Say Hello To: Destiny Lyda

 It's time for another "Say Hello To" blog piece!

Credit to Destiny Lyda 

This week I talked to a creative writing major, Destiny Lyda. Destiny is a sophomore here at Bloom. She originally started out as a secondary education major but was quickly drawn to the creative writing track. She told me that through one of her GenEd classes, Foundations of Writing, she became more interested in the English Department and what it had to offer. Destiny explained, "I had a great professor named Dr. Costanzo who talked about English and linguistics with such a passion, it sparked something in me!" She went on to tell me that she had always had a passion for writing and she had even thought about pursuing it but never thought she could. Destiny mentioned her concern to Dr. Costanzo. From there, he encouraged her to check out the other writing classes offered at Bloomsburg and see what happened. 

But what finally tipped the scales for Destiny was after going through field experience in the education major. She realized this was something she wasn't truly passionate about, so she made the decision to follow her dream of majoring in creative writing. 

The transition from one major to the other was smooth and easy. When Destiny entered the English department, her advisor Dr. Wemple helped her navigate the new major.  He added her with picking classes and gave her access to resources and emails if there was ever a question she needed answered. At the start of Fall 2020, Destiny officially became a part of the Creative Writing track here at Bloomsburg University. She told me, "Every single English class I have taken has been the best. I have learned so much and I get to write and read to my heart's content!"

Here at BU, every department strives for student success and encourages students to share their work with many organizations on and off-campus. The English department is no exception. While Destiny and  I chatted back and forth over email, I asked her what was it about the department she liked the most. She replied that organizations like Warren, the literary magazine here at Bloom, was one of those things that she was drawn to. She also commented on the opportunities that arise for amateur writers through contests put out by the English Department or organizations like Warren. 

Destiny also told me that she cannot wait for the semesters to come. She encourages those interested in literature and writing to consider a major or minor in English.  Destiny explained at the end of our communication that she can attest firsthand that English is not just books and writing.  The English Department includes degrees in professional writing or literature. These paths can open many doors for students wishing to have a career with companies and organizations as high-quality writers or publishers. When asked about what should readers take away from this interview, Destiny replied, "There is more to an English degree than you would think. If you have even a slight interest in a class or track in the department, ask! If you want to pursue that interest, the English Department can help."

Say Hello To: Allie Diehl

Last week, I had the privilege of interviewing one of the English Department's Secondary Education majors, Allie Diehl. We chatted over email about what brought her to Bloom, her experience with the department so far, and her future plans. 

Credit to Allie Diehl 

When Allie decided to go to BU to major in secondary education English, she knew she wanted to be in the education department. Growing up, she told me about how she watched her mother’s passion for teaching and quickly decided to follow her mother’s example. Allie remembers she loved to play school, made worksheets for her “students,” and even set up her bedroom to be a makeshift classroom. Besides her obvious childhood love of all things teaching, Allie said it helped that many of her friends had taken classes and majored in education. It also helped that the BU education program is recognized as one of the best in the state.

What Allie didn’t know then was how the English Department would challenge her to improve her overall writing, critical thinking, and analysis skills.  Allie expressed this to me when she said, “I’ve only had a few classes in the department so far, but they’ve all been outstanding. Many of the professors I’ve had have left such great impressions upon me that I’ve gone out of my way to take a class with them again.”

Another aspect of the English department also prompted her to look into becoming a WALES consultant. Her curiosity peaked, Allie decided to look into what WALES’ mission was and became very interested in working there. After contacting Dr. Roggenbuck, she was informed most students are recommended to the program by faculty and the training requires a 1-credit course. Allie remembered, “Once a professor recommended me to WALES, I was so excited. I’m currently taking the training course, and I’m loving it so far. I love the principles WALES stands upon, and I’m looking forward to joining the staff this fall.”

When I asked Allie about why she choose Secondary Education over the other tracks, she told me that she wants to inspire students to become the best individuals they can be and give them a good foundation for their future. She also stressed her love of writing. She did say that she has become more interested in literature since starting college thanks to the department here at BU.

At the end of our interview, I asked about what her future goals were, Allie, said, “Not all my future students will love English the way I do, and that’s perfectly okay. My goal is to have students recognize the value in English studies and allow them to express themselves through what we do in the classroom”. She went on to say that she believes teaching students the content they need to be successful is of the utmost importance. But she stressed the importance of developing ways that were creative and impactful ways she could find that would teach her students to grow both inside and outside of the classroom. 

All credit to Allie Diehl.  

Meet Our Students: Liana Amadeo

What's your name? Liana (Lee) Rosalie Amadeo
Where are you from? Central Islip, Long Island, NY
What's your major? English, Secondary Education
Minor? Literature
Year? Senior
Literary Strengths? Writing Analysis
Favorite books and/or TV shows? My favorite book is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Why did you become an English major? In 8th grade I had a really caring English teacher who pushed me to be the best I can be and showed me that I was actually good at something when I didn’t truly see any of my strengths. He is one of the many reasons I chose this profession.
Favorite class(es) ever taken? Creative Writing with Professor Koch and Literature for Young Adults with Dr. Stuart
What organizations are you a part of? Warren Literary and Art Journal, Sigma Tau Delta
Favorite subjects to write about, formally or informally? I love writing memoir pieces about my own life. I also like to write about Marvel and Transformers in my free time.
Quick, create a title for a book you’d like to write: A Marvelous Transformation
Now a title for a book about you: Little Lee
Dream job? 12th grade English teacher
Any advice for incoming freshmen or students thinking about taking more English classes? Take something that isn’t in your comfort zone. You may be surprised by how much you love the challenge.

Liana is the Managing editor of Warren Literary and Art Journal, which is currently taking submissions! Check out their social media to learn more: 

Instagram: @warrenbu49

Twitter: @warrenbu49

Email: litmag@bloomu.edu

Meet Our Students: Anna Jaskiewicz

Where are you from? Bloomsburg
Major? English: Lit and English: Digital Rhetoric
Year? Senior
Literary Strengths? writing analysis, professional writing (gotten better at)
Favorite books and/or TV shows? Steinbeck, East of Eden, probably anything from Margaret Atwood. I don’t really watch TV so I don't have any favorites—except for Avatar: the Last Airbender.
Why did you become an English major? At first I wanted to teach English in a high school setting, then I just fell in love with study of literature and literary criticism, and I realized there was a lot more that I could do with an English degree than I originally thought.
Favorite class(es) ever taken? Major Authors, focusing on Atwood - Topics and Criticism with Dr. Randall - European Lit 1 with Dr. Whitworth - Approaches to Lit with Dr. Randall
What organizations are you a part of? Phi Sigma Pi, a national honors fraternity (I'm the president), Sigma Tau Delta which is another honors fraternity, and I'm the opinion/editorial editor of the Voice.Favorite subjects to write about, formally or informally? I like literary criticism, even like on a more base level just book reviews, but I only really write when I have to.
Quick, create a title for a book you’d like to write: Middle Class Memoirs
Now a title for a book about you: Uh, Incredibly Indecisive
Dream job? Professional Reader–does it have to be real?
Any advice for incoming freshmen or students thinking about taking more English classes? Enough is never enough with lit classes. Don’t be afraid to even minor in English if you want to major in something else because the skill set is invaluable.

Sigma Tau Delta New Initiates

Congratulations to our new Sigma Tau Delta members! Initiation was held at Dr. Francis’s house last Sunday and included a lovely potluck dinner and some light poetry for dessert.

Our three initiates:



Sheila Patoka (right), Sophomore Secondary Education major
Caroline Vandivere (left), Junior Secondary Education major
Robert Leonard, Sophomore Creative Writing major

In addition to initiation, guests also talked about upcoming events in the honors society, like the Ervene Gulley Faculty Lecture Series on November 20th. Their main speaker, Dr. Stuart, is focusing on the topic “Inheritance.” Be on the lookout for more info when we get into November.
The whole of Sigma Tau Delta is also hosting their international convention in Las Vegas next spring, and submissions for that event are open until October 28th.


(President Jose Gamboa, emphasizing a talking point so hard his hand blurred)

The night was filled with laughter and fun, and was a hugely successful initiation overall. We warmly welcome our newest members to the Theta Kappa chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, International English Honors Society, and wish the best for them in their future scholarly endeavors.

(About Sigma Tau Delta: The International Honor Society of English Majors and Minors has a capture here at BU and is housed in the Department of English. The society seeks to recognize students who excel in literary studies and supports their work as they grow through enriching their knowledge through academic and scholarly endeavor.)

Halloween Flash Fiction Contest

Kicking Back After the English Department Cookout

English Department Cookout chez Dr. Francis (or, more accurately, her backyard):



A fun time was had by all who got to come to the English Department Cookout at Dr. Francis’s house yesterday. Everyone who came got to meet up with friends and professors, meet some new people, eat some good food and pet some good dogs.

We took pictures and interviewed some of the people who were there:

Alexis Mucci:



What’s your major?
Creative writing, with a minor in ASL interpreting.
What inspired you to do this as a major?
Well, I had to write stories for third grade English, and they did contests every week. As the year went on, I found that I was winning all of them. And then I was like, “Huh.” And I just went with it.
How are you liking the cookout?
 . . . a lot? It’s really fun.

Madison Fick:



What’s your major?
English, secondary Ed.
What inspired you to choose this as a major?
My family, they were always pounding it in, “Get your education, get your education.” I want to make it a priority for people who don’t have that.
How are you liking the cookout?
I’m enjoying it. It’s very relaxed, and a lot less stressful than I thought it would be.

Prof Jerry Wemple



What do you teach this semester?
Lit and Society, English 101 and English 316
What inspires you to teach every day?
Teaching is fun. I like helping people, and always changing up the class. The 101 I taught 2 years ago is nothing like the one I’m teaching now. I’m always thinking about different approaches, it makes things interesting for me and the students.

Picture time!

Fraggle, being adorable 

Finn and Dr. Francis

The late end-of-the-party crowd

Meet Our Professors: Dr. Costanzo

Dr. Angelo Costanzo, Associate Professor of English

“My grandfather was a coal miner. He came to this country to work in the mines. He’s from Pittston. I grew up hearing about all these places, and to finally be here and doing research in them, it kind of feels like I’m meant to be here. Basically, I’m studying my grandfather. And that’s so cool.” 

Q. You studied linguistics during your undergraduate, what introduced you to this subject?
A. I’ve always been interested in languages. I got into linguistics through studying other languages; I studied Spanish for a really long time and a teacher suggested that I look into linguistics, as an undergraduate. When I started my undergraduate degree I was a major in Aerospace Engineering and I did not like that, so I went back to what I liked which was languages and linguistics.


Q. What has been your favorite course to teach so far?
A. I really like teaching History of English, because it’s the closest match up to what I’ve studied in the past. My background is mostly not in english, it’s in other languages, and I get to incorporate a lot of what I know of other languages in the History of English, because if you go back far enough a bunch of other languages used to all be one language. I also really enjoy teaching Structure of English, which I teach as kind of an introductory linguistics class.


Q. What brought you to BloomU?
A. What’s interesting is that when my family came to America they settled in this region. I was raised in Southern California, but I ended up coming back to where my family originally was from, which is kind of cool, it’s kind of come full circle. I like the area; I like Northeastern Pennsylvania. I feel like I belong here, even though I grew up some place very different from here.


Q. What projects are you currently working on? 
A. I’m working on a bunch of stuff right now, what I really want to be focusing on is a study of linguistic variation in the coal region. I have a personal connection the coal region; I like to do research wherever I am, I think it’s important to engage the community with the research. So I’m looking forward to in the future doing a lot of research in the coal region. I also have projects I’m working on based off my dissertation, which is based on Romania. So I do a lot of study of Romanian, the verb system, which is pretty boring, but I’m really excited to finally work on the coal region.


Q. What do you do in your spare time?
A. I have three children, so most of my spare time is spent with them. I enjoy cooking; I watch basketball a lot. Yeah, mostly try to spend time with my children. Every year I try to go to the Linguistic Society of America conference.


Q. If you were sponsored to travel anywhere to study linguistics for an extended period of time, where would you choose to go?
A. My favorite place, the place I’m most interested in, that I’ve spent some time in the past is the Balkans. I would love to go back to places like Macedonia and Albania, and study linguistics there. That area of the world interests me a lot. The culture is really, really interesting. It’s such a mixture...I found that was fascinating. I was lucky enough to spend some time there already; I fell in love with the area.


Q. What is your favorite thing about teaching at Bloom?
A. I think the students are great. The students are interested, they’re enthusiastic, they’re willing to mess around with language. A lot of learning linguistics is messing around, doing puzzles. I found the students here are willing to try.


Q. Do you have any visions for the linguistics program at Bloom?
A.  I want there to be more collaboration with other departments. The linguistics minor is already a collaboration between our department and Speech Pathology, I would love for there to be opportunities to make those connections stronger. I think co-teaching classes, these kinds of collaborations...We have so many interesting faculty doing so many interesting things.


Thank you to Dr. Costanzo for the interview!

Meet Our Students: Morgan Mickavicz

Q: Where are you from?
M: I’m from a small town named Taylor, it’s near Scranton, PA. And yes, like everyone asks, it is Scranton like on The Office.

Q: What is your major?
M: I’m in the Secondary Education English track. My minors are in Creative Writing and Educational Technology.

Q: What year are you?
M: I’m a senior, but I’ll be completing my student-teaching next fall as the two minors put me a little behind - but I’m okay with staying a student a little longer before entering the real world.

Q: What are your literary strengths? 
M: I would say one of my literary strengths is connecting texts to the real world, especially modern culture and current events. I try to find these relations as a reader to form a better connection with the text, but I also think this is good practice as a future teacher because connections are what make texts engaging and meaningful to students.

Q: Favorite books or shows?
M: I have so many “favorite” books that it is hard to pick just one; I guess I would say my favorite books right now are probably Educated by Tara Westover and Girl Mans Up by M-E Girard. On Netflix I’m currently watching That 70s Show for some comic relief during the end of the semester stress, but I’m excited for a new season of Black Mirror to be released (hopefully soon!)

Q: Why did you become an English Major? 
M: I became an English major because as a kid, I always loved reading writing. As I got older, I was still an avid reader, but I was not writing as much. I had a few phenomenal high school English teachers who helped me fall in love with writing again. I also feel like I was reading in a new way after having them, more critically maybe? Or more engaged? I’m not sure totally, but I know those teachers really helped me to use my own voice more and value the voices of others in a new way. So, I want to do that for students. I also want to reach those that don’t love writing; I want them to see how important English classes are to forming communication skills.

Q: What is your favorite class you have ever taken?
M: That’s such a tough question; I’ve loved so many classes I’ve taken here. I have to name a few: Feminist Readings on Cultures with Dr. Francis, Young Adult Literature with Dr. Stuart, European Literature II with Dr. Riley, and Short Story with Dr. Lawrence. I could name so many other classes both within and outside of the English Department that I really loved taking; I’m a nerd and I adore school.

Q: What organizations are you part of?
M: I’m an Orientation Workshop Leader (OWL.) I’m also the Co-Managing Editor of BUnow.com. Bloomsburg University’s chapters of National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and Association of Mid-Level Educators (AMLE) are two other organizations I’m in on campus, as well as Sigma Tau Delta, the English honors society.

Q: What subjects do you like to write about, formally and informally?
M: I typically write realistic fiction, and a lot of work (nonfiction and fiction) relates to the struggles associated with being a teenager, especially when it comes to dealing with insecurities.

Q: Quick, create a title of a book you’d like to write:
M: Surviving Teenage Girlhood: It Sucks Sometimes, but Girl, You’ve Got This. 

Q: Now create the title of a book about you:
M: Oh gosh…I have no idea. Maybe from Insecure High Schooler to High School Teacher? That’s lame. I need to think more about this.

Q: What's your dream job?
M: A teacher at the Lebron James Foundation’s I Promise School in Akron, Ohio. The, one day, a politician leading to the position of U.S. Secretary of Education…you’ve got to dream big.

Q: Any advice for incoming freshmen or students who are thinking about taking more English classes?
M: I would advise anyone thinking about taking more English classes to absolutely do it. English major or not, these classes help you develop a broader worldview and critical thinking skills.

Thanks for the interview, Morgan!

Visiting WALES Before Finals

Hello, everyone!  With two more weeks of the semester left, many of you are likely working on multiple large writing projects for the final projects of your classes.  That being said, this is an excellent time to visit our writing center, WALES, and receive feedback and a helpful listening ear for any stage of your writing process!  You can visit WALES for:

• Citation Styles
• Grammar and Proofreading
• Brainstorming
• Evaluating Sources
• And anything else you might need to review for a paper!

Additionally, do you have an ePortfolio due for an English class?  Every WALES consultant is versed in creating ePortfolios and can help you at any step of the process.  

We will hold sessions for more than just English papers as well!

Since this is the busy time of the semester, let me take the time to remind you that although we still accept walk-in appointments, due to the high volume of people requesting sessions it may be wise to book a session in advance.  You can do this by visiting our center to request an advance date, emailing us, or calling us.  Check out our website here for our email and hours.  

Good luck, and happy writing!

Diversity Conference News

Last Wednesday, November 14th, Bloomsburg proudly hosted the 16th Annual High School Diversity Conference under the theme "Empowering Your Voices," aimed at encouraging young students to feel confident in sharing their stories and speaking out.  Over 100 high school students and faculty from several school districts surrounding Bloomsburg showed up for a series of panels on issues on communication and diversity.

Of our English Department, Dr. Christina Francis gave one of the six versions of the final panel, designed to discuss the challenges and ways to navigate speaking out in their schools and communities.  Several of our English majors, including Nancy Zola, Kearstin Calhoun, Sarah M. Goulet, Brittany Stephenson, Jonathan Beaver, Alissa Heatherington, Morgan Mickavicz, Breyana Rolon, and Sherri Boyles, helped facilitate these final panels.  Additionally, another one of our majors, Angela Montaño, participated in the panel "Unity within Diversity."  Wonderful job, everyone!

Even more excitingly, the local news station, WBRE, featured a one-minute clip on the conference. Dr. Francis is a featured voice in this clip.  Please check it out here!

Warren Contests Winners

The winners of the Warren micro-essay and mini-poetry contests have been announced!

The Poetry contest winners are:

1st: Nerves by Hannah Everett

2nd: Rose-Colored Glasses by Geara Catania

3rd: Landmine by Julia Miller

Honorable mention: Sin by Katelyn McGuire



Two Micro-essay winners tied for first place!

Middle of the Night Panic Attacks: Cause Rarely Identifiable by Morgan Mickavicz

and

Hunger by Sarah Goulet


All the winners should be posted on the Warren's website in the next few weeks.  Please check it out, and congratulations to all winners!

Meet our Students: Zachary Deretz

Q: Where are you from? 
Z: I'm from Baldwinsville, NY.

Q: What is your major? 
Z: I'm majoring in Secondary Education in the English Focus.

Q: What year are you? 
Z: I'm a Junior.

Q: What are some of your literary strengths?
Z: I am obviously a literary genius and perfect in all regards… All jokes aside, I like to consider myself as someone capable of an adequate level of analysis on new subject material relatively quickly; moreover, I am certainly capable of reading quickly and with ease. I would also say that, due to my fairly decent experience with the field, I am capable of writing readily accepted papers based on what is deemed “acceptable professional language” in the field of academia.

Q: Favorite books or shows?
Z: Almost any question that asks me what my favorite rendition or selection of subjects, objects, discussions, etc. are met with fierce difficulty. I believe myself to be someone that I identify as indecisive for many situations, unless I am in a situation that requires me to be decisive with consequences at hand (such as a work environment). With this in mind, there is no way I would be capable of choosing a single book that I find the most enjoyable. That is a feat that is simply impossible; however, how about as far as favorite shows are concerned? I might argue that some “older” shows such as Fringe, Chuck, or The Office might be my favorite television shows, and my favorite movie would have to be V for Vendetta.

Q: Why did you become an English Major?
Z: I was one of those people who never knew what they wanted to do with their lives until my senior year of high school, and even then it was relatively “wishy-washy.” During that time, I encountered my AP English teacher for the first time in a classroom setting. Simple as that. I say what he did and felt that it was something I could enjoy and really learn to love; moreover, I have always had a deep love for Literature since I was young, so I never saw any issues with that backing up my newly acquired goal.

Q: What is your favorite class you have ever taken? 
Z: I would definitely have to say that my favorite class that I have taken up to this point in time would be my Shakespeare class of my sophomore year attending Bloomsburg University. It was an extremely detailed class that truly made me feel as though I could delve into the knowledge and experiences of the past. The professor did a wonderful job and truly had a profound knowledge on all of the subject material.

But, a close second would also be my freshman year’s Dinosaur class. Admittedly, I’m a child at heart and love dinosaurs. And to be honest, I expected it to be easy, but it ended up being refreshingly difficult with an immense amount of diverse and intricate knowledge that gave me a newfound respect for paleontologists and those studying ancient history.

Q: What organizations are you part of?
Z: I am a part of a couple organizations, I suppose? I guess the most relevant to this interview would have to be the fact that I work at the Writing and Literacy Engagement Studio (WALES), formerly known as the writing center. It’s a great experience and has helped me in my field by leaps and bounds, so I definitely recommend people check it out. I also attend the Student Poetry Association (SPA) located on campus as a member; although, due to my schedule this semester I’m having difficulty making it to many of the meetings. Technically, there are a couple of other groups here and there, but I am more of an honorary member until my schedule eases up on me, so I won’t go into detail for those.

Q: What subjects do you like to write about, formally and informally?
Z: Sado-masochism. Now, I say that half jokingly, but I actually had a great formal writing experience in my aforementioned Renaissance class by debating the rhetorical connection between sado-masochistic theories and some others that I won’t go into detail due to time restraints. It really depends on the subject, timing, even how I feel that day, to be honest. I like to write about interesting and highly debatable topics that I have had time to truly think about and consider, especially when I get to combine theories and hypotheses.

As far as informal writing goes… I don’t tend to have to much time for that these days. But I guess my poetry tends to focus on loss and/or love? I tend to write Sonnets, so it tends to make more sense. Oh, I also like to write about nature, as I am a huge fan of the world’s natural beauty.

Oh… and let’s say potatoes too. I won’t explain any more than that. I think it’s more fun that way.

Q: Quick, create a title of a book you’d like to write!
Z: Rise of the Potato Cult: A True Story by myself, obviously. I jest, I jest… I would actually like to publish a collection of some of my poetry some day. Or not? Regardless, I’d probably title it something along the lines of My Not-So Final Verse.

Q: Now create the title of a book about you?
Z: Oh dear... I guess I’d title it something like… When is the Night I Slept Last: A Life With Minimal Sleep.

Q: Dream job: go!
Z: I would love to be a stay-at-home husband for a really wealthy woman… I say, again, half jokingly. I mean, there is a reason that I want to become and English teacher. I genuinely love to see people that come to me for help grow on their own and feel proud of themselves when they improve on the subject I helped out with.

Q: Any advice for incoming freshmen or students who are thinking about taking more English classes?
Z: I’d have to warn freshmen not to get discouraged. Often times, your high school teacher taught you something wrong when it comes to “correct” grammar and you’ve also almost never been taught how to think critically at the collegiate level, so don’t hesitate to ask questions, even if you think they might sound stupid.

Meet our Students: Addy Sacouto

Q: Where are you from?
A: I'm from Philadelphia, PA.

Q: What is your major?
A: I'm dual-majoring in Creative Writing and Russian.

Q: Do you have a minor?
A: I'm minoring in linguistics.

Q: What year are you?
A: I'm a junior!

Q: What are some of your literary strengths?
A: I have a pretty good memory, and that helps a lot when writing papers and studying for tests.

Q: Favorite books or shows?
A: I love Jodi Picoult’s books, but Harry Potter will always have a special place in my heart.

Q: Why did you become an English Major?
A: I’ve been writing since I was eight and didn’t know what else to do, honestly.

Q: What is your favorite class you have ever taken, at Bloomsburg, or otherwise?
A: Dr. Stuart’s Intro to Creative Writing is the reason I’m an English major. She taught me that it’s okay to be creative, and she never discouraged anyone, and I just had a positive experience the entire time. I became more open to the major then and eventually declared it.

Q: What organizations are you part of?
A: I’m in Honors and BOG, so I don’t have time for fun clubs.  I am also a consultant at WALES.

Q: What subjects do you like to write about, formally and informally?
A: Mental illness is probably all I write about, though I’ll throw in the occasional romance story or poem for fun.

Q: Quick, create a title of a book you’d like to write.
A: I am the absolute worst at titles and most of my pieces don’t even have them, so... I don’t know.  How about Hidden in Plain Sight or some other cliché?

Q: Now create the title of a book about you.
A: “Look at This Gay Nerd” or more formally “From the Ashes.”

Q: What is your dream job?
A: I love proofreading and translating and I want to work on a video game localization team.

Q: Have any advice for incoming freshmen or students who are thinking about taking more English classes?
A: Don’t let people guilt you for being an English major! I know I got a lot of negative feedback from family and even friends about declaring a pointless major, but English majors can make better arguments and write better papers than most, and that’s a very valuable skill. Also embrace the creativity because that’s literally the point, and if you’re not writing for you it’s better to not write at all.

Meet our Students: Julia Miller

Q: Where are you from?
J: I’m from right here in lovely Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania!

Q: What is your major?
J: I’m a Creative Writing major.

Q: Do you have a minor?
J: Anthropology.

Q: What year are you?
J: I’m a senior!

Q: What are your literary strengths?
J: I’ve always had a thing for poetry and tend to write in that particular form the most.

Q: What are some of your favorite books or shows?
J: I have two favorite books. First up is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I read that book when I was thirteen and I often go back and re-read it when I have nothing new to read. My second favorite book is A Pleasure and a Calling by Phil Hogan. It’s a thriller about a real estate agent who makes copies of his customer’s keys and spies on their lives. It’s a read that leaves you feeling like you’re being watched -- which is the best kind of read!

Q: Why did you become an English Major?
J: While I’ve always loved reading and writing, I initially entered Bloomsburg as an Elementary Education major. After I took Dr. Stuart’s Intro to Creative Writing class as a second-semester freshman, I was inspired to switch my major to Creative Writing and I haven’t looked back since. The best part? I don’t have to take any math classes!

Q: What is your favorite class that you have ever taken? 
J: I love all the Creative Writing and Poetry Workshop classes that I’ve taken here at Bloomsburg because it’s such a valuable thing to have fellow students reading and analyzing your work. It’s also wild because you can look back on your work from previous semesters and see how much you’ve grown as a writer.

Q: What organizations are you part of?
J: I work as a consultant at WALES! It’s the most fulfilling job I’ve ever had. It’s wonderful to work with students on their papers because, at the end of each session, you can see how much more confident they are in their writing.

Q: What subjects do you like to write about, both formally and informally?
J: I like writing about ordinary, everyday people and settings and then throwing in something supernatural. I think that’s called Magic Realism? I also tend to write a lot about my bulldog, Rosco, because he is truly inspiring. 

Q: Quick, create a title of a book you’d like to write:
J: How I Ate My Way Through Italy, because that means I’d have to go back to Italy and eat a LOT of pasta!

Q: What would your dream job be?
J: Whatever archaeology Indiana Jones does!

Q: Any advice for incoming freshmen or students who are thinking about taking more English classes?
J: Definitely take a creative writing class. You might find that you actually like to write when it’s not a book report.

Warren Contests and Open Mic

As a reminder to all students interested in entering short contests, the deadline is coming up for the micro essay contest this Friday, November 2nd.  A micro essay is a one-page essay that can fall under any subject and style.  The Brevity Magazine has some excellent examples of these essays, which you can view here.

For your submissions, you are allowed to enter 1 (one) essay of any genre, as long as it falls under the word count (one page, single-spaced, font size 12.  The essay should be submitted as a Word (.doc or .docx) to litmag@bloomu.edu under the header "Full name/Title/Microcontest."  Don't place your name anywhere on the document.

There is a mini poetry contest sponsored by the Warren as well.  You may submit up to two poems of any genre.

Additionally, The Warren will be hosting an open mic on Monday, November 12th. Winners will be announced at the Narrow open mic held at 6:30 p.m., Monday, November 12, in room 004 Student Services Center (the small auditorium downstairs). The open mic is open to all students would like to read a poem or short prose piece, but you need to have entered the contest.

Savage Poetry Contest

Attention, all BU poets:

The Savage Poetry Award is given each spring to the Bloomsburg University student who submits the best poem to the panel of judges. 

The competition is open to all BU undergraduates.  The poet who takes first place will receive $150.

To enter the competition, writers should submit four xeroxed copies of as many as three poems.  The entrant's name should appear on a cover page only, along with an email address.  Entrees should be delivered to Dr. Terry Riley in the English Department.

Deadline: Friday, December 14th, 2018

Meet Our Students: Daniel Pintos

Q: Where are you from? 
D: I'm from Lehighton, PA.

Q: What is your major?
D: I'm an English major with a concentration in Creative Writing.

Q: What year are you? 
D: I'm a Senior.

Q: What are your literary strengths? 
D: Writing poetry and genre fiction are my strengths.

Q: Favorite books or shows?
D: My favorite book series is the Wheel of Time [by Robert Jordan]. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy.

Q: Why did you become an English Major?
D: I became an English major because my biggest strength academically has always been writing, and I love to read, so it fits pretty well.

Q: What is your favorite class you have ever took?
D: The poetry workshop with Professor Wemple taught me that I can write poetry.

Q: What organizations are you part of?
D: I'm currently a shadow at the Writing and Literacy Engagement Studio (WALES).

Q: What subjects do you like to write about, formally and informally?
D: I’m not a fan of writing about myself, at least when it comes to crafting a narrative.  Poetry allows me to touch upon topics I don’t think I have the ability to approach otherwise. Fantasy and science fiction allow me to play around with the wild ideas in my head.

Q: What's the title of a book you’d like to write?
D: Why God Doesn't Tell Us Why.

Q: What's the title of a book about you?
D: Confessions of a Professional Napper.

Q: What would your dream job be?
D: If I could make a living off of my music, I would absolutely love to just tour and play in front of crowds. There’s no better feeling for me.

Q: Finally, any advice for incoming freshmen or students who are thinking about taking more English classes? 
D: I’d recommend Intro to Creative Writing, or a literature course that looks interesting. You might be surprised about how fun it is to write when the topic isn’t a research paper.

Thanks for the interview, Dan!

EAPSU Conference: A Reflection

The English Association of Pennsylvania State Universities (EAPSU) is a statewide organization with members from the 14 state universities of Pennsylvania. Since 1980, they have been dedicated to showcasing English excellence. Every year they host two conferences - one in the fall for English faculty, and one in the spring for undergraduate English students.  This year, the annual Fall Conference was held at Shippensburg University on October 4-6, which several Bloomsburg students got to visit and participate in!

EAPSU hosts an annual poetry competition for undergraduate students at any of the PA state universities.  This year, we are proud to announce that the first place winner went to Sarah M. Goulet for her poem "For you, my bones."  Adelina Sacouto and Daniel Pintos both received honorable mentions for their poems "Manitas" and "Dream Eaters," respectively.

All three of our students had the opportunity to travel to this conference, along with Professor Wemple, who participated in a panel called "Readings from Central Pennsylvania Poets.”

Our poets read their poems during the Thursday Night Open Mic hosted by Patricia Smith, the Keynote Speaker for the conference.  Patricia Smith, according to the conference guidebook, "is the award-winning author of eight critically-acclaimed books of poetry, including Incendiary Art (Triquarterly Books, 2017), winner of the 2018 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award, the 2018 NAACP Image Award, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, as well as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize; Shoulda Been Jimi Savannah (Coffee House Press, 2012), winner of the Lenore Marshall Prize from the Academy of American Poets; Blood Dazzler (Coffee House Press, 2008), a National Book Award finalist; and Gotta Go, Gotta Flow (CityFiles Press, 2015), a collaboration with award-winning Chicago photographer Michael Abramson."

Congratulations to our poetry finalists!

From left to right:  Kaitlynn Keiper, Sarah M. Goulet, and Patricia Smith

Daniel Pintos 

Adelina Sacouto

Congrats!

Meet Our Students: Nancy Zola

Q: Where are you from?
N: Sugarloaf, Pennsylvania.  I’ve lived there all my life.

Q: What is your major?
N: English in Secondary Education.  I’m minoring in psychology.

Q: What year are you?
N: A senior.

Q: What are your literary strengths?
N: I think I’m strong at analyzing literature through different lenses, mainly through psychological and historical lenses. Feminist lenses - I’m pretty strong with as well.  I just like writing for different purposes, too.  I think understanding symbolism in literature is somewhere that I’m particularly strong.

Q: Favorite books, shows, or genres?
N: I really like The Great Gatsby.  I used to carry [a Great Gatsby bag] around all the time.  I’m trying to think - Pride and Prejudice.  I like - it’s hard to choose just a couple.  I really like Brave New World.  Pretty much any dystopian literature, I really like.  1984.  And now that I’m teaching it, I love The Crucible.  I mean, I loved it before I taught it, but now - yeah, it’s even better because you get to share the things that you like about the literature with the kids and with everybody else.  It’s great.

Q: Why did you become an English major?
N: I became an English major because I thought that would be my favorite thing to teach.  Like, my two biggest loves are singing and writing, so I wanted to be able to teach writing.  I knew I wanted to teach; it was more of deciding what I wanted to teach.  For a while I entertained being a choral director, but I decided maybe that was not a good idea… one, because I’m not the best at reading music - I’m okay at it, but not good enough to be a choral director, or a music major, because that stuff is hard.  Plus, I’d have to learn how to play an instrument, and - [laughs] We’re not going down that path.

Q: What is your favorite English class you’ve ever taken?
N: I think I have to say my all-time favorite class - the class that inspired me to become a teacher - was my second grade class.  It wasn’t really an English class at the time because it was general, covering all subjects, but, yeah.  My teacher I had really inspired me and I went to visit her years after that, until she retired and I graduated.  So, yeah - that’s probably my favorite class because it brought me to my current path.

Q: What organizations are you part of?
N: I’m a WALES consultant, and I’m the president of NCTE.  I’m the co-president of Kappa Delta Pi. I am in Sigma Tau Delta [the English honors society]; I am also in Phi Kappa Phi.  Technically I’m in student PSEA - I have the membership and everything.  I haven’t been to a meeting in a while, but that’s besides the point.  And, I used to be in the history club and in women’s choir as well.  I was in acapella choir.

Q:  What do you like to write about, formally and informally?
N: Well, I really like to write any sort of psychological analysis, like I said, but also I love writing about - about writing!  [laughs] Writing center pedagogy, like that, and the larger conversations that scholars are having about writing. I hope to be a part of that one day.  In terms of stuff that I just like to write in my free time, I like to write poetry. I usually write poetry as a release or expression of my feelings.  I feel like a lot of people wouldn’t expect the kind of poetry that I write.  [laughs]  It’s - I mean, in my opinion, it’s not particularly good.  It’s poetry, I guess, and it’s dark.  But I enjoy it as well.

Q: What would the title of a book about you be?
N: If it was about me… I guess, if I was going for a one-word title, I would put Trying.  Cause, like, I think one of the most characteristic things about me is that I don’t stop trying.  I really care about everything, so I’m always trying.  Yeah, maybe like: The Art of Trying.  I think that’s what I would title it.

Q: What’s your dream job?
N: Well, I guess I would get a little taste of both of the jobs that are my dream jobs, because my dream job for the longest time was to be a high school English teacher.  But then, I also want to be a professor, so I don’t know if that would be down the line, I could teach writing.  [Or like a director of a writing center;] that’d be cool.  And I would also like to write stuff that gets published - all sorts of stuff.  If I could publish both writing center pedagogy - but also poetry - that would be fine.  Hopefully my poetry would get a little better. I’ve never taken a poetry class… but yet, I keep writing it.  [laughs]

Q: Any advice for incoming freshmen or students who are interested in taking more English courses?
N: Well, of course, I would say, “Go for it!” I would tell them that taking English classes helps you understand who you are.  You might think you know, but then you find out that you don’t, really, and things that you think are important about yourself, you might find later that they’re not.  They’re not - or they’ve changed.  I think through reading and bringing yourself to encounter a piece - and really responding to it - as well as writing and expressing your actual thoughts about what you read or just any topic in general could really help you find your path.  Find your actual voice that often gets kind of lost in the voices of others.