Reach Open Mic a Big Success

On Nov. 21, 2019, Reach (MWSU's literary and arts journal sponsored by our English and Modern Languages department) hosted its last open mic for the fall semester. More than 60 people gathered in Mokaska Coffee shop on a cold night to hear the poetic, prosaic, and musical gifts of MWSU students and faculty and local authors. Clarissa Blakely, an English major, MC'd this monthly event, called "Reach 4 the Mic."

 

 

Following the open mic was a launch for an ENG 395 student project by Janae Boykins: a zine called Flavor featuring all African-American writers and artists. Janae spoke about making her project, and then cut a cake celebrating Flavor and led the crowd in a few readings out of Flavor.

 

 

As always, Dr. Kunkel and the entire Reach staff thank all the EML faculty who came out during a busy season, as well as our dean, Dr. Joel Hyer, and his wife. Thanks, too, to our chair, Dr. Stacia Bensyl, for her support!

Tiniest Haunted House--A Crypt for Poetry and Cider

The 2019 edition of the Tiniest Haunted House was found in Murphy Hall on October 30 and 31. Students, staff, and faculty were treated to cider and scary poems as they rode up and down the Murphy Hall elevator.

This spooky service was brought to MWSU by staff members of Reach, our campus literature and arts journal.

Dawn Terrick Gives Dracula Lecture

Today at the East Hills Library, Director of Developmental Writing and Advanced Instructor Dawn Terrick gave a talk as part of the Pop Talks Series sponsored by Department and St. Joseph Public Library. The talk, "The Lore and Lure of Dracula," explained the history, mythology, and literary influences of Bram Stoker's classic tale.

 

Professor Charlton publishes two chapters

 Dr. Michael Charlton, professor of English, has recently published chapters in two different books. His essay "The Bunker Horror Film" appears in the collection The Spaces and Places of Horror, edited by Francesco Pascuzzi and Sandra Waters and published by Vernon Press. His essay "Dumbo and the Circus of Childhood" appears in the collection Big Top on the Big Screen: Explorations of the Circus in Film, edited by Teresa Cutler-Broyles and published by McFarland Press.

Congratulations to Professor Charlton!
 

Dr. Kaye Adkins Receives Major Professional Award

Congratulations to Dr. Kaye Adkins, Professor of English, for receiving the Distinguished Service Award from the Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication.

Dr. Adkins was recognized for her service to the organization as Treasurer and for her service to the field of Technical Communication education.

23rd Annual Reading of Banned and Challenged Books

On Thursday, September 26, eight brave readers risked incarceration for reading forbidden books out loud in public. In recognition of American Library Association Banned Books Week, the 23rd annual reading at Missouri Western celebrated books challenged in the United States.  As usual, estimates of the attendance vary wildly. "I think 350 were in attendance," Dawn Terrick offered. "Clearly we had in excess of 700," C.J. Jeney opined. "We had fifty. I counted them," Susan Martens speculated wildly and irresponsibly.  

Readers & Books

Ms. Ingrid Woodbury, President, St. Joseph Public Library Board

• A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving

Lt. Col. U.S. Army (ret.) Drew Brown, MWSU Foundation Board and Arts Society Council  

• The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas

Ms. Brooke Anderson, KQ2 News Anchor

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J. K. Rowling

Dr. Gaywyn Moore, Assistant Professor of English, MWSU

• The Tempest, William Shakespeare

Ms. Stephanie Spratt, Asst. Director for Technical Services, MWSU Library

• Brave New World, Aldous Huxley

Ms. Alexis Buczek, MWSU Elementary Education major 

• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum

Ms. Elizabeth Hoskins, Library Media Specialist, Bode Middle School and Prairie Lands Writing Project Teacher Consultant

• A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, Jill Twiss

 

Mr. Brian Myers, St. Joseph City Council

• Johnny Got His Gun, Dalton Trumbo

 

 

 

Kelly Lock McMillen to Work on MA in Nonfiction

Instructor and alumna Kelly Lock McMillen has been accepted into the Johns Hopkins University Masters of

Arts program in Creative Nonfiction. Kelly will be working on the program online as she teaches at Missouri Western. Kelly looks forward to instruction and feedback on her writing and plans to use this as a springboard to more publishing. Kelly teaches an online course on creative nonfiction through the Prairie Lands Writing Project.

Best of Luck, Kelly!