UPCOMING EVENT: English Department Colloquium

Dr. Stephen Watt
Friday, March 28
3:30 PM, Old Main 106

The English Department is pleased to announce that on Friday, March 28 Dr. Stephen Watt from Indiana University will be presenting a lecture entitled "Brendan and the Beats: Sex and Bombs during the Cold War." The lecture will take place at 3:30 pm in Old Main 106.

Dr. Watt is the Chair of the English Department at Indiana University. His primary research interest is Irish Studies, but he has published extensively on drama and postmodernism. He recently published the textbook Understanding Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing (Houghton Mifflin, 2003) with Walter Kalaidjan and Judith Roof. In addition, Dr. Watt has examined the profession in a series of provocative articles and books with Cary Nelson, including Academic Keywords: A Devil's Dictionary for Higher Education. Their most recent collaboration is What We Did Last Winter: Essays on Campus Activism and Disciplinarity. Dr. Watt has been an outspoken advocate for graduate students, and his visit promises to be a wonderful opportunity for undergraduates considering graduate school and current grad students to talk about future prospects in the field.

posted by Anonymous at 12:24 PM

VLP Wins Award for Academic Excellence

The Vermillion Literary Project received the 2003 Board of Regents Award for Academic Excellence at a ceremony on Friday, March 14, 2003, in the Rushmore Rooms of the Coyote Student Center at USD. Present to accept the award were VLP members Garrett Bruening, Stan West, and Stephanie Lawyer, along with faculty advisor Michelle Rogge Gannon. Also in attendance were President Abbott, other USD officials, and other members of the USD community.
posted by Michelle Rogge Gannon at 8:44 AM

Poetry Reading at Coffee Shop Gallery

The Vermillion Literary Project (VLP) enjoyed the success of another standing-room-only crowd at the January 30th poetry reading at the Coffee Shop Gallery. A young woman named Lunda Letona won the poetry slam, with Melissa Houghton coming in second. Joshua Smith hosted the open-mic segment of the reading, while new VLP member Brian Gollnick acted as slam master for the slam.

Special thanks to Joe Basile and Brian Bedard for serving as slam judges (surviving the crowd's booing of low scores). Also, thanks to Ed Allen, Lee Ann Roripaugh, Tom Gannon, and Dennis Sjolie for their presence. VLP and English major alumnus April Halsey was also present.

Readers at the open-mic included Katie Plavec, Lisa Dooley, Cassi Wohlsein, Nancy Ducheneaux, Casey Horpedahl, Earl Wright, Joshua Smith, Elliot Harmon, Scott Pfahle, Therese Vogel, Nathan Scrag, John Larsen, Victor Singingeagle, Tom Gannnon, and Andrea Peterson. There were also eleven readers for the slam, the most we've had so far for that event.

Other VLP members who assisted with making this poetry reading happen included Kim Raaphorst (organized the event even though she could not be there because of class), Ellen Ryan, Elliot Harmon, and faculty co-advisor Stephanie Lawyer.


posted by Anonymous at 2:33 PM

Fan Bus for Dr. Bedard

Brian Bedard presented stories from his short story collection Winter of the Great White Wolf at Briar Cliff University on February 6 at 7:30 pm. This reading was part of the Sioux City Readings Series. The English Department's Fan Bus went to Sioux City to give moral support to Dr. Bedard.

Dennis Sjolie drove the Bus, Joe Basile rode shotgun. Justin and Christina Blessinger, Nancy Zuercher, Ed Allen, and Stephanie Lawyer were also in attendance. The Fan Bus stopped at Minerva's for a dinner before the reading. The most challenging obstacle the group faced was finding a parking spot at Briar Cliff University.

Next Fan Bus will be to support Lee Ann Roripaugh when she reads her poetry at Morningside College on March 18 at 7:30 pm. A sign-up sheet for the Fan Bus is now available in D226.
posted by Anonymous at 1:39 PM