Suggestions

Although TCH has already attracted interest from as far away as Pittsburgh, we are always looking for ways to increase our readership (and, hence, the number of people who become aware of the many positive aspects of our department). So far, however, the suggestions we've received for increasing our web traffic have been a bit disappointing, viz:

1. Liveblog the faculty meetings. Downside: having to read a liveblog from the faculty meetings.

2. In the spirit of puppy cam: GTA cam. We put a plate of WV cookies and some alcohol in 130 Colson and watch as they cavort, nap, and tumble over one another. Downside: ungraded portfolios; extensive cleanup.

Needless to say, if you have better ideas for promoting The Tenants of Colson Hall, we'd love to hear from you.

August Graduation Deadlines for GRADUATE Students

If you planning on graduating in August these are your deadline dates for all materials.

1. I (Amanda) must have your Application for Graduation by May 29th.

2. All Shuttle Sheet request forms have to be turned in to the Dean's office by Friday, July 10th. This means that I have to have your defense date and time, your committee and a title BEFORE then. I will take care of the paperwork I just need that information before the deadline date.

3. All defenses have to be done BEFORE Tuesday, July 21st. You will need your ETD signature form that day as well. If you don't have a copy of it let me know and I can print one off for you.

4. ALL thesis and dissertations MUST be submitted to WVU libraries by Friday, July 31st.

Please note that ALL deadlines are final and there will be NO EXCEPTIONS.

Please remember to pay your $39.00 graduation fee at Student Accounts located in the basement of Stewart Hall.

***All graduation forms can be found at http://www.wvu.edu/, then go to academics, choose the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, then choose graduate programs, then forms. NO graduation form will be accepted in pen or pencil if so it will be sent back to you.

Also, keep in mind that all of these forms will need your committee's signatures. Please do not wait until the very last minute to do any of this.

Thank You!!!

Foreign Languages Invites English to a Party

The Department of Foreign Languages Presents:
Spectacular Spectacular
Friday, 1 May 2009
6-8:30 pm in G 24 Eiesland Hall
Join us for an evening celebrating foreign languages through plays, skits, songs, music, dance, and poetry in Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish! Everyone is welcome, and refreshments will be served.

Yes, poets do have quite a good time. Thanks for asking.

Just when you start to wonder if the grad poetry workshop really is The Most Fun Ever, you find out something like this….

Tonight’s final class of English 618 featured a buffet of fine foods, followed by workshop, followed by… Miller Lite and bowling in the Mountainlair!

High scorer was Aaron “Jack Tripper” Rote who bowled over 100 though this blogger can’t remember his actual score (114? 124?), probably because it was ever so slightly higher than hers.

Second was graduating poet Erin Veith who scored 98.  Nice job and congratulations, Erin!  We look forward to hearing you read on Thursday!

Third highest was their beloved teacher, yours truly, who wore her very own bowling shoes (thanks, Dad!) and scored an impressive 92.

All other bowlers---Charity Gingerich, Kori Frazier, Christina Rothenbeck, Lauren Reed, and Tori Moore---also earned very respectable scores.

Danielle Ryle sat this one out, but did provide moral support, which, as everyone knows, is absolutely crucial to good bowling.

Though the pin-setting-down-thing-y was slow and the balls were nicked and pocked and the graphics on the scoreboard were pretty lame (“Good Try!” said a cheerleader), everyone had The Best Time Ever.

The event was commemorated by a photo, taken by The Bowling Dude who, only moments before, had been waxing the lanes and minding his own business.

All in all, it was a magical evening and, of course, the perfect finale to another memorable (and life-changing) poetry workshop.

Finals-Week Advising

The advising office will be open during finals week at the following times:

Monday 1-3
Tuesday 10-12
Wednesday 10-12
Thursday 10-12

Summer advising will be handled by administrative assistant Marsha Bisset.

First C.A.L.F. Reading a Success

Last night, the undergraduate writing organization C.A.L.F. held its first reading at The Blue Moose Café. C.A.L.F. was founded as a way for undergraduate writers to get together to workshop outside of class. At this event, seniors Keegan Lester, Paul Miller, and Holt Barnitz read poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. They also invited writer Renée Nicholson, their former instructor, to read with them. The event was well attended by local artists, family, friends, and students from WVU, including the graduate program and its representative organization EGO, and members of the graduate writing organization COW. The readers all did an excellent job, and their warmth and gratitude made this reading a success. Congratulations, C.A.L.F.!

Jim Greene, ABD

Congratulations to Jim Greene, who has passed his Qualifying Examination for Doctoral Candidacy (that's the "booklist exam" to you plebes) and is now ABD.

The Best Reading of the Year

… and the social event of the season will happen this Thursday, April 30, when the graduating MFAs read their work at 7:30 p.m. in the Gold Ballroom. 

This reading is always top-notch… and the outfits are usually pretty good too.  Who can forget last year when Maggie Glover wore her grandma’s 1970's mint green gown? 

So put on your most creative writing-worthy outfit and prepare to be dazzled as the following “emerging writers” read from their theses:

Matt Buchanan: Cloud Shaped Room

Sarah Beth Childers: The Preacher and Other Essays

Lori D’Angelo: Advance and Retreat: A Collection of Stories

Rachel Rosolina: Empty Lungs: Essays

John Shumate: The Zombie Parade

Erin Veith: I had to shut my eyes to tell that story

Updated List of Undergrads Going to Grad School

Congratulations to the following creative writing students who will be entering grad programs next year:

Justin Crawford: WVU, MFA in fiction

Jessica Dyche: Frostburg State University, Masters in Teaching/Secondary Ed.

Marit Ericson: University of Iowa, MFA in poetry

Nick Gaudio: University of  Michigan, MFA in fiction

Maria Goodson: George Mason University, MFA in nonfiction

Micah Holmes: WVU, MFA in poetry

Keegan Lester: Columbia University, MFA in poetry

Paul Miller: University of Nebraska, MA in creative writing/fiction

Kelly Sundberg: WVU, MFA in nonfiction

The Good Works of Wendy Belcher

As a follow-up to Jess Queener's post, allow me to lend my highest endorsement to Wendy Belcher's Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks (Sage, 2009). Wendy, now a professor of comparative literature at Princeton, for many years taught a popular course at UCLA on which this book is based. I took it myself once--it helped me write the article that helped me get this job, and I've incorporated many of its techniques into my own teaching. You can find information at her website.

While I'm on the subject, Wendy also manages FLOURISH, a monthly electronic newsletter about scholarly writing and publication. Witty, breezy and empathetic, it's always a source of helpful hints and anecdotes. Archives and subscription information are here.