On December 8, 2018, Professor Don Hedrick provided the commencement address for the College of Arts and Sciences at Kansas State University, following on receipt of the 2017 Gaches Lifetime Teaching Award from the College. Below is the text of his speech. Many thanks to Don for allowing us to share it here. (You … Continue reading Arts and Sciences X 1
Moin! That’s how people in northern Germany say “hello.” Doesn’t matter if you’re clubbing on the Reeperbahn, banking downtown, or jogging around the Alster on a Sunday afternoon — in Hamburg, you greet each other with moin. I’m spending this fall semester studying abroad at the University of Hamburg. Some of my classes are in English and … Continue reading Grad Student Spotlight: Krista Danielson
English majors in creative writing Sean Lawless (BA '19) and Zach Lawless (BA '19) spent a month last summer using their creative writing skills at VeracityColab, a video agency in Orange County, California. They wrote video copy on tight deadlines and contributed to the creative teams producing videos for a range of organizations. Among their … Continue reading Undergrad Spotlight: Sean and Zach Lawless
Since the first of September I have been at the Internationale Jugendbibliothek (IJB) in Munich, Germany. Why? As part of a larger cross-cultural study of diversity in children’s literature, I’m exploring how multiculturalism functions in Germany, via German picture books — chosen in part because they pose the smallest barrier to my limited (but improving!) … Continue reading Fight Stupidity; Keep Reading: A Dispatch from the Internationale Jugendbibliothek
Office Space is a recurring feature that gives us an inside look into faculty workspaces. Carol Russell, term instructor and professional advisor, has her office in ECS 023. She has been at K-State since 2000. This pen and ink drawing was done by my student, Catt Barnes, as a final project in my course … Continue reading Office Space: Carol Russell
— Karin Westman, Department Head
I have two English degrees – a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in creative writing and a Master’s degree in creative writing and children’s literature from Kansas State. I was attracted to English programs because you can’t major in “storytelling.” Humans have been telling stories for thousands of years. We use stories to … Continue reading Alumni Spotlight: Kylie Kinley
I’m leading a bit of a double life these days. I am, of course, reading literature—poetry, fiction, and, this semester, a ton of theory (thanks Dr. González). But I’m also working on a collection of poems for my master's project, which has lately meant learning as much as I can about particle physics. I just … Continue reading Grad Student Spotlight: Maddie Pospisil
As a student of English and Gerontology, I find myself constantly explaining and justifying my course of study to others. These subjects aren’t normally associated with each other and rarely overlap. I’m interested in how aging and older adults are portrayed in film and television. To put it simply, I tell people that I am … Continue reading Undergrad Student Spotlight: Desiree Schippers
Some days, it’s hard not to feel disheartened at the events taking place around us. The news this past week has been especially distressing, from the synagogue shootings to the bomb parcel deliveries targeting a series of high profile public figures. What follows are book recommendations to provide hope in difficult times— books which energize … Continue reading Books to Energize and Inspire
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