Department News and Events 2019-2020

Activities and events within the department afford LLP students the opportunity to explore creative aspects of language, literature and philosophy beyond the classroom. Events include publications, conferences, informal reading groups, spoken word events, public lectures, drama and film screenings. To learn more about LLP events, feel free to reach out to the department: Contact Us. We look forward to seeing you there!

	Just Released: Freshmen Comp. Class publishes Starter Guide to The Bluest Eye As part of an innovative service learning initiative, Dr. Jennifer Hayes' freshmen composition class created and released a reader's starter guide for Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye. From the website: "Contemporary readers might find some of Morrison's references hard to place. Misunderstandings can undercut the power of this important work. Consequently, I have created a project for my freshman students to help create a reading guide that explains some of the introductory ideas to help people new to the work." Learn more by clicking here: The Bluest Eye Starter Guide.
	Spanish Table Talk - Spring Schedule Released The Spring 2020 schedule of Spanish Table Talk has been released. Join us from 2:15 - 3:15 p.m., Humanities Bldg Room 103, on the following dates: February 4 and 17; March 10 and 23; April 7 and 20. For more information, contact Prof. Clara Mojica-Diaz.
	Coming Soon: English Club, First Meeting The first meeting of the new Words of Worth English Club will be held at 4p, Feb 5, in Hum 104. The organization will center on developing a strong community, exploring the literary world and service. Questions? Contact faculty advisor: Dr. Emily Murray.
	Soul Fire is Back! "We Want Live Words!" Soul Fire Poetry Group and Workshop will return Fall 2019. The first meeting of the semester will be held at 5 p.m., Weds., Jan 29, Humanities 103 . This departmental organization meets once a week to hone poetry writing and performance skills, organize open mic performances, and to workshop their ideas. It features a Poet Mentor from Southern Word, who helps students craft their skills. Learn more about their efforts by clicking here: Soul Fire Mini-Documentary. *Check Out Spoken Word Performances by the Soul Fire Members and Friends. Faculty Adviser: Dr. Michelle J. Pinkard
	PASS Tutoring is back! This semester, faculty members from the English department are working with Tiger Tutoring. Tutors will be available starting Jan. 21, M-F 4:30-8pm in Room 202 of the Student Resource Center. This service is free to students. Tiger Tutoring is a great opportunity for students who need help with writing to receive immediate feedback from faculty. Our writing tutors are equipped to help students at the University with various writing assignments and activities (within English department classes and beyond). They can assist the student at any stage of their writing process from brainstorming ideas to providing strategies for revision. For tutoring schedule and related information, visit the Tiger Tutoring Webpage.
	Advanced Poetry Students Publish Chapbooks. Check out the most recent publications from Fall 2019 Advanced Poetry students. Students researched and explored a central theme of advocacy in their respective works. Collectively, their poetry offers a promising contribution to the world of protest poetry. Learn more and review their works by visiting the I Want to Write Publication Page.
	Dr. Kiera Vargas will facilitate a 3-part webinar discussing the Culture and Climate of racism in schools. Academy Description: A 3-part webinar series exploring racism, which is typically an "elephant" in the room. It stems from individuals being oblivious to a background outside of their own. This affects the climate of the school, which becomes expressed in various ways, including discipline issues, teacher strife, and even a lack of pedagogical advances. With the current world climate and the stagnate achievement gap, addressing racism through cultural awareness is important to make all school stakeholders feel welcome. Learn more: Webinar Series.
	Congrats to Our New LLP Spotlight: Alldon Thompson LLP major Alldon Thompson is our latest spotlight. Thompson has dreams of becoming an investigative reporter, writer and poet. He writes, "Choosing to be an English major allows me to extend my imagination and preserve the tradition of Protest Literature." Learn more about him, and our other student spotlights, by visiting the Student Spotlight page.
	Introducing the new Social Media Intern: Kiana Jones Jones is the LLP Social Media Intern. She will find new and inventive ways to keep you informed. She will manage the LLP Twitter, Facebook, and Blog Accounts with on the scene reporting and in-depth interviews. Her first blog has already been posted. She writes: "My goals for this internship include making sure that I keep you all up to date on all of the events happening within the Language, Literature, and Philosophy Department. I also intend on reaching students of ALL majors in any way I can because I know the struggles of being a college student." Check out her blog, and get reviews and all the news with Kiana.
	Congrats to Dr. Phillip Grayson! Kudos to Dr. Phillip D. Grayson for the upcoming release of his book: The Creation of Reality. The book "boldly details the ways that our relationships with literature shape our understanding of the world around us, the others that inhabit it, and the ethical obligations we have to them all." Learn more and preorder here: The Creation of Reality.

NOTE:
Our news develops over the school year as students and faculty participate in TSU activities, present at conferences, explore through class activities, and much more. We hope you will check back frequently to see what we are doing! Please report news to LLP Webmaster Dr. Michelle J. Pinkard.