History Professor Matt Walsh Receives State Historical Society Award

DMACC history professor Matt Walsh has been recognized by the State Historical Society of Iowa for his research on Iowa's humanitarian response following the Vietnam War.

Walsh's article, "A Symbol of Hope: Robert Ray Welcomes Southeast Asian Refugees," published in the Iowa History Journal, has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 George Mills & Louise Noun Popular History Award. The annual award honors the author of the most significant popular history article on an Iowa topic.

Walsh's work examines Governor Robert D. Ray's efforts in 1975 to resettle Southeast Asian refugees in Iowa following the fall of Saigon. Amid the chaos at the end of the Vietnam War, thousands fled advancing communist forces. Walsh's research highlights how Ray successfully worked with federal leaders, including President Gerald Ford, to allow approximately 3,500 Tai Dam refugees to settle together in Iowa -an exception to federal policy at the time.

"The story reflects an important moment in Iowa history when leadership, compassion, and community came together," Walsh said. "It's a reminder of how policy decisions can have a lasting human impact."

In addition to his research and teaching, Walsh organizes the college's War and the Human Experience Speaker Series, which brings survivors, veterans, and others affected by conflict to campus to share firsthand accounts with students and the broader community.

"War is the worst thing that humans do to one another, but the least we can do is study it, learn from it and hopefully avoid it in the future," Walsh said. "Our program helps students and the community better understand conflict and terrorism by hearing directly from ordinary people who lived through these events, rather than only encountering them in textbooks or headlines."

Walsh said those personal accounts are central to helping audiences grasp the realities of war and violence.

"If you want to truly understand conflict and terror, one of the most impactful things you can do is listen to people who experienced it firsthand," Walsh said. "Those stories stay with you - whether it's hearing from a Holocaust survivor or a firefighter who responded during the September 11 attacks."

The George Mills & Louise Noun Popular History Award is named in honor of two prominent Iowa historians and recognizes scholarship that makes history accessible to a broad audience.

As Iowa's largest community college, DMACC continues to highlight faculty achievements that contribute to both scholarship and public understanding. Walsh's recognition underscores the college's commitment to connecting classroom learning with real-world history and lived experience.