{"id":22973,"date":"2024-05-02T10:53:48","date_gmt":"2024-05-02T14:53:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/?page_id=22973"},"modified":"2024-07-11T10:41:12","modified_gmt":"2024-07-11T14:41:12","slug":"words-matter-spring-2024","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/publications\/words-matter-spring-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Words Matter (Spring 2024)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"is-style-big-body\"><strong>Volume XIII, Issue II<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"simpletoc-title\">Table of Contents<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"simpletoc-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#note-from-the-chair\">Note from the Chair<\/a>\n\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#english-department-receives-grant-for-workshop-series-on-antiracist-literature-pedagogy\">English Department Receives Grant for Workshop Series on Antiracist Literature Pedagogy<\/a>\n\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#english-department-celebrates-community-for-fifth-annual-toni-morrison-day\">English Department Celebrates &#8220;Community&#8221; for Fifth Annual Toni Morrison Day<\/a>\n\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#celebrating-toni-morrison-day-ross-gay\u2019s-keynote-address\">Celebrating Toni Morrison Day: Ross Gay\u2019s Keynote Address<\/a>\n\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#visiting-writers-series-hernan-diaz\">Visiting Writers Series: Hernan Diaz<\/a>\n\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#sigma-tau-delta-update\">Sigma Tau Delta Update<\/a>\n\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#congratulations-sigma-tau-delta-members\">Congratulations Sigma Tau Delta Members!<\/a>\n\n\n\n<\/li>\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#wit-a-collaboration-of-art-and-academia\">Wit: A Collaboration of Art and Academia<\/a>\n\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#the-return-of-the-lowbrow-middlebrow-highbrow-series-maria-farland-phd\">The Return of the Lowbrow, Middlebrow, Highbrow Series: Maria Farland, Ph.D.<\/a>\n\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#alumna-spotlight-the-fulbright-eta-experience\">Alumna Spotlight: The Fulbright ETA Experience<\/a>\n\n\n<\/li>\n\n<li><a href=\"#department-student-achievements\">Department Student Achievements<\/a>\n\n\n<\/li>\n\n<\/li>\n\n<li><a href=\"#faculty-news\">Faculty News<\/a>\n\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#photo-galleries\">Photo Galleries<\/a>\n\n\n<\/li>\n\n<\/li>\n\n<\/li>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li><\/ul>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"note-from-the-chair\">Note from the Chair<\/h2>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" style=\"object-position: 79.73% 6.475%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Annex-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"Outdoor shot of the Great Hall Annex\" class=\"wp-image-23009\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Annex-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Annex-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Annex.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As this year-end edition of Words Matter makes apparent, the Spring 2024 semester has been an eventful one for the Monmouth University English department. As always, much of the credit goes to our department\u2019s dedicated faculty and to our hardworking students, whose passion for the study of language and literature drives every- thing we do. That being said, I\u2019d like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the fact that\u2014 particularly in today\u2019s environment of con- strained budgets and declining support of the humanities\u2014our faculty and students aren\u2019t the only ones who deserve credit for this semester\u2019s successes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unless you skipped reading the first page of this newsletter, you have already heard about our department\u2019s workshop series on antiracist literature pedagogy. What you may not have picked up on was that this initiative was made possible by a generous grant from the Office of the Provost, the Intercultural Center at Mon- mouth University, and by additional funding assistance provided by the Office of the Dean of the Wayne D. McMurray School. We are highly appreciative of the key role played by all of these valued partners in supporting our efforts to foster more inclusive and antiracist pedagogical approaches to teaching general education literature at Monmouth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As usual, a major highlight of the Spring semester was our fifth annual Toni Morrison Day celebration. By the time the all-day event culminated with an energetic, standing-room-only reading by the noted poet Ross Gay, it was apparent that this year\u2019s edition of Toni Morrison Day had been our best ever, thanks in large part to the crucial support of the Intercultural Center at Monmouth University and the Office of the Dean of the Wayne D. McMurray School, the Leon Hess Business School, the School of Social Work, the Department of History and Anthropology, the Guggenheim Memorial Library, the Monmouth Review, the Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society, and Project Write Now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another highlight of the just-completed Spring term was the April 10 Visiting Writers Series reading by Hernan Diaz, author of In the Distance (2017) and Trust (2022). It\u2019s not every day that we\u2019re able to bring a brilliant and thoughtful Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist to campus, and it wouldn\u2019t have been possible without the involvement and investment of our partners, the Monmouth University Center for the Arts and the Intercultural Center at Monmouth University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, I would be remiss if I didn\u2019t mention my favorite event of the academic year\u2014our annual Student Awards Ceremony and Sigma Tau Delta Induction\u2014and thank First-Year Advising for its annual support of the David Tietge Memorial First-Year Composition Awards, and Caryl and Charles Sills for their sponsorship of the $15,000 annual scholarship for outstanding English-Education majors that bears their names. Our thanks also go to a donor who has re- quested to remain anonymous but whose exceptionally generous recent gift to support the teaching of poetry at Monmouth has enabled our department to inaugurate a new \u201cBrother Austen Poets-In-The-Classroom Series,\u201d to provide more support for student travel to workshops and conferences, and to recognize more graduate creative writing students with prizes for their outstanding poetry and prose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m proud of all that we\u2014faculty, students, and friends\/partners\u2014have accomplished together, and I hope you enjoy reading about all of our goings on and, after that, have a wonderful and relaxing summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"english-department-receives-grant-for-workshop-series-on-antiracist-literature-pedagogy\">English Department Receives Grant for Workshop Series on Antiracist Literature Pedagogy<\/h2>\n\n\n<p><strong>Anna Huber \u201923 and Samantha Walton \u201923<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" style=\"object-position: 47.225% 43.47%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/SOPHIA-SARIGIANIDES-300x300.jpeg\" alt=\"Photo of Sophia Sarigianides\" class=\"wp-image-23015\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/SOPHIA-SARIGIANIDES-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/SOPHIA-SARIGIANIDES-1024x1024.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/SOPHIA-SARIGIANIDES-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/SOPHIA-SARIGIANIDES-768x768.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/SOPHIA-SARIGIANIDES-1536x1536.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/SOPHIA-SARIGIANIDES.jpeg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sophia Sarigianides, Ph.D.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>To the student body and all lovers of language, I am happy to report on a recent development in the Monmouth University English Department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Three years ago, the University\u2019s Office of the Provost and Intercultural center approved and developed the Diversity Innovation Grant (DIG) program, which allows departments across campus to apply for funding for initiatives that support the university\u2019s goals of countering racism and increasing diversity and inclusion. As part of this program, the English department applied for and received a grant enabling them to bring in Sophia Sarigianides, Ph.D. from Westfield State University to host a series of Zoom workshops for professors about how to teach from an antiracist perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarigianides is an expert in literature, race, and the classroom; her particular interests lie in the methods professors can employ to teach in antiracist ways in higher education. She was chosen to guest-speak by the University because of her recent publication, Letting Go of Literary Whiteness: Antiracist Literature Instruction for White Students. Sarigianides speaks frequently at predominantly white colleges and schools about how to teach canonical literature (which is often dominated by white<br>characters) in a way that is more inclusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of her main strategies is to include counter stories to canonical texts. For example, the novella \u201cWide Sargasso Sea\u201d by Jean Rhys which is a response to Jane Eyre that addresses the life of a colonized character who appears in the original novel but is largely overlooked in favor of the white protagonists. Doing so helps offer alternate views and opinions on topics and times covered by the lens of white writers. This idea helps diversify and challenge the canon of literature in constructive and meaningful ways. Another one of her goals is to equip professors with language and vocabulary necessary to facilitate critical conversations with students about race and literature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Jeffrey Jackson, Ph.D. one of the purposes of hosting the Zoom lecture series was to validate and strengthen the efforts already made by the English and literature faculty to be more inclusive and teach with a focus towards antiracist ideas. Many professors already do their best to implement these ideas and practices in their classrooms, but hosting this lecture series helps affirm their efforts and supports professors in their continued efforts to support antiracism. I was able to sit in on one of Sarigianides\u2019 sessions, and it was inspiring to see how professors worked together in the lectures to brainstorm ideas about how to teach different topics and canonical texts. Witnessing the attitudes of the professors in the session confirmed how willing and motivated our professors are to maintain an antiracist position and pedagogy in the efforts of creating a more diverse, understanding, and safe place for all students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank you to Heide Estes, Ph.D., J.P. Hanly, Ph.D., and Jeffrey Jackson, Ph.D. who chose to initiate this workshop series, and to Sophia Sarigianides who agreed to speak to the faculty. Without their efforts this series would not have been possible! Of course, thank you to the many members of the English department who have attended the sessions in a resounding affirmation to maintain classrooms of inclusion and antiracist teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-in-page\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/diversity-and-inclusion\/diversity-innovation-grant-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Diversity Innovation Grant Program<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"english-department-celebrates-community-for-fifth-annual-toni-morrison-day\">English Department Celebrates &#8220;Community&#8221; for Fifth Annual Toni Morrison Day<\/h2>\n\n\n<p><strong>Kia Womack<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"178\" style=\"object-position: 59.8325% 52.7575%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/02\/SLIDES.-5th-Annual-TMD-2.23.24-300x178.jpg\" alt=\"Toni Morrison Day, Feb. 23, 2024 (Keynote Speaker: Ross Gay)\" class=\"wp-image-22846\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/02\/SLIDES.-5th-Annual-TMD-2.23.24-300x178.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/02\/SLIDES.-5th-Annual-TMD-2.23.24-768x456.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/02\/SLIDES.-5th-Annual-TMD-2.23.24-150x89.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/02\/SLIDES.-5th-Annual-TMD-2.23.24.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Department of English at Monmouth University celebrated their fifth annual Toni Morrison Day with the theme of \u201ccommunity\u201d on Friday, Feb. 23 in Pozycki Hall Auditorium. Students, faculty, and staff participated in different programs throughout the day, including faculty and student-led panels, a community discussion on Morrison\u2019s Nobel Lecture, art and poetry contests, and a presentation from keynote speaker Ross Gay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Toni Morrison was a novelist and essayist well known for her series of works that touched on racial injustices and the power of language. Morrison gained national attention for her novel, Song of Solomon (1977) and won the National Books Critics Circle Award. She also won the Pulitzer Prize for another novel, Beloved (1987). In 1988, Morrison was announced as the first African American woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for her first novel, The Bluest Eye (1970).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBy co-sponsoring the event, we hope to amplify the impact of Morrison\u2019s work on our community and empower attendees to engage with her themes of identity, race, and social justice.\u201d Zaneta Rago-Craft, Ed.D., Director of the Inter-cultural Center, said. The Intercultural Center, as well as the Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Social Work, Leon Hess Business School, Department of History and Anthropology, Guggenheim Memorial Library, Monmouth Review, and Project Write Now took part in cosponsoring Toni Morrison Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rago-Craft added, \u201cBy offering a diverse range of programming, we are now certain the program, now proudly in its fifth year, will engage attendees from various backgrounds and create a memorable experience that honors Morrison\u2019s life and work.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Toni Morrison Day opened with a panel on the Harlem Renaissance moderated by Joseph Torchia, M.A., with panelists Corey Dzenko, Ph.D., Ahba Sood, Ph.D., and Hettie Williams, Ph.D. Following was a discussion on Morrison\u2019s Nobel Lecture that incited thoughts and ideas from students, faculty, and staff. It was moderated by Brittany Biesiada, Ph.D., Torchia, and Sood. Student panelists Kaitlin McGuire, Gabriella Petrillo, and Lincoln Pereira each gave presentations on Morrison\u2019s novel, Beloved, moderated by Lynn Siracusa, Ed.D.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The winners for the Toni Morrison Day Digital Poster contest and Creative Writing contests were announced by the Monmouth Review and moderated by Jennifer Harpootlian, M.A., Mihaela Moscaliuc, Ph.D., and Kurt Wagner, Ph.D. The winners for the digital art contest were freshman Daniel Martin, senior Kiley Hubbard, and junior Jessica Taylor. Each won a $75 gift card, a certificate, and will have their posters displaced in the Guggenheim Memorial Library. The winners for the creative writing contest were Nicole Conti, senior, Taylor Williams, sophomore, and Kobi Sana, freshman, who each won $75 and presented their work to the attendees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe [Monmouth Review] wanted to give the winners of the contest the space to share and present their work, as well as encourage all students to submit their work for the contest. With this year\u2019s theme being community, we wanted to bring the campus together and celebrate students\u2019 writing,\u201d emphasized Breanna Guinta, a senior English student and Vice President of the <em>Monmouth Review<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Students from Asbury Park High School taking a creative writing course spent the day at the Toni Morrison Day program. One of the students, Robert Pennington, read aloud one of his poems titled \u201cLife\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The program ended with a presentation from keynote speaker Ross Gay. Gay is a poet, essayist, and professor at Indiana University Bloomington who was awarded the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award, the 2016 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award, and the PEN American Literary Jean Stein Award. Some of his works include poetry collections <em>Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude <\/em>(2015)<em>, Be Holding <\/em>(2022)<em>, <\/em>and essays, <em>The Book of Delights <\/em>(2019)<em>, Inciting Joy <\/em>(2022)<em>, and The Book of (More) Delights<\/em> (2023).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gay read excerpts from his books and engaged in discussion with Moscaliuc on the significance of his work. The floor was opened to the Monmouth community who were able to ask questions and conversate with Gay. The presentation concluded with a book signing. \u201cToni Morrison Day really highlighted the transformative power of language and how it can be a tool to find joy,\u201d junior English student Tim Pakrad, said. \u201cThe program underscores Morrison\u2019s legacy with a fanfare of gratitude, praise, and attention.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mihaela Moscaliuc, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of English and member of the Toni Morrison Day Committee, said, \u201cIt [Toni Morrison Day] brought us together as a community so we may learn and tend to one another. I would like to think that Toni Morrison would have been pleased with it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/outlook.monmouth.edu\/2024\/02\/english-department-celebrates-community-for-fifth-annual-toni-morrison-day\/\">Reprinted with permission from Kia Womack, The Outlook Vol. 96 No. 17, published February 27, 2024<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"celebrating-toni-morrison-day-ross-gay\u2019s-keynote-address\">Celebrating Toni Morrison Day: Ross Gay\u2019s Keynote Address<\/h2>\n\n\n<p><strong>Veronique Manfredini<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" style=\"object-position: 66.15% 22.3%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-06-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Man at podium reading book aloud for audience\" class=\"wp-image-23012\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-06-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-06-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-06-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-06-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-06-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-06.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Keynote Speaker Ross Gay<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>On Feb. 23, 2024, Monmouth University celebrated the fifth annual Toni Morrison Day. Standing as a testament to the power of literature and the lasting impact of an author whose work continues to inspire generations, the culminating session of the celebration saw Ross Gay as its Keynote Speaker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>J.P. Hanly, Ph.D. delivered a thoughtful opening address highlighting how Toni Morrison\u2019s \u201cworks challenge us to examine our assumptions, to think about the social, ethical, and historical implications of how we use language, about the necessity of stories. And really, after having listened to all the presentations and the discussions today, [it was] hard for [him] to imagine another author whose example and whose writing would be more effective for inspiring a day that is dedicated to studying, celebrating, and discussing the power of language and literature in general and African American literature in particular.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Following an introduction by Dorothy Doyle (Editor-in-chief of <em>Monmouth Review<\/em>) and Taylor Williams (winner of the Toni Morrison Day CW Contest), Ross Gay delivered a beautiful keynote address. Seamlessly transitioning from the poetry of basketball in Be Holding\u2014painting a vivid portrait of the iconic moment when basketball legend Julius Erving, known as \u201cDoctor J,\u201d defied gravity with a breathtaking layup during the 1980 NBA Finals\u2014to the realm of literature, he shared his reverence for Morrison&#8217;s work. Gay delved into a discussion of the writers who had profoundly impacted his perspective, citing John Edgar Wideman, Herman Melville, Jamaica Kincaid, and, of course, Toni Morrison herself. \u201cThe Bluest Eye changed my life, of course, but also her nonfiction,\u201d he mused, paying homage to Morrison&#8217;s insightful commentary on American literature and the complexities of race and identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A Q&amp;A with the poet followed the reading of several essayettes, a form Gay coined with the publication of his collections A Book of Delights and A Book of (More) Delights; among the most memorable were \u201cThe Door\u201d and \u201cThrowing Children.\u201d Audience members asked thoughtful questions about the power of joy in times of crisis, as well as about craft and inspiration, and this generated an insightful conversation. The poet talked about the ethics of celebration and stated that \u201ceven in sorrow we celebrate,\u201d inviting the audience to find joy amidst the chaos of life. Gay remembered his friend and late poet Gerald Stern who understood this delicate balance between sorrow and celebration. In his poems, Stern spoke of forgiveness, of loving \u201clowness,\u201d and of finding beauty amidst destruction, reminding us that rage, while powerful, can dissipate when we extend our hand in compassion, even to a small beetle. The event was followed by a book signing of Ross Gay\u2019s poetry books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"visiting-writers-series-hernan-diaz\">Visiting Writers Series: Hernan Diaz<\/h2>\n\n\n<p><strong>Jenna Lozzi<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized diaz\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" style=\"object-position: 70.315% 35.41%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Visiting-Writer_20241104_MG-5-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Hernan Diaz speaking at a podium\" class=\"wp-image-23018\" style=\"width:300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Visiting-Writer_20241104_MG-5-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Visiting-Writer_20241104_MG-5-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Visiting-Writer_20241104_MG-5-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Visiting-Writer_20241104_MG-5-100x150.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Visiting-Writer_20241104_MG-5.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hernan Diaz, Ph.D.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>On April 10 as a part of Monmouth University\u2019s Visiting Writers Series, students were able to meet and listen to award-winning author Hernan Diaz read from his novel &#8220;Trust&#8221;, the 2023 Pulitzer Prize winner for Fiction. Diaz was previously nominated in the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his debut published novel &#8220;In the Distance&#8221;. This distinction of having multiple nominations is rare amongst authors, with only three other individuals being repeat nominees in the past 20 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hernan Diaz was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and moved to Sweden with his family in early childhood. He and his family returned to Argentina later in life. Diaz possesses a B.A. in Literature from the University of Buenos Aries, an M.A. from King\u2019s College in London, England, and a Ph.D. from New York University in NYC, New York.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWriting for me begins with reading,\u201d Diaz explained when talking about his creative process. Diaz is faithful to research and encouraged listeners to go beyond a Google search for information. He emphasized the value of spending time in libraries and archives where writers can gain exposure to knowledge that is not widely accessible from the internet so as to provide readers with a unique, stimulating experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Advice on how to stand out as a writer that does not sound clich\u00e9 or hackneyed is rare to come by, and even rarer to trust its infallibility. But the words of Diaz are truly those of a singular writing talent who is far from the finish in terms of his contribution to the great American literary canon.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Trust&#8221; is a metafictional novel comprising of four individual books. \u201cAny time we read anything we are entering a tacit agreement with that text,\u201d Diaz elaborated in recounting the background for writing the novel. Trust requires of its readers that tacit agreement, that faith in reading the story as told from different character points of view in order to get to the heart of the struggle of wealth and power, of voice and voicelessness, where the truth idly lies in wait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"sigma-tau-delta-update\">Sigma Tau Delta Update<\/h2>\n\n\n<p><strong>Olivia Frew and Hanna Vozzo<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" style=\"object-position: 51.745714285714% 21.745%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-27-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Line of women standing together in an auditorium\" class=\"wp-image-23029\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-27-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-27-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-27-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-27.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Thank you to the Sigma Tau Delta, Delta Sigma Chapter eBoard members for all of their hard work during the 2023-2024 academic year. (Left to right: Olivia Frew, Hana Vozzo, Nicole Mautone,\nMelaina Carrara, Kaylee Johnson and Coral Barrett.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This year, the goal of the eBoard was to try and bring Sigma Tau Delta back to what it had been before COVID-19. We wanted to get members involved, to create a community of English majors who came together not just because of an organization, but from the shared love of this discipline, too. Our task, then, was to create as many opportunities for members to get together as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We started the fall out strong with \u201cThinking of Earning Your M.A. or Dual-M.F.A. Degree at Monmouth University?\u201d where students who were considering Monmouth for graduate school were able to learn from and ask questions of current Monmouth graduate students. In December, we held \u201cGhost Stories in the Great Hall\u201d with the Social Writerly, run by two amazing Monmouth alumni Jamiee Cali and Sarah Van Clef. Also, during this time, we raised money through the Halloween bake sale and the Double Good popcorn fundraiser and collected over 150 books to donate to children battling cancer through the Frances Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We kept things going in the spring with the hit event \u201cBlind Date with a Book.\u201d We really put the \u201clit\u201d back in literature, because every single book that was wrapped had found a new home amongst the members of Monmouth University. Keeping with books, we hosted a Toni Morrison Day appetizer book club, during which students and faculty came together under the insightful moderation of Jeffrey Jackson, Ph.D. to discuss the member-picked Beloved. Members then joined the activities of Toni Morrison Day that Friday. Some events endorsed by Sig Tau this semester were the Social Work club\u2019s Banned Book Event, The Scarlet Letter on stage in Red Bank, and the Visiting Writers Series with Hernan Diaz. Our fundraisers included Philly Pretzel Factory and Double Good popcorn, and along with the fall fundraisers, we were able to raise over $2700, and part of those funds will go to a memorial honoring Prescott Evarts, Ph.D., David Tietge, Ph.D., and Margaret Del Guercio, Ph.D.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last but not least, we had the opportunity to celebrate our new members at the induction ceremony. These wonderful, talented English students show promise for the next generation of Sigma Tau Delta, and we are beyond thrilled to see where they will take the organization in the future. With many of the eBoard members graduating, we know that the students who step into those roles next year will pick up where we left off, bringing Sigma Tau Delta back and beyond its pre-COVID glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"congratulations-sigma-tau-delta-members\">Congratulations Sigma Tau Delta Members!<\/h2>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"congratulations-to-our-growing-sigma-tau-delta-family\">Congratulations to Our Growing Sigma Tau Delta Family<\/h3>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" style=\"object-position: 46.974821428571% 30.898571428571%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-43.jpg\" alt=\"Group of people standing together for a photo on a staircase in the Great Hall.\" class=\"wp-image-23030\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-43.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-43-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-43-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-43-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo from the Sigma Tau Delta Induction and English Award Ceremony<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"spring-2024-inductees\">Spring 2024 Inductees<\/h4>\n\n\n<ul class=\"is-style-three-column list-direction-row wp-block-list\">\n<li>Lauren Bevacqua <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Natalie DellaRagione<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Zachary Mayer <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Taylor Memoli <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jessica Propst <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Olivia Puzio <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Meghan Reilly <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sabine Saavedra<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Isabella Sorrentino <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Juliette Tordjman <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kia Womack<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"fall-2023-inductees\">Fall 2023 Inductees<\/h4>\n\n\n<ul class=\"list-direction-row is-style-three-column wp-block-list\">\n<li>Jillian Bodiford <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Melaina Carrara<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lauren DeFelice <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Zafira Demiri<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ava George <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Breanna Guinta <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Amera Hemming <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ceciliah Leininger <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gabriella Petrillo <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kristi Sabroe<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Samantha Saoud <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Megan Sternberg<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"congratulations-to-our-may-2024-graduates\">Congratulations to Our May 2024 Graduates<\/h3>\n\n\n<ul class=\"list-direction-row is-style-three-column wp-block-list\">\n<li>Coral Barrett<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Faith Bates<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Carolyn Cid<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Grace Cotogno<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Zafira Demiri<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Madison Ducsai<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Olivia Frew<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Brooke Ganz<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kathryn Hawkenberry<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Amera Hemming<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kaylee Johnson<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Juliana Kaufman<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ceciliah Leininger<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Peyton Livermore<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Megan McCafferty<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Carlee Migliorisi<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jennifer Rivera<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kristi Sabroe<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mary Schuld<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Megan Sternberg<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hana Vozzo<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Samantha Walton<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"wit-a-collaboration-of-art-and-academia\">Wit: A Collaboration of Art and Academia<\/h2>\n\n\n<p><strong>Ceciliah Leininger<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"129\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/witheader-300x129.jpg\" alt=\"Wit: a Play by Margaret Edson\" class=\"wp-image-23036\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/witheader-300x129.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/witheader-1024x439.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/witheader-768x329.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/witheader-150x64.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/witheader.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>From February 29 through Sunday, March 3, the Department of Music and Theatre Arts Production at Monmouth University presented their production of the 1995 Margaret Edson play, Wit. The play tells the story of Dr. Vivian Bearing, an English professor who has spent years studying the metaphysical poetry of John Donne. The show follows Vivian through her terminal ovarian cancer diagnosis, causing her to reexamine her life and memories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Senior Specialist Professor Sheri Anderson was the artistic director for the production. When asked why she decided on Wit for this year\u2019s spring play, she stated, \u201cI\u2019ve wanted to direct the show for years, but it is a very emotional piece that requires heavy acting chops. We currently have an incredibly talented<br>group of theatre students, so it just felt like the right time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brooke Tortorelli, a senior mathematics and musical theater student, played the lead role in the show. She said of the play that \u201cit was a masterclass in storytelling\u201d and that \u201cit was [her] dream to be able to convey a narrative with such great nuance and command of words.\u201d When prompted how her own experiences shaped her performance, she responded, \u201cVivian is not really the type of person who wears her heart on her sleeve, and in my past, I have not been the most emotionally expressive person in my personal life. I have never considered myself to be a particularly strong person, but through this role, I have learned that we tend to underestimate how strong we really are.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This production was particularly special because of its collaboration with Monmouth\u2019s English and Biology departments. Sue Starke, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of English, said of her and Tortorelli\u2019s partnership, \u201cBrooke and I had a lengthy and wide-ranging conversation about her role and [John] Donne\u2019s importance to it. She had two scenes where she had to recite poems, which links thematically to her chemotherapy ordeal and to her human awareness of her pending death.\u201d Dottie Lobo, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the Department of Biology, and the students in her cancer biology course also worked with the actors. She added, \u201cAfter the show we were able to interact with the actors during the talk-back, and it was very impactful for me to hear how much of their own experiences with cancer patients and serious illness drove their acting during the performance. In the cancer biology course, we have been studying the molecular mechanisms of cancer and the treatments used. The ability for my class to see this production added a human dimension to their study of the disease. The reason that we study the biological mechanism is ultimately to impact humanity.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the topic of her collaboration with these departments, Tortorelli stated, \u201cAs they say, it takes a village, and that certainly holds true for my fulfillment of this role. I needed to gain a basic understanding of the poetry of John Donne since Vivian is a scholar of seventeenth century poetry. Therefore, I had a great discussion with Starke about the subject.\u201d She continued, \u201cI also had the privilege of working with Patrick Walden and graduate students Devon and Victoria in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology so I could acquire the necessary tools to talk for extended periods of time.\u201d Of the play\u2019s director, Tortorelli expressed, \u201cProfessor Anderson has taught me so much, not only during this production but also during the entirety of the past three years. I would not have been able to do any of this without her, and I am so grateful that she trusted me with such a strong, important character.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-return-of-the-lowbrow-middlebrow-highbrow-series-maria-farland-phd\">The Return of the Lowbrow, Middlebrow, Highbrow Series: Maria Farland, Ph.D.<\/h2>\n\n\n<p><strong>Zafira Demiri<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized farland\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" style=\"object-position: 51.055% 57.765%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Farland-2-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Woman speaking from a table, presentation projected on a canvas in the background\" class=\"wp-image-23039\" style=\"width:300px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Farland-2-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Farland-2-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Farland-2-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Farland-2.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Maria Farland, Ph.D..<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In the beginning of March, Maria Farland, Ph.D. joined Kristin Bluemel, Ph.D.\u2019s evening graduate class on British and Irish modernism to deliver an incredibly insightful lecture titled \u201cYankee Agrarian: Robert Frost, the \u2018Degenerate\u2019 Farmer, and the Elevations of the Rural Mind.\u201d Although Frost is a quintessential American writer, Farland\u2019s work is relevant to many literatures of the modernist period and extends to the modern-day contexts of our society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In her research, Farland investigates Frost\u2019s depictions of the anti-pastoral and the \u201cdegenerate\u201d farmer that both plays to and refutes this distasteful trope. Poems like \u201cMending Wall\u201d directly represent the negative stereotypes of \u201crural savage\u201d in a historical context of communal and social upheaval as well as prejudice against rural dwellers\u2014even exposing a historical tendency to eugenics that urban society used to discredit farmers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Frost wrote North of Boston as a response\u2014not only as a well-loved writer forging a path between lowbrow and highbrow literature, but as an avid farmer and agriculturalist trying to navigate the expanding sphere of agricultural science that was quickly blending the rural and the urban world. In his work, he evokes the antipastoral through a depiction of natural landscape divided by uneven development; fondly remembering the past while embracing modern advances in agricultural science, commenting on the environmental destruction and enhancement that came with agricultural industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Frost discounts the image of the \u201cdegenerate farmer\u201d by playing to the trope: both gesturing to and refuting the idea that rural areas were in need of reform. He depicts the fully-developed rural mind to be just as advanced, if not more, than the urban mind given its capacities, creativity, and mental astuteness that could only be curated through rural lifestyle.<br>Farland accurately represents this middlebrow path Frost takes as a bridging of two worlds and a recognition of the undervalued qualities of lowbrow culture, removing its negative connotations. This lens helps contemporary readers to better understand the richness of rural problems and concepts using literature and cultural history. As we all know, literature often holds the key to better understanding one another\u2014giving each other grace. In a time where there is a great social divide between \u201chighbrow\u201d and \u201clowbrow\u201d\u2014urban and rural\u2014we should all resolve to a middle-path that recognizes accurately the intricacies Frost expands upon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"alumna-spotlight-the-fulbright-eta-experience\">Alumna Spotlight: The Fulbright ETA Experience<\/h2>\n\n\n<p><strong>We are so proud to have two recent Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) Award recipients among our faculty. We asked them to participate in a brief Q&amp;A about their experience.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"brittany-scardigno-21m-south-korea-20222023\">Brittany Scardigno \u201921M (South Korea, 2022-2023)<\/h3>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" style=\"object-position: 49.11% 31.125%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Brittany-Scardigno-22SP-198x300.jpg\" alt=\"Brittany Scardigno\" class=\"wp-image-23045\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Brittany-Scardigno-22SP-198x300.jpg 198w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Brittany-Scardigno-22SP-99x150.jpg 99w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Brittany-Scardigno-22SP.jpg 533w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 198px) 100vw, 198px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What did you find most appealing about the Fulbright program?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think the most appealing part about the Fulbright program was that it held the opportunity to experience something completely new while also knowing you have a support system. Change is scary, and it&#8217;s comforting to know you&#8217;ll have people near and far to help you when you need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why South Korea?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I mostly grew up around Korean culture, and many of my friends are Korean, both native and Korean-American. Witnessing their mothers go through the process of moving to a foreign country and building their lives up from the ground was inspiring. It made me aware of how intense the assimilation process is, particularly when moving to a foreign space where both the culture and language are vastly different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What was your biggest culture shock?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think the biggest culture shock was how different South Korea&#8217;s education system is. The focus is solely on students taking and passing the CSAT exam,<br>which is Korea&#8217;s version of the SAT. The students spend pretty much their entire education career preparing for this one test and spend quite a lot more time<br>studying than American students. So, it&#8217;s pretty normal for students to fall asleep during classes because they&#8217;ve been up until 3 in the<br>morning studying at tutoring centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What is your fondest memory of your year abroad?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a hard question, there are so many fond memories. If I had to pick the fondest, I would have to say the Temple Stay. I traveled into the mountains to Seonunsa Temple where I slept, ate, and participated in spiritual practices for about four days. My time there was mostly spent walking around the mountains, exploring the waterfalls and historical shrines carved into the sides of the rocks. My stay there will always hold a special place in my heart, along with a great friend I made while there, Miss Hena Kim; she&#8217;s one of the most wise women I&#8217;ve ever met and I look forward to visiting her soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Do you have any advice for future applicants?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If it was easy, everybody would do it. The application process is a tough one, but I do think it&#8217;s necessary. It&#8217;s a big change, and life at home doesn&#8217;t stop when you&#8217;re overseas.<\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"faith-bates-22m-romania-20242025\">Faith Bates \u201922M (Romania, 2024-2025)<\/h3>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" style=\"object-position: 51.07% 39.795%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Faith-Bates-Headshot_20220919_AD_02-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"Faith Bates\" class=\"wp-image-23047\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Faith-Bates-Headshot_20220919_AD_02-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Faith-Bates-Headshot_20220919_AD_02-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Faith-Bates-Headshot_20220919_AD_02-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Faith-Bates-Headshot_20220919_AD_02-100x150.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Faith-Bates-Headshot_20220919_AD_02.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What did you find most appealing about the Fulbright program?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I wanted to experience living in another country, and not just as a tourist. The Fulbright program was appealing to me because it prioritizes cultural exchange and provides a year of funding to build international connections. And I won\u2019t lie\u2014Fulbright is a prestigious program with a strong network base. I was also drawn to the opportunities it might open to me, both now and in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why Romania?<\/strong><br>In my graduate literature classes, I was introduced to Romanian culture through pieces of literature, and since then I\u2019ve been fascinated by many of the recent social developments in Romania. I\u2019m particularly interested by the rapid reform in education since the fall of the communist regime. I hope to experience and gain understanding about how this has shaped the arts and humanities as well as student learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Can you describe your application process?<\/strong><br>It was intense! There are a number of different components to the application. The review process relies very heavily on applicants\u2019 written statements, so I spent a lot of time and effort writing and revising those. This was my third year were applying, so each year I was able to hone and improve my statements. I was also fortunate to have several very generous recommenders who kind of enough to write me recommendations over the years (you need three for an application). Most importantly, as my Fulbright Program Advisor, Mihaela Moscaliuc continuously helped me with every step of the process in all three applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What are you looking forward to the most about your upcoming trip?<\/strong><br>I\u2019m most excited to meet people\u2014particularly students and other educators in Romania\u2014and I\u2019m looking forward to learning about the culture and engaging with the local community in a meaningful way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Do you have any advice for future applicants?<\/strong><br>Don\u2019t be discouraged by rejections. If you apply but aren\u2019t recommended that cycle, don\u2019t let that stop you from applying again (and again). It can be really disappointing, especially after all of the work and time you put into the application, but if the Fulbright program is truly an experience that you\u2019re passionate about pursuing, keep applying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"department-student-achievements\">Department Student Achievements<\/h2>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"congratulations-to-the-recipients-of-the-20232024-awards\">Congratulations to the Recipients of the 2023-2024 Awards<\/h3>\n\n\n<p>We\u2019d like to extend our thanks to our guest judges for the Graduate Creative Writing<br>Awards, Maurya Simon (Poetry) and Rachel B. Glaser (Prose).<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The English Award for Academic Writing: Hana Vozzo <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The English Award for Creative Writing in Prose: Melaina Carrara <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The English Award for Creative Writing in Poetry: Olivia Frew <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The English Merit Award: Zafira Demiri <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The English Award for Graduate Study: Carlee Migliorisi <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The English Award for Graduate Creative Writing in Prose (Spring 2024): Nicole Mautone <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The English Award for Graduate Creative Writing in Poetry (Spring 2024): Veronique Manfredini<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ma-theses-defended\">M.A. Theses Defended<\/h3>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Carolyn Cid, <em>A Mother\u2019s Love<\/em>. Spring 2024. Distinction.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Samirah Sartor, \u201cUnseen Affections: The Caregiver Figure in the Novels of Jane Austen.\u201d Spring 2024. Distinction.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Samantha Walton, \u201cCultural Literacy vs. Cultural Attentiveness: Intertextuality and Interpretation in Hamlet.\u201d Spring 2024.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Congratulations to our graduating M.F.A. in Creative Writing students:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Faith Bates \u201922M, Terror, Avant-garde. Spring 2024. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jen Rivera \u201923M, Salvation. Spring 2024.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Congratulations to Seniors Olivia Frew and Hana Vozzo who are graduating in May with Departmental Honors.<\/p>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"further-achievements\">Further Achievements<\/h3>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Congratulations to the winners of the Toni Morrison Day (TMD) competitions! \n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>TMD Creative Writing Contest: Nicole Conti, Kobi Sana, and Taylor Williams. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>TMD Digital Poster Contest: Kiley Hubbard, Daniel Martin, and Jessica Taylor.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Graduate students Morgan Kelly \u201922, Veronique Manfredini and Jen Rivera \u201923M attended the Association of Writers &amp; Writing Programs (AWP) Conference in Kansas City, MO in February.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Graduate students Anna Huber \u201823 and Nicole Mautone \u201924 presented at the NJCEA 46th Annual Conference in March.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nicole Mautone was also the recipient of the 2024 Undergraduate Library Research Award and received an honorable mention for the 2024 Monmouth University Honors Council Award for Best Honors Thesis\/Capstone for her project.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Graduate student Jen Rivera \u201923M contributed to <a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/ywes\/maad007\">the chapter on Shakespeare\u2019s tragedies within \u201cVII Shakespeare,\u201d<\/a> published in The Year\u2019s Word in English Studies, Volume 102, Issue 1, 2023.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Graduate student John Vurro \u201923M will have an essay, \u201cGuardians,\u201d published in The Sun in June.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Alumnus Tony Clark \u201923MFA will have an excerpt from his M.F.A. thesis, &#8220;The Gallery,&#8221; published in the Soundings East Literary Journal this spring. Clark will attend the Martha\u2019s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing in June as a recipient of the Poet &amp; Author Fellowship.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"faculty-news\">Faculty News<\/h2>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Faith Bates \u201922M was awarded a 20242025 Fulbright U.S. Student Program Award to Romania. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stanley Blair, Ph.D., gave a series of lectures in the local communities. The Township of Ocean Historical Museum welcomed Blair in February for the lecture, \u201cThe Infamous Long Branch Murder of 1860, Solved.\u201d In late March, Blair was invited by the Middletown Township Historical Society to present the lecture, \u201cThe Literature of Sandy Hook.\u201d Blair was also the guest speaker at the English Student Awards and Sigma Tau Delta Induction Ceremony held in The Great Hall Auditorium on April 11, 2024. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Dean Kris Bluemel, Ph.D., Interim Associate Dean of the Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Wayne D. McMurray and Helen Bennett Endowed Chair in the Humanities, reinstated the Lowbrow, Middlebrow, Highbrow: Interventions in Cultural Study lecture series.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Heide Estes, Ph.D.\u2019s book, &#8220;Writing the World in Early Medieval England&#8221;, co-written with Nicole Guenther Discenza was published in September (Cambridge University Press, 2023).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Heide Estes, Ph.D., Jeffrey Jackson, Ph.D., and John P. Hanly, Ph.D., Chair, collaborated to develop the English department\u2019s proposal for the Diversity and Inclusion Grant program.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Congratulations to Mihaela Moscaliuc, Ph.D. on being recommended for Promotion to Professor. Moscaliuc was a panelist for the \u201cGetting Non-Writers to Write: Teaching Outside of the English Department\u201d event held during the 2024 Association of Writers &amp; Writing Program (AWP) Conference in February.<br>Moscaliuc\u2019s EN-451 and EN-609 courses hosted \u201c<em>The Brother Austen<\/em> Poets-in-the-Classroom Series.\u201d Poets Jessica Jacobs, Maurya Simon, Janine Joseph, Claudia Serea, John Hoppenthaler, and Michael Waters visited the classes during the Spring 2024 semester and discussed their work. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Congratulations to Brittany Scardigno \u201821M. Scardigno, an adjunct professor, completed her Fulbright assignment in South Korea in December 2023. She has accepted a position as an immigration service officer in California. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Abha Sood, Ph.D., Corey Dzenko, Ph.D., and Hettie Williams, Ph.D. shared their research on The Harlem Renaissance as the opening event of the Toni Morrison Day program on Feb. 23. Sood, Dzenko, Williams and Jonathan McElroy, Ph.D., reconvened for the virtual panel discussion, \u201cThe Harlem Renaissance: A History of African American Art &amp; Culture,\u201d hosted by the Long Branch Free Public Library on February 26, 2024. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lisa Vetere, Ph.D., led a pre-show event, \u201cContext and Conversations for <em>The Scarlet Letter<\/em>,\u201d at the Two River Theater in Red Bank on Feb. 17. Vetere\u2019s discussion was followed by an adaptation of the Nathaniel Hawthorne\u2019s novel, <em>The Scarlet Letter<\/em>, performed on stage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"photo-galleries\">Photo Galleries<\/h2>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toni-morrison-day-2024\">Toni Morrison Day 2024<\/h3>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23311\" style=\"object-position: 59.56% 28.7%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-20.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23311\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-20.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-20-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-20-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-20-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Toni Morrison Day Creative Writing Contest winner Taylor Williams<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23312\" style=\"object-position: 52.88% 32.095%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-21.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23312\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-21.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-21-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-21-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-21-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Toni Morrison Day Creative Writing Contest winner Nicole Conti<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23309\" style=\"object-position: 42.995% 28.325%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-19.jpg\" alt=\"Man speaking at podium \" class=\"wp-image-23309\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-19.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-19-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-19-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-19-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Toni Morrison Day Creative Writing Contest winner Kobi Sana<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"23056\" style=\"object-position: 60.175% 20.3325%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-12-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Taylor Williams and Dorothy Doyle introduce Ross Gay\" class=\"wp-image-23056\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-12-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-12-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-12-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-12-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-12-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-12.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Taylor Williams and Dorothy Doyle introduce Ross Gay.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23306\" style=\"object-position: 58.34% 27.755%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-17.jpg\" alt=\"Woman speaking at podium\" class=\"wp-image-23306\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-17.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-17-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-17-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-17-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kia Womack read one of<br>Morrison\u2019s poems during the Monmouth Review presentation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"23060\" style=\"object-position: 45.95225% 48.6585%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-13-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Attendees paid rapt attention to Ross Gay\u2019s reading in Pozycki Auditorium\" class=\"wp-image-23060\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-13-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-13-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-13-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-13-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-13-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-13.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Attendees paid rapt attention to Ross Gay\u2019s<br>reading in Pozycki Auditorium<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23071\" style=\"object-position: 48.84% 36.805%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-37.jpg\" alt=\"Hettie Williams, Ph.D., professor of History at the University of Massachusetts, shares her research.\" class=\"wp-image-23071\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-37.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-37-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-37-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-37-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hettie Williams, Ph.D., professor of History at the University of Massachusetts, shares her research.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" data-id=\"23072\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Abha-TMD.jpg\" alt=\"Abha Sood, Ph.D., senior lecturer in the department of English, shares her research.\" class=\"wp-image-23072\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Abha-TMD.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Abha-TMD-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Abha-TMD-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Abha Sood, Ph.D., senior lecturer in the department of English, shares her research.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23062\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-41.jpg\" alt=\"The Guggenheim Memorial Library sponsored this year\u2019s Toni Morrison Day Digital\nPoster Contest. \" class=\"wp-image-23062\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-41.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-41-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-41-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-41-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Guggenheim Memorial Library sponsored this year\u2019s Toni Morrison Day Digital Poster Contest. Congratulations to the 2024 winning entries by Jessica Taylor, Kiley Hubbard, and Daniel Martin!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23065\" style=\"object-position: 70.4% 12.57%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-49.jpg\" alt=\"Jessica Taylor\" class=\"wp-image-23065\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-49.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-49-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-49-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-49-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jessica Taylor<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23066\" style=\"object-position: 70.875% 30.04%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-47.jpg\" alt=\"Kiley Hubbard\" class=\"wp-image-23066\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-47.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-47-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-47-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-47-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kiley Hubbard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23069\" style=\"object-position: 65.98% 12.05%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-48.jpg\" alt=\"Daniel Martin\" class=\"wp-image-23069\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-48.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-48-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-48-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-48-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Daniel Martin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23075\" style=\"object-position: 45.866666666667% 30.043333333333%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-30.jpg\" alt=\"Student Panel\nparticipants Kaitlin McGuire, Gabriella Petrillo and Lincoln Pereira.\" class=\"wp-image-23075\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-30.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-30-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-30-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-30-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Student Panel participants Kaitlin McGuire, Gabriella Petrillo, and Lincoln Pereira<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23078\" style=\"object-position: 72.0325% 24.4175%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-42.jpg\" alt=\"Monmouth University President welcomed audience members to the\n5th Annual Toni Morrison Day celebration in Pozycki Auditorium.\" class=\"wp-image-23078\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-42.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-42-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-42-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-42-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Monmouth University President Patrick F. Leahy, Ed.D., welcomes audience members to the 5th Annual Toni Morrison Day celebration in Pozycki Auditorium.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-id=\"23081\" style=\"object-position: 54.054444444444% 32.573333333333%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-04-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"The Toni Morrison Day Planning Committee\" class=\"wp-image-23081\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-04-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-04-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-04-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-04-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-04-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-04.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Toni Morrison Day Planning Committee<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23303\" style=\"object-position: 53.705% 22.92%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-08.jpg\" alt=\"Man speaking at podium\" class=\"wp-image-23303\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-08.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-08-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-08-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/05\/Toni-Morrison-Day_20242302_MG-08-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ross Gay delivers a reading to a standing-room-only audience.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"english-student-awards-and-sigma-tau-delta-induction-ceremony\">English Student Awards and Sigma Tau Delta Induction Ceremony<\/h3>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23113\" style=\"object-position: 45.415% 21.25%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-39.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23113\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-39.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-39-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-39-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-39-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">J ohn P. Hanly, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Chair of the English department<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23099\" style=\"object-position: 48.815% 25.855%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-26.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23099\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-26.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-26-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-26-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-26-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Stanley Blair, Ph.D., Guest Speaker and Associate Professor of English<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23101\" style=\"object-position: 46.035% 38.17375%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-23.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23101\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-23.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-23-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-23-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-23-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Delta Sigma Chapter Executive Board members<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23086\" style=\"object-position: 51.375% 22.5%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-32.jpg\" alt=\"Zafira Demiri\" class=\"wp-image-23086\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-32.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-32-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-32-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-32-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Zafira Demiri<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23087\" style=\"object-position: 44.815% 19.6%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-31.jpg\" alt=\"Carlee Migliorisi\" class=\"wp-image-23087\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-31.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-31-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-31-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-31-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Carlee Migliorisi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23089\" style=\"object-position: 78.065625% 54.359375%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-30.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23089\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-30.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-30-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-30-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-30-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">John Vurro<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23092\" style=\"object-position: 77.968333333333% 37.751666666667%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-29.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23092\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-29.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-29-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-29-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-29-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Nicole Mautone<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23095\" style=\"object-position: 47.875% 20.98%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-28.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23095\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-28.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-28-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-28-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-28-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Veronique Manfredini<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23104\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-33.jpg\" alt=\"Olivia Frew\" class=\"wp-image-23104\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-33.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-33-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-33-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-33-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Olivia Frew<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23119\" style=\"object-position: 49.375% 26.21%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-36.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23119\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-36.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-36-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-36-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-36-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Giulia DeFabritus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23120\" style=\"object-position: 72.836666666667% 49.161666666667%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-35.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23120\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-35.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-35-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-35-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-35-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hana Vozzo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23122\" style=\"object-position: 71.1225% 34.3525%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-34.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23122\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-34.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-34-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-34-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Sigma-Tau-Induction_20241104_MG-34-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Melaina Carrara<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"750\" data-id=\"23257\" style=\"object-position: 58.441875% 39.1475%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/eboard-and-us.jpg\" alt=\"Group posing in front of Sigma Tau Delta logo\" class=\"wp-image-23257\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/eboard-and-us.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/eboard-and-us-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/eboard-and-us-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/eboard-and-us-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Sigma Tau Delta eBoard, Beth Swanson, Chapter Advisor, and Department staff members, Bethany Dickerson and Stacey Ayers pose for a picture following the 2024 Sigma Tau Delta Induction Ceremony.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"mamfa-students-lakehouse-recording-studios\">M.A.\/MFA Students @ Lakehouse Recording Studios<\/h3>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-4 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"640\" data-id=\"23266\" style=\"object-position: 49.355% 49.495%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/alex-1.jpg\" alt=\"Alex Gilvarry\" class=\"wp-image-23266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/alex-1.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/alex-1-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/alex-1-113x150.jpg 113w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Alex Gilvarry, M.F.A.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" data-id=\"23126\" style=\"object-position: 44.705% 69.91%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/5.jpg\" alt=\"Veronique Manfredini\" class=\"wp-image-23126\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/5.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/5-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/5-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Veronique Manfredini<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" data-id=\"23128\" style=\"object-position: 52.105% 70.545%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/4.jpg\" alt=\"Alicia Notorio\" class=\"wp-image-23128\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/4.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/4-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/4-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Alicia Notorio<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" data-id=\"23132\" style=\"object-position: 49.14125% 64.529583333333%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/3.jpg\" alt=\"A small crowd of participants and invited guests looked on as each student took a turn in the studio\" class=\"wp-image-23132\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/3.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/3-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/3-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A small crowd of participants and invited guests looked on as each student took a turn in the studio.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"640\" data-id=\"23134\" style=\"object-position: 55.6% 53.69%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/faith-bates.jpg\" alt=\"Faith Bates\" class=\"wp-image-23134\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/faith-bates.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/faith-bates-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/faith-bates-113x150.jpg 113w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Faith Bates<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"640\" data-id=\"23131\" style=\"object-position: 44.74% 50.44%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/1.jpg\" alt=\"Jenna Lozzi\" class=\"wp-image-23131\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/1.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/1-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/1-113x150.jpg 113w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jenna Lozzi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"640\" data-id=\"23135\" style=\"object-position: 45.975% 56.735%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Marci-Rubin.jpg\" alt=\"Marci Ruben\" class=\"wp-image-23135\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Marci-Rubin.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Marci-Rubin-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Marci-Rubin-113x150.jpg 113w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Marci Ruben<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"640\" data-id=\"23140\" style=\"object-position: 43.615% 62.44%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/john-vurro-1.jpg\" alt=\"John Vurro\" class=\"wp-image-23140\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/john-vurro-1.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/john-vurro-1-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/john-vurro-1-113x150.jpg 113w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">John Vurro<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"snapshots-from-spring-2024-conference-presentations-and-awards\">Snapshots from Spring 2024 (Conference Presentations and Awards)<\/h3>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-4 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"367\" height=\"555\" data-id=\"23240\" style=\"object-position: 50.3725% 13.5225%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/nicole-and-anna-ncea.jpg\" alt=\"Two women in professional attire posing for a photo\" class=\"wp-image-23240\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/nicole-and-anna-ncea.jpg 367w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/nicole-and-anna-ncea-198x300.jpg 198w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/nicole-and-anna-ncea-99x150.jpg 99w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 367px) 100vw, 367px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Graduate students, Nicole Mautone \u201924 and Anna Huber \u201923, who recently presented their research at the New Jersey College English Association (NJCEA) annual conference. Mautone\u2019s paper, submitted against master\u2019s and doctoral thesis candidates from across the state, won the annual Graduate Student Paper Award and will be published in the NJCEA\u2019s journal, <em>Watchung Review<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"997\" data-id=\"23243\" style=\"object-position: 50.475% 27.85%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/20240323_124105.jpg\" alt=\"Woman holding an award\" class=\"wp-image-23243\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/20240323_124105.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/20240323_124105-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/20240323_124105-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/20240323_124105-768x766.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mautone (left) also recently won the Monmouth University Undergraduate Library Research Award, and earned an Honorable Mention for the 2024 Monmouth University Honors Council Award for Best Honors Thesis\/ Capstone for her Honors thesis, &#8220;Expectations and Subversions: The Semiotics of Psychological Horror in &#8216;Doki Doki Literature Club'&#8221;.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"23245\" style=\"object-position: 51.43% 28.155%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Nicole-Mautone-with-dad.LibraryResearch.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-23245\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Nicole-Mautone-with-dad.LibraryResearch.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Nicole-Mautone-with-dad.LibraryResearch-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Nicole-Mautone-with-dad.LibraryResearch-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Nicole-Mautone-with-dad.LibraryResearch-113x150.jpg 113w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Huber presented &#8220;&#8216;It Don\u2019t Leave You&#8217;: Trauma in Bobbie Ann Mason&#8217;s &#8216;Shiloh'&#8221;, at a couple of recent events. Huber presented at the NJCEA annual conference in March. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2248\" height=\"2998\" data-id=\"23248\" style=\"object-position: 57.095% 21.515%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/IMG_1826_jpg.jpeg\" alt=\"Two women pose for a photo in fron of a wall featuring a black and white photo\" class=\"wp-image-23248\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/IMG_1826_jpg.jpeg 2248w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/IMG_1826_jpg-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/IMG_1826_jpg-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/IMG_1826_jpg-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/IMG_1826_jpg-1536x2048.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/IMG_1826_jpg-112x150.jpeg 112w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2248px) 100vw, 2248px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">In early April, Huber and Senior Breanna Guinta traveled to Steven\u2019s Institute of Technology. Huber\u2019s and Guinta\u2019s research (\u201cTraumatized Correspondent: Nathaniel Parker Willis\u2019s Use of Writing Therapy during the 1832 Cholera Pandemic&#8221;), were presented at the Crisis and Meaning: Intersections of Humanities and Mental Health Symposium in early April.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" data-id=\"23254\" style=\"object-position: 51.6225% 46.2525%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Visiting-Writer_20241104_MG-3.jpg\" alt=\"Man speaking at Podium with American flag in the background, audience in foreground\" class=\"wp-image-23254\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Visiting-Writer_20241104_MG-3.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Visiting-Writer_20241104_MG-3-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Visiting-Writer_20241104_MG-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/Visiting-Writer_20241104_MG-3-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">We were pleased to welcome Hernan Diaz to the Visiting Writers Series on April 10.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3024\" height=\"4032\" data-id=\"23255\" style=\"object-position: 74.59% 41.96%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/IMG_9500-rotated.jpeg\" alt=\"Woman standing next to presentation\" class=\"wp-image-23255\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/IMG_9500-rotated.jpeg 3024w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/IMG_9500-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/IMG_9500-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/IMG_9500-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/IMG_9500-1536x2048.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/IMG_9500-113x150.jpeg 113w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 3024px) 100vw, 3024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lisa Vetere, Ph.D., led a pre-show event, \u201cContext and Conversations for &#8216;The Scarlet Letter'&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" data-id=\"23261\" style=\"object-position: 31.603333333333% 17.505%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/mr-2024.jpg\" alt=\"Three women pose for a photo in front of baked goods\" class=\"wp-image-23261\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/mr-2024.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/mr-2024-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/mr-2024-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Monmouth Review<\/em> hosted a launch party to celebrate their 67th issue.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"480\" height=\"640\" data-id=\"23258\" style=\"object-position: 67.77% 40.29%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/mr-2024-2.jpg\" alt=\"Woman speaking at podium, with journals laid out on a table.\" class=\"wp-image-23258\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/mr-2024-2.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/mr-2024-2-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/mr-2024-2-113x150.jpg 113w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Monmouth Review <\/em>hosted a launch party to celebrate their 67th issue.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" data-id=\"23251\" style=\"object-position: 59.37% 33.79375%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/morgan-veronique-jericho.jpg\" alt=\"Two women and a man pose for a photo at a table.\" class=\"wp-image-23251\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/morgan-veronique-jericho.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/morgan-veronique-jericho-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/morgan-veronique-jericho-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Morgan Kelly \u201922 and Veronique Manfredini pose with keynote speaker Jericho Brown at the Association of Writers &amp; Writing Programs (AWP) Conference in February.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"739\" height=\"826\" data-id=\"23264\" style=\"object-position: 49.977142857143% 74.406428571429%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/abha-2.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of woman delivering a zoom presentation.\" class=\"wp-image-23264\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/abha-2.jpg 739w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/abha-2-268x300.jpg 268w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/abha-2-134x150.jpg 134w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 739px) 100vw, 739px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Abha Sood, Ph.D., participated in a presentation on The Harlem Renaissance.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" data-id=\"23269\" style=\"object-position: 33.887142857143% 47.989285714286%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/brothers-austen.jpg\" alt=\"Group of people holding up posters with the illustration of a woman\" class=\"wp-image-23269\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/brothers-austen.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/brothers-austen-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/brothers-austen-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The EN-451 and EN-609 classes hosted The Brother Austen Poets-in-the-Classroom series.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"23272\" style=\"object-position: 28.895% 30.706666666667%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/solar-eclipse.jpg\" alt=\"Four people on steps wearing glasses, looking at a solar eclipse\" class=\"wp-image-23272\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/solar-eclipse.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/solar-eclipse-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/solar-eclipse-113x150.jpg 113w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The solar eclipse on April 8.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" data-id=\"23275\" style=\"object-position: 52.84% 42.655%\" src=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/daffodils-2024.jpg\" alt=\"Group of people posing for a photo on a green lawn\" class=\"wp-image-23275\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/daffodils-2024.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/daffodils-2024-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/549\/2024\/04\/daffodils-2024-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Celebrating National Poetry Month with the annual reading of \u201cI Wandered Lonely as a Cloud\u201d with Michael Thomas.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Volume XIII, Issue II Note from the Chair As this year-end edition of Words Matter makes apparent, the Spring 2024 semester has been an eventful one for the Monmouth University English department. As always, much of the credit goes to our department\u2019s dedicated faculty and to our hardworking students, whose passion for the study of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"parent":539,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_mu_eop_enabled":false,"_mu_eop_name":"","_mu_eop_name_override":false,"_mu_eop_description":"","_mu_eop_description_override":false,"_mu_eop_url":"","_mu_eop_url_override":false,"_mu_eop_program_type":"","_mu_eop_educational_credential":"","_mu_eop_time_to_complete":"","_mu_eop_number_of_credits":"","_mu_eop_occupational_category":"","_mu_eop_occupational_category_code":"","_mu_eop_program_prerequisites":"","_mu_eop_application_deadline":"","_mu_eop_application_start_date":"","_mu_eop_start_date":"","_mu_eop_end_date":"","_mu_eop_day_of_week":"","_mu_eop_time_of_day":"","_mu_eop_educational_program_mode":"","_mu_eop_financial_aid_eligible":"","_mu_eop_maximum_enrollment":"","_mu_eop_offers_price":"","_mu_eop_offers_currency":"USD","_mu_eop_offers_price_per":"","_mu_eop_offers_preset":"","_mu_eop_salary_upon_completion":"","_mu_eop_training_salary":"","_mu_eop_recognized_by_name":"","_mu_eop_recognized_by_url":"","_mu_eop_concentrations":"","_mu_eop_identifier_cip":"","_mu_eop_provider_name":"","_mu_eop_provider_name_override":false,"_mu_eop_provider_url":"","_mu_eop_provider_address":"","_mu_eop_provider_city":"","_mu_eop_provider_state":"","_mu_eop_provider_zip":"","_mu_eop_provider_country":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-22973","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22973","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22973"}],"version-history":[{"count":37,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22973\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23513,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22973\/revisions\/23513"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/539"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/department-of-english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22973"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}