Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Congrats to PWE capstone students on a successful poster exhibit!


On Tuesday the Professional Writing and Editing (PWE) program hosted the biannual PWE Poster Exhibition. PWE concentrators are required to complete a capstone internship  in professional or technical communication, and their posters are an opportunity for them to showcase their work for the university community. This spring, eleven students shared posters at the event, representing a diverse range of internships, from the English department’s own Center for Literary Computing and Writing Center to WVU Library Services and FiT Publishing.

Prizes are awarded for the best posters, and this semester the top prize went to Brianna Pethtel for her poster "Working Remotely: Writing to Connect Academic Researchers with Industry Partners," which showcased her work for WVU’s LIINC program.

 Second prize went to Rebecca Sandmeier for her poster “Connecting Literature and Technology: Interning at the Center for Literary Computing.”

Third prize went to Shawnee Moran for her poster “New South Media: Regional Publications for National Audiences.”
(Photo credits to PWE graduate and former poster winner Alex Ries.)

Congratulations to all of the interns on their accomplishments this term, including:

  • Jonathan Cook, who interned with the CLC. His poster highlighted the collaborative nature of an editor’s job (and the revolving door an editor’s desk becomes).
  • Emilee Justiss, who interned with WVU Library Services conducting research on the types of resources used most frequently by composition students.
  • Alexandra Kirk, who interned with FiT Publishing, proofreading journals and designing PowerPoint presentations to accompany sports management textbooks.
  • Jonathan Miltenberger, who interned with the CLC, and astutely communicated the long-term benefits of editing for clarity and consistency in the early stages of a book project.
  • Shelby Schwabb, who interned with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. She worked on fundraising and wish-fulfillment communications, successfully balancing the advantages of form letters with the unique stories of individual children’s wishes.
  • Mollie Simonton, who interned with the Writing Center, designing marketing materials, editing tutorials on working with STEM students, and researching multilingual students’ experiences in writing-intensive courses.
  • Allen Utterback, who interned with the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center. He wrote and edited articles and speeches for special events and internal publications.
  • Margery Webb, who interned with Administrative Technology Solutions, developing training materials for WVU’s Mountaineer Administrative Processes website.


Thank you to everyone who supported these talented English majors by attending the poster exhibit, especially the three graduate students (Sara Ash, Jay Kirby, and Will Deaton) who performed the difficult task of evaluating and narrowing down the top three poster presenters.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

MFA Thesis Season

Once again, we have come to the happy conclusion of another MFA thesis season. Congratulations to the writers, and their committees, who made us proud. And remember to come out and hear them read their work on Thursday, April 24, at 7:30 p.m. in the Rhododendron Room.

And now—drumroll, please—we present our graduating MFAs:

Jessi Lewis, She Spoke Wire (novel). Committee: Mark Brazaitis (chair), Kevin Oderman, Glenn Taylor.

Christina Seymour, This Perfect World (poems). Committee: Mary Ann Samyn (chair), Jim Harms, Kevin Oderman.

Sara Lucas, Wheatfield (novel). Committee: Glenn Taylor (chair), Mark Brazaitis, Rosemary Hathaway.

Rebecca Doverspike, When an Aspen Quakes (essays). Committee: Kevin Oderman (chair), Mary Ann Samyn, Lara Farina.

Jesse Kalvitis, Lives Like Dollars (essays). Committee: Kevin Oderman (chair), Ethel Morgan Smith, Tim Sweet

Nathan Holmes, The First Regent (novel). Committee: Mark Brazaitis (chair), Glenn Taylor, Ethel Morgan Smith.


Troy Copeland, Myself That I Portray (essays). Committee: Kevin Oderman, Mark Brazaitis, Katy Ryan.


Monday, April 14, 2014

2014 Writing Contest Winners

 

Jon Scott Nelson Freshmen Creative Writing Contest

 

FIRST PLACE

Mitchell Glazier

“Poems”

Instructors: Mary Ann Samyn (English 313) and Christina Seymour (English 213)  

 

SECOND PLACE

Elliot Ross

“Stopwatch”

Instructor: (not listed)

 

THIRD PLACE

Rachel McBride

Poems

Instructor: Tia DeShong (English 101)

 

JUDGES:

Jessica Guzman

Hannah McPherson

Marianne Casey

 

 

Jon Scott Nelson First-Year Writing Award

 

Michael Hylton

“Sixty-Four”

Instructor: Carol Fox                                

 

Rachel McBride

“Choosing a Revolution”

Instructor: Tia DeShong

 

Elliot Ross

“Shadows on the Walls of my Mind”

Instructor: Melissa Ferrone

 

JUDGES

Hailey Foglio

Sadie Shorr-Parks

Katherine Richards,

Ami Schiffbauer

Shane Stricker

Tom Sura

 

 

 

 

 

Jon Scott Nelson Professional Writing and Editing Award

 

FIRST PLACE

Shana Burleson

Letters/Memorandums

Instructor: Catherine Gouge (English 302) and Elizabeth Juckett (English 304)

 

 

SECOND PLACE

Kylie Barnhart

Letters/Memorandums

Instructor: Elizabeth Juckett (English 304)

 

THIRD PLACE

Allen Rickards

Letters/Memorandums

Instructor: Elizabeth Juckett (English 304)

 

JUDGE

Brian Ballentine

 

 

 

Waitman Barbe Creative Writing Contest

 

FICTION DIVISOIN

Allison Eckman

“Shenandoah Season”

Instructor: Glenn Taylor (English 312)

 

Honorable Mention:

Paige Jarvis

“In Time”

Instructor: Rebecca Thomas (English 318)

 

 

NON-FICTION DIVISON

Stephanie Anderson

“In the Garden”

Instructor: Mark Brazaitis (English 418)

 

Honorable Mention:

Benjamin Aultman-Moore

“Arkansas Sunshine”

Instructor: Mark Brazaitis (English 418)

 

 

POETRY DIVISION

Caleb Milne

Various poems

Instructor: Mary Ann Samyn (English 313)

 

Honorable Mention:

Deborah Cruse

Various poems

Instructor: Mark Brazaitis (English 418)

 

 

JUDGE

Kevin Oderman

 

 

James Paul Brawner Expository Writing Contest

 

Undergraduate Division

 

FIRST PLACE

Jennifer Head

“Sex, Power, and Fear of the Seductress in Bram Stoker’s Dracula

Instructor:  John Lamb (English 369W)

 

SECOND PLACE

Madeline Vandevender

“Sylvan Sabotage: Emily Bronte’s ‘There are two trees in a lonely field’”

Instructor:  Maria Barron (English 262)

 

THIRD PLACE

Megan Vealey

“Deconstructing Notions of Identity Authenticity in Chicana Falsa

Instructor: Gwen Bergner (English 387)

 

 

JUDGES

Michael Buso

Elizabeth Juckett

Phillip Zapkin

 

 

102 Division

 

FIRST PLACE

Mariah Moore

“Art Censorship: The Broader Impact”

Instructor: Jason Kapcala

 

SECOND PLACE

Maddie Clouser

People For Profit: Obama’s Executive Order Against Human Trafficking

Instructor: Jason Kapcala

 

THIRD PLACE

Sarah Kennedy

“Who’s Spreading the Word?: Increasing the Awareness of Diabetes Mellitus”

Instructor: Jason Kapcala

 

JUDGES

Andi Stout

Natalie Sypolt

Rebecca Thomas

 

 

Graduate Division

 

FIRST PLACE

Harrington Weihl

“The Sublime Object of Form: Modernism and Experimentation”

Instructor: Dennis Allen (English 782)

 

 

SECOND PLACE

Dibyadyuti (Dibs) Roy

“Trinh.T Minh-ha’s Reassemblage: Re-conceptualizing Transnational Feminism through Rhizomatic Testimonies”

Instructor: Ryan Claycomb (English 695)

 

THIRD PLACE

Phillip Zapkin

“Historiography’s Linguistic (Re)Turn: Aristotle’s Rhetoric and the Ethical Role of Multiplicity in Contemporary Historiography”

Instructor: Tom Sura (English 601)

 

JUDGES

Sandy Baldwin

Gwen Bergner

Cari Carpenter

 

 

 

Russ MacDonald Graduate Creative Writing Contest

 

Fiction Division
Shaun Turner

“A Deep Plane Facelift”

Instructor: Mark Brazaitis (English 618A)

 

Honorable Mention:

Nathan Holmes

“The Usual Sleep: or A Stranger’s Grave Under the Oak Tree”

Instructor: Mark Brazaitis (English 618A)

 

Nonfiction Division
Jessica Kalvitis

“Tofu”

Instructor: Katie Fallon (English 618B)

 

Honorable Mention:

Rebecca Doverspike

“Half-Cracked”

Instructor: Katie Fallon (English 618B)

 

Poetry Division

Christina Seymour

Various Poems

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

 

Honorable Mention:

Jessica Guzman

Various poems

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

 

 

JUDGES

Tom Noyes – fiction

Kelly Moffett – poetry

Erin Tocknell - nonfiction

 

 

Appalachian Writing Award

 

Rachel Bainbridge

“Mourning Falls”

Instructor: Glenn Taylor (English 312)

 

Runner-up

Cassidy Cline

“A Child’s Perspective”

Instructor: Anna Elfenbein (English 252)

 

JUDGE

Dwight Harshbarger

 

 

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Harrington Weihl, Master of ....

Arts, although the Tenants think that someday that might be "of the Universe." In other words, we were very gratified today to see the following missive from Lisa Weihman: "Please join Marilyn Francus, Sandy Baldwin and me in offering hearty congratulations to Harrington Weihl, who successfully defended his MA Thesis, '"I feel that our house is the future as well as the past": Architecture, Monumentality and Form in the Modernist Novel' this afternoon. Excellent work, Harrington!" The Tenants do indeed join in offering those congratulations. You should too.

Friday, April 4, 2014

Dr. Lantz

The Tenants are very pleased to be able to announce that Susan Jennings Lantz is now Dr. Susan Jennings Lantz after her successful dissertation defense this afternoon. The conversation with the committee (Laura Brady, Anna Elfenbein, John Lamb, Janice Spleth, and yours truly) and with the extensive Lantzian entourage that attended the defense was wide-ranging, covering everything from the suppressed eroticism evident in Shirley Temple movies to the crisis in American masculinity during the 1930's to the use of the concept of suture in film and cultural criticism. References to Divergent, Up, and The Best Years of Our Lives were thrown in for good measure, with Susan fielding questions and raising interesting points for further discussion with her typical vivacity. A good time really was had by all, and the Tenants heartily congratulate her.

The 2014 EGO Colloquium Poster & Program



(Pop) Culture
Please join us for the 2014 English Graduate Organization Colloquium on the theme of (Pop) Culture.


This year’s keynote address will be:
Dr. Melinda Maureen Lewis, Bowling Green State University:
“Keep the Job, Not the Guy:
The Problematic Pleasure of Single Girls”

The Colloquium will also feature panels, roundtables,
and creative writing readings!

Saturday, 12 April 2014
9:30AM-5:30PM
Colson Hall (Registration outside 130)

To be followed by a Potluck Dinner at Valerie Surrett’s house.

West Virginia University English Graduate Organization
2014 Graduate Colloquium
Sat. 12 April 2014

Pop/Culture

9:30-10:20: Sign In, Meet & Greet, Coffee Time, Welcoming Statement from Jeff Yeager
Colson lobby & Colson 130

10:30-11:50: First Session

Colson 130—“Women’s Work” in Post WWII American Society
Moderator: Ryan Fletcher
  • Lindsey Macdonald, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University: “Cyber Battling the Virgin Mary: Freethinking Mothers’ Emergence from the Periphery.”
  • Katie Garahan, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University: “Those Who Can’t Do, Teach: Women’s Work on the Margins of Capitalism.”
  • Alexis Priestley, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University: “A Blog of One's Own: Gendered Culinary Practice in Online Spaces.”

Colson G06—Zizek in/and Pop Culture
Moderator: Jeffrey Yeager
  • Carol Fox, WVU, :”Title TBD”
  • Whitney Sandin, WVU, “"What is Normal?: The Traumatic Kernel of Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
  • Heather Murton, WVU: “The Big "O": Pornography, Fantasy, and the Other in Don Jon.”

Colson 223—Poetry
  • Xin Tian Koh, WVU
  • Jessica Guzman, WVU
  • Sara Kearns, WVU
  • Patrick Nutall, WVU


12:00-1:20: Lunch Break, Morgantown

1:30-2:50: Second Session

Colson 130—Deviance/Horror in Pop Culture
Moderator: Jeffrey Yeager
  • Emma Briscoe, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ: "An Exercise in Visual Disorientation: A Closer Look at Christopher Shy's Dead Space Graphic Novels"

  • Kenna Day, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ: “ ‘The Night HE Came Home’: Gender, Power, and POV in John Carpenter’s Halloween

  • Elizabeth Vest, Concord Univ: “Wicked is the New Innocence”

  • Victoria Dickman-Burnett, WVU: “The Aesthetics of Vulgarity in the Works of Roberto Bolaño”

Colson G06—Historicizing Pop Culture
Moderator: Greg Tolliver
  • Bethany Biesinger, Univ of Pittsburgh: “Gil Junger Presents the Taming of the Riot Grrrl: An Examination of the Film Soundtrack 10 Things I Hate About You and Its Use of the Riot Grrrl Persona to Portray the Modern Day Shakespearean Shrew”

  • Abby Daniel, Marshall Univ: “An Exploration of the Development of the Bedtrick:
From Medieval Literature to the Modern Sitcom How I Met Your Mother

  • Sarah Paxton, Concord Univ: “The Meth Cook and the Thief: Our Glorious Antiheroes”

  • Kyle Winkler, Univ of Pittsburgh: “Popular Comedians Are Doing Rhetorical Scholarship for Us”


Colson G18— Lacan Against Humanity Roundtable
·         Harrington Weihl, WVU
·         Jay Kirby, WVU
·         Whitney Sandin, WVU
·         Dibyadyuti Roy, WVU
·         Carol Fox, WVU

Colson 223—Fiction
  • Hailey Foglio, WVU: an excerpt from Through Babel

  • JoAnna St. Germain, WVU: an excerpt from Virginia May

  • Shaun Turner, WVU: “Tennessee Waltz”

3:00-4:00: Keynote Address, Colson 130

4:10-5:30: Session Three

Colson 130—Cultural Icons
Moderator: Sam Horrocks

  • Jeffrey Yeager, WVU: “Mudsills and Rude Mechanics: Reading Melville's “Bartleby the Scrivener” through Southern Indictments of Northern Labor.”
  • Aaron Rovan, WVU: “Restoring the Female Voice in Rukeyser’s The Book of the Dead and Maxo Vanka’s Murals”

  • Kevin Smith, Concord Univ: “The Gonzo Effect: Hunter S. Thompson’s Indelible
Influence Upon the Modern Media”

  • Clint Wilson, WVU: “Belonging for Belongingness: The Politics of Sexuality in Literature of Exile”

Colson G06—Twentieth Century American Drama
Moderator: Carol Fox
  • Ryan Fletcher, WVU: “Flowers, Blood, and Skin: Maria Bonner’s The Purple Flower”

  • Maria Barron, WVU: “Driving While Black: Individual and Collective Trauma in Sleep Deprivation Chamber, Boyz N the Hood, and Menace II Society”

  • Valerie Surrett, WVU: “We're a Civilized Race, We Bury our Dead': Criticisms of War and Labor Propaganda in Irwin Shaw's Bury the Dead."

  • Harrington Weihl, WVU: “No Way Back: Epic Theatre and The Enlightenment Origins of Brecht's Mother Courage”

Colson G18—Methods and Practices for Knowing and Teaching in Composition/Rhetoric
Moderator: Heather Murton
  • Philip Zapkin, WVU: “Historiography’s Linguistic (Re)Turn: Aristotle’s Rhetoric and the Ethical Role of Multiplicity in Contemporary Historiography”

  • Tia DeShong, WVU: “Empowering Basic Writers: The Politics of Literacy in the Composition Classroom”

  • Katie Hubbard, WVU: “Sharing versus Submitting: The Effects of Different E-Portfolio Platforms on Student Perceptions of Ownership”

  • Bhushan Aryal, WVU: “The Resurgence of Voice in Digital Composition”

Colson 223—Nonfiction Reading: “The Working Man’s MFA”
  • Jessie Kalvatis, WVU
  • JoAnna St. Germain, WVU
  • Another writer TBD

6:00-?: Potluck Dinner at Valerie Surrett’s house! (for transportation assistance, please see a Colloquium worker)