Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Alan Sondheim talk on Thursday, April 30 on the Real and the Virtual

 
Real and Virtual in the Broken World
a talk by Alan Sondheim
Colson Hall 130, WVU
4pm, April 30, 2015
free and open to the public

Building on early work done at WVU, Alan Sondheim will discuss the nature of avatars, virtual worlds, mixed realities, and their relationship to the physical world we inhabit. The presentation will include video, still images, and audio, including a demonstration of "revrev," a mockup of reverse reverberation, in which, during live performances, tones and sequences are announced from elsewhere before they appear. This is related to a politics of hope — How can we imagine a future, when world-wide extinctions and slaughter seem to be the order of the day?

Friday, April 24, 2015

Online Summer Courses in Women's and Gender Studies


The 1975, "Heart Out"



I can't say how much I like the concept of a middle school dance troupe named OMG Bae. Oh, and the actual song is pretty good too.

Katherine Richards, ABD

Either a portrait of Katherine sketched during her Qualifying Exam or 18th-century celebrity Sarah Siddons.

This just in from Professor Francus:

"It is my pleasure to announce that Katherine Richards successfully completed her oral exams today, in the fields of celebrity studies, 18th-century theatre history, and medical theory and history. Katherine's committee included Laura Engel (Duquesne University), Lara Farina, Catherine Gouge, John Lamb, et moi."

The Tenants heartily congratulate Mlle. Richards!

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Impressive work, PWE interns!


Colson 130 was packed yesterday as 14 Professional Writing and Editing (PWE) capstone students displayed the work they produced in their PWE internships this term. Thank you to all who came out to support them! For those who couldn’t make it, brief descriptions of each intern’s work are below.

Also, prizes were awarded for the top three posters. First place went to Jordan Lovejoy for her poster "Scholar Activism: My Internship with Aurora Lights," which showcased her work on the “My friends are my heroes” series of stories about West Virginia women making an impact on their communities and the state.
  
Second prize went to Taylor Staffileno for her poster “WVU Eberly Writing Studio: Creating Student Resources.” Her multimedia poster highlighted instructional videos and aids she developed for SpeakWrite and English 101 courses.

Third prize went to Kiersten Woods for her poster “(More than Just) Editing at FiT Publishing.” Her poster contrasted her expectations for an editing internship with the diversity of tasks she was involved in – from stock-photo selection to digital work. 


Congratulations to all of the interns on their accomplishments this term, including:
  •  Jordan Bailey, who interned with My Morgantown Magazine. His poster highlighted the article creation process – from interview preparation to published feature.
  • Victoria Bittorf, who interned with the Monongalia County Clerk’s Office. Her poster described her 100-documents-a-day work as a proofreader of 32 types of public documents.
  • Amber Dunlap, who interned with the CLC. Her poster highlighted the typical work of a book editor – from cover blurbs and bar codes to sentence-level edits of a digital manuscript.
  • Erica Heyer, who interned with Geostellar in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Her colorful poster highlighted the research she conducted and web content she developed about solar power.
  • Anna Kiriluk, who interned with the Eberly College Office of Undergraduate Studies. Her “on the road” themed poster highlighted communications she helped develop for STEM, international, and visiting students to WVU.
  • Tarin Kovalik, who interned at the California-based company Living Full Out. Her poster highlighted her work in drafting proposals and radio-show content for a professional motivational speaker.
  • Julie Manning, who interned with the Eberly Communications Office. Her poster highlighted her work drafting press releases and editing program and event information.
  • Zach McWhirt, who interned with the Literacy Volunteers of Monongalia and Preston Counties. He discussed his work on learner intake essays, a non-profit newsletter, and legal contracts.
  • Cassandra Rinker, who interned with WV Free. Her poster highlighted work on advocacy communications both here in Morgantown and at the State Capitol in Charleston.
  • Ashley Wentz, who interned with the Washington DC-based HVACR Workforce Development Association. She discussed the process necessary for researching and writing about a technical subject to non-experts.
  • Kayla Wolford, who interned with the CLC. Her poster focused on tips and tricks of working with InDesign for editing book layout and styles.



Friday, April 17, 2015

Dr. Snider

Dr. Snider
It's definitely Ph.D. season.

The Tenants were thrilled to get the following news from Professor Sweet:

"Congratulations to Cara Snider, who successfully defended her dissertation, 'Christ in the Margins: Confronting Racism through the (Written) Word in Post-Civil War America.' Cara's committee included John Ernest, Cari Carpenter, Michael Germana, Edward Blum (History, San Diego State)​, and yours truly."

Momentarily, the Tenants will gather on the lawn to give Cara a hearty cheer.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Dr. McKinney


Dr. Lamb awarding Ms. McKinney the official "Trophy of Doctoral Completion"
This just in from Professor Lamb:

"Congratulations to Kayla Kreuger McKinney who successfully defended her dissertation, 'Collecting Subjects/Objects: The Museum and Victorian Literature 1830-1914,' this afternoon. Professors Allen, Claycomb, Francus, Hall, and myself were treated to a spectacular spectacle of erudition."

The Tenants are very pleased to be able to add their own congratulations.

Monday, April 13, 2015

Writing Contest Winners




 
 

2015 Writing Contest Winners

Jon Scott Nelson Freshmen Creative Writing Contest

FIRST PLACE

Grace Joy Robinette

"The Tree, Church, I Think of You Often (Sometimes Not at All) and The Coat"

Instructor: Ethel Morgan Smith

SECOND PLACE

Lauren Harvey

"Til’ Death Do Us Part"

Instructor: Jessica Guzman (English 111)

THIRD PLACE

Avery Williamson

"Montana, Ethereal Heat, Chances Given"

Instructor: Patric Nuttall (English 213)

JUDGES:

Maggie Behringer

Emily Denton

Hailey Foglio

Xin Tian Koh

Shaun Turner

Clint Wilson


Jon Scott Nelson First-Year Writing Award

Ahry Green

"I Believe in Daddy-Daughter Dates"

Instructor: Tia DeShong

Victoria Terrio

"Bundle of Joy: A Personal Narrative"

Instructor: Courtney Druzak

Luke Walters

"I Believe in ‘Living’"

Instructor: Tia DeShong

JUDGES

Megan Fahey

Samuel Horrocks

Gregory Tolliver


Jon Scott Nelson Professional Writing and Editing Award


FIRST PLACE

Corinna Blugel

"The Effect of Sponsored Blog Content on Audiences: A Literature Review"

Instructor: Jill Woods (English 301)

SECOND PLACE

Courtni Helmick

Letters/Memorandums

Instructor: Elizabeth Juckett (English 304)

JUDGE

Brian Ballentine


Waitman Barbe Creative Writing Contest

FICTION DIVISON

Paige Jarvis

"Broken Stars"

Instructor: Mark Brazaitis (English 418)
Honorable Mention:
Kiersten Woods

"Toric Lenses: Excerpt"

Instructor: Mark Brazaitis (English 418)

NON-FICTION DIVISON

Taylor Roegner

"The Box"

Instructor: Ellesa High (English 214)
Honorable Mention:
Abagail Dickerson

"The Magic of Sunapee"

Instructor: Jessica Guzman (English 111)

POETRY DIVISION

Mitchell Glazier

Various poems

Instructor: Mary Ann Samyn
Honorable Mention:
Caleb Milne

Various poems

Instructor: Not listed

JUDGES

Maggie Behringer

Emily Denton

Hailey Foglio

Xin Tian Koh

Shaun Turner

Clint Wilson


James Paul Brawner Expository Writing Contest

Undergraduate Division


FIRST PLACE

Jennifer Head

"Conversational Implicature and Robustly Uncooperative Talk Exchanges: A Defense of Gricean Theory"

Instructor: Geoff Georgi (Philosophy 312)

SECOND PLACE

Sadie Crow

"In Reference to Motherhood: Anne Bradstreet and the Obligation of Familial Life"

Instructor: Marilyn Francus (English 387W)

THIRD PLACE

Olivia Grunau

"Government Surveillance: An Unnecessary Evil"

Instructor: David Beach (English 103)

JUDGES

Anna Elfenbein

Yvonne Hammond

Rebecca Thomas


102 Division

FIRST PLACE

Marseille McBeam

"Protecting Students On and Off Campus: Expanding the Jeanne Clery Act"

Instructor: Teresa Pershing

SECOND PLACE

Cameron Killmer

"Corporatocracy: Soft Money and Nepotism in U.S. Government"

Instructor: Rebecca Doverspike

THIRD PLACE

Rachel Sager

"Rebuilding Interest in Vocational Education and Careers"

Instructor: Teresa Pershing

JUDGES

Bushan Aryl

Sharon Kelly

Clint Wilson


Graduate Division

FIRST PLACE

Sam Horrocks

"Sacred Objects: Ecocriticism and Spirit in Silko and Coleridge"

Instructor: Dennis Allen, Rosemary Hathaway, and Lisa Weihman

SECOND PLACE

Courtney Druzak

"The Medieval in the Modern, and Vice-Versa: Time and Landscape"

Instructor: Lara Farina (English 661)

JUDGES

Gwen Bergner

Anna Elfenbein


Russ MacDonald Graduate Creative Writing Contest

Fiction Division Mari Casey

"Plans"

Instructor: Glenn Taylor (English 618A)
Honorable Mention:
Andrea Ruggirello

"Words and Bones"

Instructor: Mark Brazaitis

Nonfiction Division Maryann Hudak

"The Stroke above Eternity"

Instructor: Kevin Oderman (English 618B)
Honorable Mention:
Sadie Shorr-Parks

"Growl"

Instructor: Kevin Oderman

Poetry Division

Jessica Guzman

Various Poems

Instructors: James Harms and Mary Ann Samyn (English 618)

Honorable Mention:

Travis Mersing

Various poems

Instructors: James Harms and Mary Ann Samyn (English 618)

JUDGES

Rosemary Hathaway

John Lamb


Appalachian Writing Award

Kristen Elmo

"Those Six Weeks"

Instructor: JoAnna St. Germain

Runner-up

Taylor Roegner

Poems

Instructor: Patric Nuttall (English 213)

Runner-up

Jeffrey Wilson

To Roar or not to Roar: The Ins and Outs of 1920s Morgantown, West Virginia

Instructor: Carletta Bush (History 353)

JUDGE

Dwight Harshbarger


Rebecca Mason Perry Award
MA: Courtney Druzak

MFA: Whit Arnold

MAPWE: Rachael Kelley
 

 




Dr. Holsinger

Dr. Holsinger
The Tenants were very pleased to see the following note from Professor Sweet this afternoon:

"Congratulations to James Holsinger who successfully defended his dissertation, 'Performing Placelessness: Early American Drama and the Liminal State, 1775-1859.' James's committee included Cari Carpenter, Ryan Claycomb, Katy Ryan, Peter Reed (University of Mississippi), and yours truly."

Congratulations to James!

The Faculty Research Colloquium


The Department of English presents:

 The Faculty Research Colloquium

 “The Pedagogy of Sovereignty

by Cari Carpenter


Haudenosaunee Wampum Belt
"Native Nations treaty exhibit opens Sept. 21 at NMAI," Native News, Sept. 23, 2004. ttp://nativetimes.com/index.php/culture/history/10427-native-nations-treaty-exhibit-opens-sept-21-at-nmai

In this paper I describe several tactics of what I call a pedagogy of sovereignty. Such tactics include specific texts, digital resources, and activities all designed to give undergraduates entry into the complex terrain of American Indian political existence in the twenty-first century. I also consider techniques of emphasizing political difference while not re-invoking stereotypical beliefs in Natives’ inferiority or exoticism. This is not a matter of completely removing questions of cultural differences from the classroom, but of framing American Indians as peoples who do not fit neatly into the prevailing multiethnic model. This presentation raises a question I hope to return to in our discussion: how can we preserve and articulate realistic American Indian identities in the study of this literature?


April 22, 2015
2:30 p.m., 130 Colson Hall