Cara Kinnally's dissertation, "Writing America: Transnational Discourses of Empire, Race and Community Formation in Greater Mexico,” has been chosen as IU’s representative for the 2013 CGS/ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Award competition in the Humanities and Fine Arts. Cara’s dissertation was chosen from a diverse and highly competitive group, as evidenced by the fact that each university is allowed to make one nomination in this category, Her nomination will be forwarded to a national competition.