RADFORD – Radford University senior Summer Hall’s survey of pioneering women who served as Army recruits during World War II earned a top prize recently at the Virginia Regional Phi Alpha Theta conference.

The history major from Cana won first place in the American undergraduate division of the competition for her presentation of “A Collective Biography of the Women of WAAC/WAC: The Positive and Empowering Experiences of Service Women of WW II.”

Junior Paul Graham of Woodbridge earned second place in the Europe and World division at the conference for his research presentation, “Operation Market Garden: A Fateful Autumn Overlooked in the Course of a Pivotal Failure.”

In October, Hall and Graham were recognized for the same research projects by the Marshall Undergraduate Scholars program.

Phi Alpha Theta is the international history honor society. Both Hall and Graham are members of RU’s Honors Academy.

RU history professor Matt Oyos served as a faculty mentor for Hall’s and Graham’s research projects.