Love of Literature, Libraries Sending Graduating English Major to London
Jack Wallace’s love of reading dates back to countless trips to public libraries in Winchester, Virginia as an elementary schooler to check out comic books before moving on to fantasy novels and classics like The Count of Monte Cristo.
That fascination with literature and libraries continued to blossom during his undergraduate career at the University of Virginia, where he worked at the Special Collections Library and the Rare Book School. Next stop for the graduating English major: a move to the United Kingdom as UVA’s 18th Marshall Scholar. In the UK, Wallace will pursue a master’s degree in book history at the Institute for English Studies in London and a master’s in English during his second year.
The Marshall Scholarship was established by British Parliament as a gesture of gratitude for American support during Europe’s post-WWII recovery, in honor of former U.S. Secretary of State General George C. Marshall. Only 43 Marshall scholarships — from among 1,023 applicants — were awarded this year.
Wallace plans to study the intersections of material and literary cultures and their effects on our future within the context of artificial intelligence and other rapid technological developments.
“AI is a very fundamental question for librarians, because on the one hand, there’s so much material. There are so many manuscripts, and so many books in languages that are not widely read anymore that AI can be very helpful with transcribing, digesting and translating into a readable form,” Wallace said. “But the other aspect is that more and more AI companies are turning to libraries to mine information for their training models, and that leads to questioning why we even need a library, or why would we need these items in physical form if they've been completely digitized and are accessible by AI?”
It’s the type of question that not only the UVA Library is answering, Wallace added, but also library associations worldwide that are trying to emphasize why physical items are so important for students of literature and professional historians.
Wallace continued to spend a lot of time in libraries and archives as a UVA student. He arrived on Grounds in 2023 as a first-generation college student and has worked at the Special Collections Library; as part of the Jefferson’s University: the Early Life Project; as a program assistant at the Rare Book School; and as a Rotunda Ambassador. An Echols Scholar, he is graduating in three years.
“What sets Jack apart is that he is an academic risk-taker,” said Michael F. Suarez, director of the Rare Book School. “In an era when many students play it safe to protect their GPAs, Jack has been intellectually adventurous, taking classes outside of his comfort zone and embracing difficulty.”
Wallace is the only undergraduate who has ever asked to take his graduate seminar, Suarez added.
“He took challenging classes outside his major because he is driven to know, because he understands what a liberal arts education is for. Being an undergraduate in the College of Arts & Sciences is a unique opportunity to explore the world — and Jack has taken full advantage of that opportunity.”
Navigating his own path in the liberal arts
Coming from a public high school from a rural area, Wallace said he received a lot of advice before coming to UVA to focus on computer science or majors like statistics or economics as his ticket to professional success.
“But I just had this overwhelming feeling that the ability to memorize and to regurgitate facts and formulas would not be the best path for me,” Wallace said. “The ability to do my own research and to come to my own conclusions, especially with just how much information is thrown at people on a daily basis, and how much the job market and the world in general is changing, I feel like I’ve gotten a lot more out of my literature classes.
“Even as a 19-year-old first year, I was assessed on how well I was able to critically think, and that gave me the confidence to do even higher-level research and to pursue opportunities at the Special Collections Library and the Rare Book School.”
Wallace also is a member of the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society and a baritone in the University Singers and Chamber Singers, who toured in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania last summer. Naturally, one of the highlights of that trip for Wallace was seeing an exhibition that included the first book printed in Estonian, from the 16th century.
Wallace served as co-chair of the Echols Ambassadors and was a first-year and second-year support officer for the Honor Committee and third-year representative of the College of Arts & Sciences.
None of these accomplishments are trumpeted by Wallace in conversation.
“I have never heard Jack Wallace tell a story in which he was the hero. He prefers to tell stories about the successes of others,” Suarez said.
One of his final research projects at UVA has been helping Louis P. Nelson, a professor of architectural history and UVA’s Vice Provost for Academic Outreach, organize photos and images for the manuscript of his new architectural book about the University.
“Simply put, Jack is always smiling. While some don a veneer of happiness, Jack’s joy — one which manifests in a generous spirit, care for others, and a can-do work ethic — burns deep inside,” Nelson said. “He exemplifies UVA’s commitment to the common good.”
Wallace is considering a doctorate in English or a law degree after his Marshall Scholarship. For now, though, he remains grateful that his family and mentors at UVA encouraged him to chart his own path.
“Whatever path I choose, it will be in the interest of supporting the field of literature and the humanities at large,” he said. “Books and writing will always be a part of my life.”
