This year’s issue of Past and Present represents in many ways the hope for a return to a pre-
pandemic sense of normalcy. Sadly, Covid-19 disrupted the regular print publication of the
journal for two years when it was published only electronically. Joyfully, perhaps like a
triumphant phoenix, a print edition of this year’s Past and Present returns, showcasing the
editors’ creative vision and talents as well as their editing acumen. This year I was honored to
share the advising role with Dr. Jacqueline Beatty, who assumed the advisory role in the fall
semester while I was on sabbatical. Therefore, this journal represents a more collaborative effort
than has been the case in the past. Together, we take great pride in our student editors and all the
departmental students whose work contributed to this issue. As always, this year’s Past and
Present reflects the stellar scholarship produced by York College students. I am indebted to all of
my departmental faculty colleagues who have mentored students in the research projects that
were submitted for consideration, whether or not the papers ultimately were accepted for
publication; faculty devotion to nurturing students at every step of the research process has direct
bearing on the quality of the final projects. I am also grateful to all of our department’s students
for providing their scholarship, which serves as a foundation for the journal. Dr. Beatty and I
were blessed to work with four outstanding student editors, all of whom have been an absolute
joy to work with, and we deeply appreciate their unceasing hard work, devotion, and care with
which they approached this endeavor, especially given the continuing anxieties presented by the
pandemic. After difficult deliberations, the editors have selected six exceptional manuscripts that
reflect the broad research interests and high quality of scholarship of our department’s students,
and have spent many hours reading and preparing the manuscripts for publication. I know they
join Dr. Beatty and me in expressing sincere joy at unveiling the first print issue of Past and
Present since 2019.
-Ilana Krug, Past and Present faculty advisor