mother, Catherine Parkerson Caffery came from a family prominent in getting the railroad built in South Louisiana in the 1880s.

Caffery attended SLII during its first year of operation (1901-1902) when it was basically a middle school - junior high school. He then went to Tulane for his undergraduate education. Later he taught chemistry and coached the track team at SLII for a year. He entered the United States Foreign Service in 1911 and retired in 1955. His distinguished career in diplomacy is outstanding both in length of service and in the importance of the posts he held. He served posts on every continent. His first appointment as Chief of Mission was in 1925. Thereafter he served as United States Ambassador to Colombia, Cuba, Brazil, France, and Egypt.

After retiring in 1955, Caffery and his wife lived part-time in Rome where he served as honorary private chamberlain to three Popes. They also spent part of each year in Lafayette. Caffery retained his ties with the University over the years. In 1971 he was awarded an honorary degree. He and his wife donated his papers, many artifacts, and money to the University.

In 1967, Ambassador and Mrs. Jefferson Caffery donated a gift of $5,000 to be used to establish the Jefferson Caffery Research Fund. The interest derived from this fund permits the University Library Committee to recognize outstanding scholarly research using primary source materials held in the special collections areas of Dupré Library. This recognition is provided through the annual award of $500 (five hundred dollars) identified as the Jefferson Caffery Research Award.