Shauna Sweet

What do Appalachian Trail "thru-hikers," Mormon missionaries and professional jazz musicians have in common?  Nothing, at first glance, but, to Shauna Sweet, the three have "striking" similarities.

"All three are cultures of transition -- people focusing more on what they are 'becoming' than on what they 'are,'" said Shauna.

As a junior, the sociology major and mathematics minor became inspired to study "thru-hikers" -- the hikers who attempt to complete the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail in one trip.  "I couldn't imagine what made these people want to spend so much time in the woods," she said, "so I decided to do some first-hand research."  Shauna designed her own "study away" experience involving a semester on the Trail, hiking and interviewing thru-hikers.

To Shauna, who had no prior hiking experience, the thru-hiker subculture was fascinating.  When she returned to campus, she and several faculty mentors identified two subcultures that shared some similar characteristics (Mormon missionaries and jazz musicians).  Shauna set out to study the two new groups extensively and was awarded a Senior Fellowship to pursue this research exclusively during her senior year.

Through a local mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Shauna interviewed new missionaries about their motivation to undertake such a significant task and what it was like to be a missionary.  Then, she traveled to Brigham Young University to interview returned missionaries about their experiences "in the field" and the changes they had just undergone.

Next, she infiltrated the New York City music scene to study artists trying to make their mark in the jazz world.  At jam sessions and shows, she made contact with a number of musicians who were willing to talk about their experiences.

What she found was that these cultures of transition had much in common: "All three groups are 'sacred communities,'" she said.  "You have to earn your membership by taking risks and by distancing yourself from your prior life and from mass culture as much as possible."

To Shauna, this project was the culmination of four years of hard work and study across many disciplines.

"I've had to work for every bit of this project, but I love it because it's mine," she said. "Hamilton facilitates an incredible ownership of your education.  Where else can you receive so much support from so many people ... to ask your own questions?"