The English Department has published the spring issue of (its newsletter) EDN, featuring news from the tracks, notes from the chair (Dr. John Banschbach asks and answers "Why study literature?"), a profile of alum Ron Barron, and a feature article on efforts by Dr. Karen Lybeck and Linda Jacoby, assisted by students Dana Bruhn and Solen Feyissa, to enhance online and face-to-face learning in teacher education courses through the use of the 3D-online world of Second Life.
As usual EDN contains news updates on faculty and alumni, a list of student award winners (including the winner of the new Jane Earley America Literature Scholarship), and a flashback photo of Dr. Ron Gower typing—not keyboarding.
The English Department has recently launched a Facebook group open to students and friends of Minnesota State Mankato. Facebook is an online social networking tool. Members of the group can expect to find announcements, upcoming events, and updates posted. To join the English department group, visit the Facebook group page.
Join Dr. Suzanne Bunkers (English) and Dr. Joseph Kunkel (political science) for an exciting study tour of Germany in Spring 2011.
The first half of spring semester 2011 will be spent in weekly classes to learn and prepare for the tour: "Documentary and Drama: Selected Literature and Film in Germany" (Eng 492, 495, 592, and 595).
Students will then spend eleven days over spring break (March 3-13, 2011) in Germany and visit Berlin, Nuremberg, Munich, and picturesque towns on the Romantic Road.
To learn more about the study tour, visit the 2011 Germany study-tour webpage.
Every year, the Minnesota State University, Mankato English department honors a number of students with awards. The department is pleased to announce the 2009-2010 list of award recipients. Congratulations students!
In addition, the Composition Merit Award Journal has published the winners for the 2009-2010 award. View the winning pieces here.
English graduate students Paula Schevers and Dana Bruhn saw a hole to fill for graduate students and created the Graduate Scholars in English Association (GSEA). Paula stated that "the idea sprang out of our feeling a bit out of place and unaware of the 'goings on' within the department and on campus that specifically references graduate students."
Paula and Dana spent much of last semester talking with other graduate students.They tried to figure out how to find out what's happening in the English department and to discover a place for graduate students to meet, discuss, and exchange information, ideas, conferences, and professional development opportunities.
Although the association is fairly new, its members are currently in the process of developing mini-workshops relating to submitting to conferences, conference presentations, and hope to develop a mock panel to host rehearsals for graduate conference presentations.
Meetings are scheduled for the first Monday of every month at 6:00 pm in the Heritage Room in the CSU. Meetings are open to anyone. Membership in the organization is informal and open to English department graduate students. To find out more about what the GSEA has to offer, check out the GSEA blog or email mnsu.gsea@gmail.com.
5-8-10
Spring Commencement
The English department has launched a Facebook group. The group intends to inform students and friends of the department on announcements, upcoming events, and updates.
The English department has recently launched a new website for the Composition Program. Information for students and prospective teachers is currently available; information for teachers is being developed.
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