Recent Princeton alumni Shaun Cason ’23 was featured in a Princeton Alumni Weekly article, “Husband, Father, Soldier, Student” for his scholarly accomplishments in medieval studies and unique path to Princeton.
Cason, a combat veteran, husband, and father of two, graduated with an A.B. in history and certificates in medieval studies, history and the practice of diplomacy, and the program in archaeology.
His senior thesis, titled“The Rebellion of Ali B. Muhammad: Reexamining the Zanj Revolt and Its Place in Abbasid History,” was advised by Helmut Reimitz (History), the director of the Humanities Council’s Program in Medieval Studies.
“He operates on a level of sophistication and reflection that is outstanding, maybe because he brings more experience to it,” says Reimitz.
Cason’s thesis could become a book-length exploration as his career progresses, according to Reimitz. “He has the vision to think beyond [the thesis],” he says, “and that actually makes it very interesting to work with him, because we can work on a part of something larger that he can continue.”
Though Cason at first leaned toward studying contemporary history, the University’s strength in medieval studies drew him in. “If I would’ve gone to any other university in the country, I wouldn’t have ended up [on] this route,” Cason says.
In January, Cason was awarded a Sachs Scholarship, one of the University’s highest awards for postgraduate study, and will continue his academic journey in a master’s program in Late Antique and Byzantine studies at the University of Oxford.
