EGSA Digest!
There is little love between my computer and Microsoft Outlook, so your digest is, sadly, limited to black and white this week. However, if you would like at least a little aesthetic stimulation, you can click on this link ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49WNphaiwNY ) to provide some appropriately dramatic music for this week’s exciting news.
As you begin your charmed third week of the semester, you should…..
* READ the attached minutes from our first EGSA meeting of the year. In the minutes you will find information about advocating for policy changes through GSA, English Department Events, EGSA Social Events, and much, much more!
* LOOK FORWARD to several social events in the coming month, including
Pub Night at Barnett’s Irish Pub: Wednesday September 8, 7 PM Dessert Social at Dr. Barcus’s house: Sunday September 19, 4 PM Welcome-back Cookout! Cameron Park: Saturday, September 25, 1 PM
* IF YOU ARE A NEW STUDENT, CONSIDER the following opportunity to participate in the EGSA Conference Study Committee:
The EGSA Conference Study Committee is a recently formed committee attempting to gather information from the existing English graduate students to ascertain what goals we have for a possible graduate student conference. This committee will meet to discuss possible models for the conference and will serve as a group to analyze results from EGSA input. In analyzing this information, we will develop planning strategies and instructions for upcoming conferences and, time permitting, will begin planning the next EGSA conference event.
We still need to fill one position on this committee. The current nominees are: Lisa Echtenkamp, Dustin Morrow, Julie Ooms, and Margy Thomas. However, we would also like to open up the position to incoming students, as you have the rare opportunity to participate now in a project that will be ongoing throughout your time at Baylor. If you are interested in this position, please send an email to Nathan Kilpatrick (Nathan_Kilpatrick@baylor.edu) by Monday, September 6. Elections for that position will be held that week. In addition, if you are currently nominated but would like to be removed from consideration, please send an email to Nathan Kilpatrick.
Please let me know if you have any questions, Nathan Kilpatrick
* ATTEND the following lecture if you are interested in film studies. This lecture fits nicely with the upcoming Terence Hoagwood lecture that EGSA is sponsoring. See the attached minutes for more information on the Hoagwood lecture
Dean Hibbs of the Honors College also delivers an annual film lecture. This year’s lecture is entitled “Hope in Exile: Christian Art in the Ruins.” It is keyed to an upcoming symposium and art exhibition entitled Sacred Texts, Holy Images. The Mayborn Museum and the Hooper-Schaefer Fine Arts Center, along with the Honors College, will be hosting these events. More information will be forthcoming. Dean Hibbs’s lecture is scheduled for September 14, in the Alexander Reading Room at 7 P.M.
* CONTACT any of the leaders of the new EGSA Special Interest Groups if you are interested in participating. A few groups have provided descriptions, but the full list of special interest groups is below:
Poetry Writing Group:
You are invited to join the Poetry Writing Group at Common Grounds on Tuesday, September 7 @ 3:45. We will discuss
schedule, events, participation, etc. You are invited to bring a draft of a poem you have written to our meeting on Tuesday. Please send Steve an email (Steven_Petersheim@baylor.edu) TO LET US KNOW YOUR SCHEDULE AND INTERESTS if you are interested in being part of this group but cannot attend the meeting at that time.
French Reading Group
The idea I have for this group is developing proficiency in reading French in the genre of professional articles and in specific
literary eras (which will be determined by the participants). As a Victorianist, I do encounter articles written in French that are pertinent to my area of research, and often there is no satisfactory translation. Likewise, I encounter many primary sources in French for which there are no translations, or the translations are not easily accessible. The readings will be suggested by and agreed upon by group members. Meeting dates are not yet determined – the only times that are not available are Wednesday 6-7.30 and Friday evenings. (Kathleen_A_Miller@baylor.edu).
20th Century Catholic Reading Group
We will meet about 3 times a semester to discuss 20th century Catholic literature, particularly novels. At each meeting we will
have a specific novel to discuss. Feel free to come to any of the meetings that interest you. I will let Bethany know the meeting times once we have set them. Hopefully, we will have our first meeting near the end of September. Please email me (Cameron – email is John_C_Moore@baylor.edu) if you are interested in this group and would like to be included in the email list.
Victorian Studies
This group will serve as a general interest group for those studying Victorian literature. The frequency and focus of meetings
will be determined by those who attend. For example, we might use one meeting to discuss current research projects, but devote our next meeting to exploring Victorian history or culture. Film nights, book discussions, arts and crafts….the choice is yours! Contact Bethany (Bethany_Bear@Baylor.edu) if you are interested in this group.
Full listing of available groups:
a. Women’s Studies: Lisa Echtenkamp
b. Victorian Studies: Bethany Bear
c. German Reading Group: Virginia Jarrell
d. Poetry Writing: Steve Petersheim
e. Medieval Reading Group: David Clark
f. Contemporary British: Rachel Webster
g. French Reading Group: Kathleen McGinty-Johnston
h. Pedagogy – Dustin Morrow
i. 20th-Century Catholic Writers: Cameron Moore and Reid Makowsky j. Bible Study – Seth Wright and Cameron Moore
If at any point you are interested in starting a group, email Bethany_Bear@Baylor.edu.