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Tyler Bamford ’12 works with producers from Lou Reda Productions.
History major Tyler Bamford ’12 (Souderton, Pa.) came to Lafayette with a goal of one day continuing his education in graduate school and then becoming a college professor.
He is now one giant step closer to that goal, thanks to the Beinecke Scholarship, which provides $4,000 now and $30,000 when he attends a graduate school in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Bamford is one of 20 exceptional students nationwide who received the scholarship this year.
“The support I received from my professors and the college staff, especially Dean Julia Goldberg, played an enormous role in helping me to win this scholarship,” Bamford says. “I chose Lafayette specifically because of the strong history department, and also because the relationships I’ve built with the professors here would not have been possible to such a degree at a larger school. My professors pushed me to achieve a level of academic success that will serve me well in graduate school. The Beinecke Scholarship is a gift I am honored to receive and so thankful for, and most importantly one that has helped to confirm my aspirations for the future.”
Bamford is still exploring his options for graduate school.
Ross Tilchin ’11, Tyler Bamford ’12, Hannah Finegold ’11, and Professor Donald L. Miller
“This scholarship has opened innumerable doors for me by providing the funding to look at schools across the country. The flexibility of the Beinecke Scholarship means that I can research and apply to more schools than I would have otherwise been able to,” he says.
Bamford plans to study American history with a focus on war and society.
“The connection between a nation’s culture and the conflicts in which it engages is an important and fascinating theme to me. It is something I have been able to explore during my time here at Lafayette, and I hope to continue studying it further in graduate school,” he says.
At Lafayette, Bamford has had many opportunities to pursue his interest in history.
As an intern with Lou Reda Productions in Easton, Bamford assisted in the making of WWII in HD and The Air War, which both premiered on the History Channel. He assisted the technical producer of the series with the cataloging and conversion of original 1940s film into high definition.
Since his sophomore year, he has worked as an EXCEL Scholar with Donald Miller, MacCracken Professor of History, assisting with research and editing for Miller’s forthcoming book about New York City in 1927. He has also begun working on an honors thesis about WWII, which he will write next year.
During his time at Lafayette, Bamford has been a campus tour guide and a volunteer tour guide for the college’s historic sites, such as the Chateau Chavaniac. He is the treasurer for the History Club, belongs to the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, and was a member of the club volleyball team. He has also done volunteer work at the Third Street Alliance in Easton, through the Landis Community Outreach Center.
See a list of recent Lafayette recipients of national and international scholarships and fellowships for undergraduate and post-graduate study. For information on applying for scholarships and fellowships, contact Goldberg, associate dean of the College, at (610) 330-5521.