Students

Professor Lynn DeVore says he’s not a fan of readings, and so he knew he had to do something different when Tributaries asked him to read from Feast of Light, his lyrical novel about the Vietnam War, based on his experiences. And so he adapted his novel for performance and enlisted the aid of four colleagues and two students to help him present a reader’s theater this past Thursday, Nov. 19, complete with a ’70s background soundtrack.

A nice crowd filled the Hansen Student Center and was clearly taken with the performance, which featured DeVore, students Mike Whitfield and Shanna Cardea, and professors Bob Bray, Alison Sainsbury, Spencer Sauter (from Art), and Mike Theune.

Tributaries, Illinois Wesleyan’s student-run creative arts journal, is looking for submissions of art, sound, poetry, or prose—up to six pieces, in any combination—before their next deadline, NOVEMBER 30. To submit, email your work to iwutributaries {at} gmail(.)com. Check out the Tributaries website for more info and deadline dates.

This Thursday, Nov. 19, at Professor Dan Terkla’s house, Sigma Tau Delta will host a colloquium featuring two English majors . . . and free pizza. It’s a great way to “warm up” for Professor DeVore’s presentation at the Hansen Student Center later in the evening (see Nov. 9 post).

Nathaniel Strauss (’10) will present his paper on Richard Brautigan’s Trout Fishing in America, and Linda Martin (’09) will present her senior research honors project on consciousness in Virginia Woolf’s novels. STD colloquia are a great way to meet other majors and interact with professors in an informal setting.

Professor Terkla’s house is only a five-minute walk from campus. From Ames Library head east on Empire, cross Clinton, and turn left on White Place. The address is 18 White Place.

Sigma Tau Delta is the English honor society, but all English majors and minors are invited to attend.

Sigma Tau Delta has announced their schedule for the Fifth Annual Muse Undergraduate Literary Conference, which will be held this Saturday, October 3, at the Center for Natural Science, Illinois Wesleyan University:

Registration, Atrium (8:30a.m.-1:00p.m.)

Session  I (9:30-10:45a.m.)

Room E103: Race and Ethnic Identity. Presenters: Korey Williams, “Claude McKay and Langson Hughes Discuss America: A Two-Part Study on Poetic Turns”; Diane Kevin, “Her Silence Shouts: A Comparison of Margaret and Alice in Octavia E. Butler’s Kindred”; Mike Whitfield, “Dysfunctional Dads: Native American Fathers in Life and Literature”

Room E104: The Big Picture: Applying Literary Theory. Presenters: Laura Spradlin, “The Use and Implications of Foreshadowing as a Deictic POP”; Linda Martin, “Re-Thinking Conceptual Metaphor”; Angela Lee “The Imperialistic Quest: Exploring Conrad’s Heart of Darkness through Archetypal and Post-Colonial Theories”

Session II (11:00a.m.-12:15p.m.)

Room E103: Sexuality and Identity Formation. Presenters: Amy Glaves, “‘A Figure with Full Breasts and Male Genitals’: Jack Gladney’s Bi-gendered Identity in Don DeLillo’s White Noise”; Anne Marquette, “Boys to Men: Nameless Narrators and the Men They Become”; Kerry Devitt, “Boy Meets Boy: Not Just Another Love Story”

Room E104: Revisiting Ancient and Medieval Texts. Presenters: Kate Norcross, “Crossing Over: Assimilating Opposites in Riddle 26”; Scott Schneider, “Poisoned Grails: Sipping the Wine of Civilized Greed”; Lydia Martin, “‘I, Who Am Dead, Must Guide Him Here Below’: Virgil as a Guide in Dante’s Inferno.”

Lunch, E103 (12:15-1:00p.m.)

KEYNOTE ADDRESS, C101 (1:00-2:15p.m.): Dr. Eric Rabkin (University of Michigan), “The Nature of Character: Science Fiction Speaks of the Soul”

Panel Presentations (2:30-3:30p.m.)

Room E108: Teaching and Education in English. Panelists: Casey Kelley, Tara Hohulin, Tyler McWhorter, Jared Johnson

Room E106: English Graduate School and Academia. Panelists: Prof. Chris Breu, Jenna Goldsmith, Jane Carman, Catherine Ratliff

Room E105: Technical Writing and Publishing. Panelists: Sarah Haberstich, Dr. Gerald Savage, Godwin Agboka

Session III (3:45-5:00pm)

Room E103: Literature Interacts With the World. Presenters: Natalie Lalagos, “Lending the World a Paintbrush”; Marie Huey, “The Meaningful Balance of Being”; Jonathan Gerard, “A Damnable Life”

Room E104: Writing the Self: Autobiography. Presenters: Travis Williams, “Building Bridges through Images in Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home”; Peter Vrousouris, “Dispatches and the Problem(s) with Autobiography”; Ashley Jaconetti, “Making a New Pact: Discrepancies and Limitations of Autobiography Exposed in A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius”

IWU students may attend free, but should RSVP to muselitconf {at} gmail(.)com.

The 19th Annual University of St. Francis Undergraduate Conference on English Language and Literature will be held on March 19-20, 2010 at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois, and organizers are looking for students to present papers.

Submit complete papers (preferably) or abstracts on any topic in English studies, including writing, linguistics, film, theory, British/American/Commonwealth literatures, and literature in translation. Papers are limited to a 20-minute presentation (8-12 pages). Authors of the papers are obliged to present in person. The deadline is December 15, 2009, and there are two ways to submit: By mail, send proposals to: Dr. Marcia Smith Marzec, ELL Conference, Dept. of English, Univ. of St. Francis, 500 Wilcox St., Joliet, IL 60435. By email, send papers or abstracts as an attachment to mmarzec {at} stfrancis(.)edu.

Sigma Tau Delta will sponsor its Fifth Annual MUSE Undergraduate Literary Conference on Saturday, October 3, 2009. Students who are presenting papers have already been notified of their acceptance, but you don’t have to present a paper to attend. RSVP to muselitconf {at} gmail(.)com to be able to attend all the student presentations, panels, and keynote speech. It’s free for IWU students, but you do need to reserve space.

This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Eric Rabkin, who teaches Science Fiction at the University of Michigan and maintains the award-winning University of Michigan Fantasy and Science Fiction Web Site. The title of his talk is “The Nature of Character: Science Fiction Speaks of the Soul.”

Three panels on Graduate School, English Education, and Technical Writing and Publishing will allow students to access basic information that can help them when it comes time to take that next step, and maybe even do a little networking. Students presenting papers from from a number of universities.

Tomorrow, Thursday, September 24, at 8 p.m. at the Hansen Student Center, Professor Michael Theune and Chip Corwin (’05, currently Adjunct Instructor of English at Heartland Community College) will present new creative works, including their latest project, The Divine Pregunta.

Saturday, September 26, in Beckman Auditorium of Ames Library there will be a double-feature for the writing community. First, leaders of the writing organizations on campus (Lyrical Graffiti, Tributaries, and Pseudonym Required), will read/perform their own work. Then the movie Dead Poets Society will be shown. Doors open at 6:30 p.m, and the film will be shown at approximately 7:45 or 8 p.m.

Both events are free and open to the public, so majors can bring friends or dates.

Student writers have until Wednesday, September 23 to submit short stories and poems for the first round of Pseudonym Required, “a community for writers intent on developing their technique.” Send submissions to: Pseudonym.required {at} gmail(.)com or contact Nathan Butters (nbutters {at} iwu(.)edu) for additional information.

Literature has yet to win the English department’s annual Literature vs. Writing softball game, but it’s always a fun time. Professors and students play together in a double-header and afterwards have a hot dog roast. Majors take up the rivalry again on Sunday, September 13, 2-5pm, at the women’s softball field (near Printing and Mailing Services on N. Franklin Ave.). BethAnne Roberts is the team captain for the Writing squad, and Mike Czajkowski will try to get the Literature team fired up.

Since not everyone has gloves, we play Chicago-style 16″ slow-pitch softball with no gloves and precious few rules. Just bare hands with a soft “mushball.” No spikes are allowed, and you don’t have to be a “player” to participate. It’s all for fun, and there are widely different skill levels each year. Please RSVP to Julie Lappin, jlappin {at} iwu(.)edu, by September 10 and let us know if you’ll be playing for Literature or Writing, or if you’ll just be in the stands to share in the fun and food. Alums in the area are welcome to drop by and share stories of the “real” world over hot dogs and sodas. Pictured are players from last year congratulating each other (at having worked up an appetite).

UPDATE: Writing did it again. After Literature had taken a 4-3 lead, Writing roared back with a big four-run inning to win 7-4 and keep their streak intact. It was a tale of two Mikes, with Mike Whitfield leading the Writing squad and Mike Czajkowski getting the most hits for Literature. But the difference may have been a circus catch near the home-run fence that Nathan Butters made to deny Literature a big inning.

On May 3, 55 English majors walked across the platform at Sheean to receive their degrees, and afterwards feasted on the traditional scones and strawberries. Then it was on to the “major” stations, where students could introduce faculty and parents to each other and take photos.  Here, “prof cam” shows a shot of the recessional. 

There were hugs for some, jokes with others, and plenty of bittersweet moments. 

Some students said they were headed for graduate school, some had PR and writing job interviews, while others were joining the Peace Corps or traveling. They’ll be missed! 

To see more graduation photos, check out the photo gallery on the English department’s main page (linked on the left menu).