Kemp-Gee took advantage of the world's largest Shakespeare collection while working on her thesis about magical speech in Shakespeare's plays.
"I used my time at the Folger to get a better sense of a historical, social and religious context for various types of magic," she said. "What did the Jacobeans think about witches, prophesies and spells? To what extent were they believed in, feared or tolerated? I learned a lot of things that really surprised me, and my understanding of my subject has grown immensely."
Vincent's research tapped into the wealth of non-Shakespearean material in the Folger's collections. While researching the political imagery of Catherine de Medici, she was able to look at many rare primary resources, including a fable book owned by the French queen herself.
"Many people think it is only to study Shakespeare," Vincent said when asked about the collection. "But [I know] as a French and Fine Arts major, the Folger really has something for everyone. They have surprisingly rich material for European studies, early American studies, history of science and Middle Eastern studies."
Two Folger Fellowships are funded each year by the Friends of the Amherst College Library and include an all-expenses-paid, two-week trip to Washington, D.C., in January for research and academic projects at the Folger Shakespeare Library. Any student at the College majoring in the humanities or social sciences is eligible to apply for one of the fellowships, and Amherst College students are the only undergraduates who have this outstanding opportunity.
The Folger Shakespeare Library is the world's leading institution for Shakespearean and Renaissance studies, and holds a wealth of historical treasures.