MFA Awards

The MFA Program announces the recipients of new research fellowships for MFA students: Colleen Coyne (poetry), Claire Stanford (fiction), and David Malley (nonfiction). These fellowships of $1,000 go toward supporting the completion of the MFA thesis. . . . Brian Laidlaw was awarded the MFA Progam's first annual Book Arts Fellowship for his project, "Americana Mantra--Boxed Set." His proposal was selected from among several outstanding projects. There will be a public presentation of the project in the spring. . . . Colleen McCarthy (poetry), Sara Culver (fiction), and Priscilla Kinter (nonfiction) were nominated by the MFA program for the Associated Writing Programs' 2010 Intro Journals Project. Winners selected by AWP's panel of judges will have their writing published in participating journals such as Hayden's Ferry Review, Mid-American Review, and Quarterly West.

Undergraduate Wins Stark Award

English senior Joshua Capodarco has won the College of Liberal Arts Dr. Matthew Stark Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Student Award, which was created based on a generous donation from Dr. Matthew "Matt" Stark, a former professor at the University of Minnesota and former executive director of the Minnesota Civil Liberties Union. The award recognizes a CLA student who has demonstrated "distinguished service, writing, teaching, involvement, or public leadership in one of more of the following areas: civil liberties, civil rights, public education and social justice." The honor is presented annually at the December CLA Commencement Ceremony and carries with it a financial award of $1000. Capodarco has an extensive background in service learning, taught English in Senegal (he wrote about it here), and is currently serving as undergraduate TA for the English course Literature of Public Life. Congratulations Josh!

Garrison Keillor Visits Class

Alumnus Garrison Keillor (BA 1966) stopped by the English course "Introduction to Creative Writing" last week and told students: "The world is waiting to hear from you. We're bored with our own generation." More....

Contributing to New Literary History

Two English faculty contributed to A New Literary History of America, the well-reviewed Harvard University Press collection edited by Greil Marcus and Werner Sollors which covers American culture since 1507 via literature (and blues and FDR's fireside chats, etc.). David Treuer was on the editorial board and contributed two essays, one on Longfellow's Hiawatha, and Paula Rabinowitz wrote about the aforesaid FDR.

MFA Program in Top 20

The Department of English's Creative Writing MFA Program is ranked 14 in a listing of the top 50 MFA programs in Poets & Writers's November/December issue. The ranking is based on an on-line list maintained by poet Seth Abramson and based upon research and MFA applicant surveys. The top 20 ranking reflects the Program's (and the Department's) dedication to full-funding for each MFA candidate, the strength of its faculty (60 plus books published in a decade), and the impressive record of alumni accomplishments. Cheers!

English in the News

Long-time Department of English lecturer Eric Daigre (PhD 2001) writes about literacy and service learning-oriented English courses for the new issue of Diversity & Democracy produced by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU). The article is entitled "Literature, Literacy, and Multiculturalism in the Expanded Classroom." . . . English professor David Treuer wrote the article "I'm Holding Out for an Anti-Hero" for the LA Times. . . . MFA alumna Laurie Lindeen offers a music-influenced craft essay in Columbia College's literary journal Fictionary.

The Publicly Engaged Classroom: Service Learning & Beyond! Monday Oct 5th 2:30pm in Lind 207a

The Department is pleased to present the first in our 2009-10 eNow!
series on public engagement NEXT MONDAY OCT 5 at 2:30 pm in Lind Hall 207A.

The Publicly Engaged Classroom: Service Learning & Beyond!
English professors Josephine Lee and Ellen Messer-Davidow, PhD alumnus
Mitch Ogden, and long-time English service learning instructor Eric
Daigre (PhD 2001) will discuss and provide models for courses
incorporating service learning components, publicly engaged scholarship,
and other classroom engagement possibilities.

Professor Lee has included service learning components in drama and
Asian American Studies classes. Professor Messer-Davidow has taught such
publicly engaged classes as GWSS 4502/ENGL 4090 Women and Public Policy
and ENGL 1907W Social Texts (to read her syllabi in advance, email
sutt0063@umn.edu). Daigre has taught ENGL 3505/06 Community Learning
Internships since the course was conceived by Daigre and former
professor Tom Augst, as well as ENGL 3741 Literacy and American Cultural
Diversity. Ogden incorporated a service learning component in his
Introduction to Shakespeare course, as a graduate student here.

Join us for chocolates, a glass of wine, and a lively discussion!