UNIVERSITY NEWS
Dr. Kara Rogers Thomas Receives Award for Her Commitment to Appalachia
BY ANNA SAWEIKIS ’23
Dr. Kara Rogers Thomas, director of Frostburg State University's Honors Program and professor of Sociology, received this year's Spirit of Frostburg Award from the nonprofit organization FrostburgFirst. She and her FSU Honors Program students also took part in participating in the Smithsonian Museums on Main Street Traveling Exhibit, "Crossroads: Change in Rural America" at the Allegany Museum.
Rogers Thomas was given the Spirit of Frostburg award for her contributions to the local community, and her commitment to keeping alive Appalachian folk traditions, as well as exploring and showcasing the ways they are evolving.
She also showed her appreciation of the Appalachian folk traditions with the museum exhibit. This exhibit explored why revitalizing rural places matters to those who remain, those who left and those who will come in the future. The project was made possible by Maryland Humanities in partnership with the Western Maryland Heritage Association.
Each Crossroads partner created its own exhibit to complement the Smithsonian's exhibition. The Allegany Museum's companion exhibit, "Understanding the Push and Pull of Appalachia to Create a Resilient Future," featured responses from a community listening project conducted by FSU Honors Program students, under Roger Thomas' direction, who were enrolled in an interdisciplinary course titled, "Experiencing Appalachia." The work incorporated photographs of the region, and featured community assets, challenges and pathways to resilience.
In addition to her responsibilities at FSU, for the past 15 years, Rogers Thomas has been the coordinator of the Appalachian Festival for which she lines up the speakers, performers, vendors and a film series. She also programs performances at Mountain City Traditional Arts in downtown Frostburg.