We are pleased to announce Sophie Warth as the winner of the 2024 Christine Wilson undergraduate writing award. She won with a paper entitled “First Meals and Last Meals: Vehicles of Food Meaning.” Reviewers found the topic — examining and comparing the significance of the first meals of those recently released from incarceration and the last meals of those on death row — to be novel and interesting — and suggested that the topic would make a great Master’s thesis.
During this research, Sophie was a student of the Class of 2024 at the University of Vermont
Patrick Leahy Honors College with an individually designed major titled Food and Culture, along with
minors in Spanish and Psychology. The interdisciplinary approach to her degree is a reflection of her
many passions and interests within the fields of Anthropology, English, Philosophy, and Food
Studies. In this research, as her Undergraduate Honors Thesis, Sophie explores the symbolism
between incarcerated individuals’ first meals once released and the last meals of individuals on death
row. Sophie asks: What role does the meaning of food play in first and last meals? What are the
effects of agency on food choice and meaning in the patterns of first meal and last meal choices?
Both the last meal and the first meal demonstrate different levels of agency, and the institutional
constraints that lead up to these two meals can determine their content and the surrounding
experiences. Sophie utilizes a thorough literature review, open forum observational study, and the
creation of a virtual museum exhibit to answer these research questions.
Sophie argues that first meals are rich with meaning concerning the power of food, and for
formerly incarcerated individuals, symbolize the importance of agency, community, gratitude,
longing, and taste. Sophie’s research attempts to shed light on the intricate interplay between food
symbolism, experiences of food insecurity post-release, and the broader significance of the first meal
moment in the reentry journey. This holistic examination not only contributes to a more
comprehensive understanding of the reintegration process but also underscores the need for
nuanced interventions that address both the material and symbolic dimensions of food within the
context of reentry support programs.
Sophie is now a first-year dual degree MA student in Food Studies and Library Information
Science at New York University and Long Island University. Inspired by creating a virtual museum
exhibit for her thesis, Sophie aims to incorporate her passion for food studies and information
accessibility in a career that combines the two. In addition to her studies, Sophie works at the New
York Public Library as a Library Page in the Maps, Dorot Jewish, Local History & Genealogy
Divisions and volunteers at the Museum of Food and Drink. Sophie also shadows the New York
University Bobst Library Reference Desk in conjunction with her research on libraries with culinary
centers or seed libraries. This work builds on her undergraduate research by prioritizing food agency
and meaning within the library space by providing patrons with both cultural and culinary
educational experiences.
