The Writing Must Go On!

A new Canvas module for the Writing Center (Fall 2020) As the K-State community begins the “semester like no other” (to quote a recent Town Hall speech from President Myers), at least one thing hasn’t changed: many students will have a lot of writing to do this fall. Faculty well know—often from personal experience—that the … Continue reading The Writing Must Go On!

Found Object: The Country Wife

Location: A box discovered during summer cleaning in the ECS Building.Object: Photo of a faculty/grad student performance of William Wycherley's The Country Wife (1675), 10 Dec 2002.Observations: 1) During the 2000s, for department holiday parties we often performed scenes from Restoration and 18th c. plays as a holiday entertainment, drawing on the expertise of Bonnie … Continue reading Found Object: The Country Wife

Undergrad Student Spotlight: Cassandra Griffing

Cassandra Griffing (BA '21) If someone asked me a year ago what I wanted to do after I complete my undergrad degree, I wouldn’t have had the slightest idea how to respond. An English degree can lead to many career paths, which is both exciting and daunting. When I set out to find an internship, … Continue reading Undergrad Student Spotlight: Cassandra Griffing

Meet the New Grad Students

You probably won't see the new English graduate students at Kansas State University without masks for a while, but you can see their full faces and learn about them here. Here's some foreshadowing: They love their pets! We're thrilled to welcome them to campus, and wish everyone a safe and enriching and healthy semester. Name: … Continue reading Meet the New Grad Students

Fall Preview

From "Kansas Fall Color Parade" (Photo: Dr. Megan Kennelly, 2014) It's been a challenging summer, following on a challenging spring, as we navigate a world with COVID-19, but the fall semester is underway -- partly face-to-face and mostly online. We're keeping six feet apart to keep each other and everyone else safe. Until we can … Continue reading Fall Preview

Found Object: Preparations for a COVID Fall Semester

      As we get ready for the start of classes on August 17, we’ll soon be back to our regular schedule of twice-weekly posts. In the meantime, watch for another update this coming week, as we prepare for the return of faculty and GTAs to the ECS Building! — Karin Westman, Department Head … Continue reading Found Object: Preparations for a COVID Fall Semester

Distinguished Professors of Kansas Call for End to International Student Ban

Earlier today, 98 Distinguished Professors of K-State, KU, WSU, and KUMC spoke out against the recent Student and Exchange Visitor Program’s ban and its decision not to issue visas to international students enrolled in schools or programs that are only online for Fall 2020. Phil Nel and Elizabeth Dodd, University Distinguished Professors of English, are … Continue reading Distinguished Professors of Kansas Call for End to International Student Ban

Hamilton in Context

  Counting down the hours until you can experience Hamilton: An American Musical on the small screen? Re-watching to catch all of the details you missed the first time? We've got you covered, courtesy of student projects from our department's Hamilton course which I had the pleasure to teach in Spring 2018 and Fall 2019. … Continue reading Hamilton in Context

“Ain’t Nobody’s Respect Worth More Than Your Own”: African American Children’s Literature, Self-Esteem, Education, and Hope

I asked the students in my Spring 2020 English 725 "African American Children’s Literature" course to produce a piece of public writing that answers the question of Why African American Children’s Literature Matters. Everyone from ill-informed pundits to well-meaning relatives question the value of courses in the humanities: "Why do universities offer such classes?"  Or, … Continue reading “Ain’t Nobody’s Respect Worth More Than Your Own”: African American Children’s Literature, Self-Esteem, Education, and Hope