Index of University Press Releases

Mar. 2, 2009

DWU student under contract with CQ Press

Derric Ludens

MITCHELL – Derric Ludens, a junior history and English major at DWU from Geddes, and Donald C. Simmons, dean and director of the Center for Leadership and Public Service at Dakota Wesleyan University, are contributing authors for the forthcoming “Encyclopedia of United States-Latin American Relations” to be released by the Congressional Quarterly Press in 2010.

“When the editor contacted me about the project earlier this year, I suggested Ludens as the perfect co-author,” said Simmons. “Very few undergraduates are talented enough to publish with Congressional Quarterly, and it will greatly enhance his ability to get into a top graduate school.”

“Dakota Wesleyan University has offered me a lot of wonderful opportunities like this one that I wouldn't have enjoyed elsewhere,” said Ludens. “After studying and working with great professors like Dean Simmons, Dean Redder, and the top-notch professors in DWU's history department, I feel well-prepared for graduate school.”

Ludens and Simmons are focusing their joint research and writing for the project on the activities of European states in Latin America during the 19th century, specifically in the Caribbean region.

CQ Press (www.cqpress.com) is a leading publisher of books, directories, research publications and Web products on U.S. government, world affairs and communication. Its College Publishing Group produces an authoritative list of textbooks on political science and mass communications. CQ Press’s content is known for its objectivity, breadth and depth of coverage, and high standards of editorial excellence.

The “Encyclopedia of United States-Latin American Relations” is a collaborative project edited by distinguished historian and professor emeritus Thomas M. Leonard of the University of North Florida. Leonard is best known for his award winning biographies of President James K. Polk and Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. His book "United States-Latin American Relations, 1850-1903: Establishing A Relationship" is considered a standard text for graduate programs in Latin American policy studies. The “Encyclopedia of United States-Latin American Relations” will be an interdisciplinary two volume edition.

For more information about the academic opportunities available at DWU, visit www.dwu.edu.