Profile

Michael L. Nicholls received his education at Cedarville College (B.A.), the University of Dayton (M.A.), and the College of William and Mary (Ph.D.), where he studied early American history. He is the author of numerous articles which have appeared in such journals as The William and Mary Quarterly, Slavery and Abolition, and The Virginia Magazine of History. He is co-edi8-may-08em>, and a co-founder of FREAC, the Front Range Early American Colloquium. His current research involves two major projects: slave runaways in 18th Century Virginia, and African American life in early Virginia towns. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, the AT & T Foundation, the St. Mary's City Commission, the Virginia Center for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and Utah State University have all provided support for his research.

Professor Nicholls has received the Teacher of the Year Award from the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Science and the Outstanding Faculty Member Award from the University. Both awards recognize his excellence in the classroom teaching lower-division surveys, upper-division courses, and graduate seminars and his service to the University. In 2001 the USU Alumni Association gave him the Alumni Professorship Award. In 2005 he was honored to give the annual Timothy Donovan Lecture at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.