Grove City College Director of College Archives and Galleries Hilary Walczak ’09 was recognized by Homegrown Mercer County with an Under 40 Distinguished Impact Award.
Walczak, an award-winning archivist, was one of 16 professionals working in Mercer County to earn the award, which was presented last week at a banquet at the College.
Walczak is “a champion of public history arts accessibility” who “has transformed archival and gallery programming at Grove City College and across the region,” according to Homegrown Mercer County, an initiative of Penn Northwest Development Corporation, the county’s lead economic development agency.
After graduating with a degree in History from Grove City College, Walczak earned a master’s degree in Public History from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. In 2012, she founded the College’s first research archive, creating an invaluable resource for historians and students who gain archival experience assisting her in her work. As director of the College’s galleries, she has curated shows featuring the art of Grove City students, local artists, and special needs children, and exhibits highlighting the history of the College, the Holocaust, and the Reformation.
The archive made headlines in 2014 when Walczak discovered a long-lost cache of vintage World War II propaganda posters in Grove City College’s Henry Buhl Library. Earlier this year, she completed a years-long effort to digitize and make available to scholars the College’s collection of famed Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises’ papers. Walczak also teaches courses in public history and gallery studies.
“Hilary brings both scholarly rigor and community spirit to her work. Whether unearthing WWII posters or guiding students toward graduate school, she remains committed to preserving the past while shaping the future of public history and arts education,” Homegrown Mercer County noted in its award.
Walczak has served as a judge for National History Day and regional art shows, including George Junior Republic, HopeCAT, and U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, and is an active member of the Society for American Archivists.
Walczak isn’t the only Grove City College alumna to receive the Under 40 Distinguished Impact Award. Katie Nowland ’07, director of Environmental Education for Buhl Park, Sharon, was also recognized.