American Studies PhD Candidate Katie Walden was recently invited to speak at the James Madison Council (the Library of Congress' first private-sector advisory council) fall meeting. The Council funds the Junior Fellows program, which she participated in this past summer.

She spent the day meeting/talking with Council members and giving a brief presentation to the large group about the work she did this summer as a Junior Fellow. Katie says "It was a whirlwind trip, but definitely exciting. I got to see a hand-written draft of the Gettysburg Address Lincoln wrote the morning before he gave the speech, as well as a draft of Thomas Jefferson's second inaugural address. And took a selfie with Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, so it was a crazy 24 hours in DC."

Congratulations, Katie, for this fabulous honor!