Student Leadership News

Convention Stories

2012-04-16T13:14:00.000-07:00

Every year, as part of the Save Our Stories Project, we ask students and Sponsors who attended the Sigma Tau Delta Annual International Convention to submit their own personal convention stories to be archived on our website. These stories serve as snapshots of our Sigma Tau Delta culture, and reflections on the things that make our annual convention so vital to that culture.

Throughout the summer and fall we will be featuring a number of different takes on this assignment to encapsulate the convention experience. These stories serve as funny, inspirational, and heartwarming reminders of what this organization and this event mean to our members. They are also a wonderful tool for explaining what the convention is all about to those who have never been. Whether you're enticing new members to submit papers next year, persuading your department to give you travel funding, or encouraging the school paper to give your trip a little PR, these stories can help you back up the claim that this is far more than just another undergraduate academic conference.

If you would like to submit your own convention story, please contact lbrandeberry@niu.edu.

More Things to Do, Mo' Things to Learn

by Alexander Daley 
Far Western Student Representative, 2012-2013
Alpha Eta Gamma Chapter
California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA

On our second-to-last night at the Sigma Tau Delta 2012 International Convention, my chapter decided to celebrate our presentations at The Funky Pirate on Bourbon Street. Between sets, the musician "Big Al" Carson commented that, "in New Orleans we have 'Mo'; that's 'More' for everyone else." This statement encapsulates my entire experience in New Orleans. Read more...

Anthony Doer Convention Event Review

2012-04-09T09:59:00.000-07:00

by Christina Thompson
Southern Student Representative, 2012-2013
Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA

At the 2012 Sigma Tau Delta International Convention, Anthony Doerr began his talk by sharing a short work of prose he had just composed on the plane ride to New Orleans. With an easy wit and endearing charm, Doerr crafted a caricature of his younger self, piecing together a Halloween costume with duct tape, cardboard, and black magic marker. Marking every peculiar nuance, Doerr translated emotive images of a young boy standing alone at a party, separated from the other kids by his faded, rain-soaked homemade costume. While the life lesson confused him at the time, the gift of a “Most Original Costume” prize from a friend’s mother planted the freedom-seed of individual expression within his heart.

That free expression found its voice through the creative process of short-story writing. Doerr also read a short story originally titled “Oranges.” Beginning with a meet-cute on a plane, he followed a singular stranded orange peel through the couple’s adventures of love, loss, and little personal idiosyncrasies that formed their life together. Doerr covered bone with flesh with the subtle inflections in his voice, sharing the couple’s interior reflections of one another while whispering the secret of the oranges.

Doerr delivered his talk with a gracious tone, repeatedly remarking “thanks for clapping” with a genuine gratitude that revealed his sheer pleasure in his life’s work. Through his readings, he continually echoed the sentiments of his childhood self, remaining true to his own originality. Anthony Doerr’s unique voice and ability to translate the small details in our everyday world will surely leave a lasting impression on attendees, affirming the free expression of individual art.

Review: The Lens of Natasha Tretheway

2012-04-05T10:20:00.000-07:00

by Joe Nelis
Eastern Student Representative, 2012-2013
Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA

We’re lucky to live in a world where diversity is more widely celebrated than it is condemned. It’s not perfect by any means, but it is closer to equal today than during the time depicted in Natasha Trethewey’s Bellocq’s Ophelia, our Common Reader for the 2012 International Convention in New Orleans. Bellocq’s Ophelia received the 2003 Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters Book Prize and was named a 2003 Notable Book by the American Library Association. Trethewey herself won the Pulitzer Prize in 2007 for her more recent poetry collection, Native Guard. Trethewey treated us Sigma Tau Deltans to a historically and contextually grounded reading that should open our eyes to the depth and complexity of life, culture, and race during any time period.

With Bellocq’s Ophelia, Trethewey performs a poetic retelling of the photographs of a mixed-race prostitute taken by the historically renowned E. J. Bellocq of New Orleans in the early twentieth- century. Through the creative-critical lens of Trethewey’s text, we see a recreation of the historical context in which this woman, Ophelia, lived and worked. Through the poems she shared with us, including “Countess P-’s Advice for New Girls,” “Photograph of a Bawd Drinking Raleigh Rye,” and parts of the “Letters from Storyville,” Trethewey gave the audience significant insights into the life of women like Ophelia.

Even living in an oppressive time, Ophelia was a woman with personal growth in mind, always educating herself. Trethewey experienced her share of racism and sexism growing up as a woman of mixed race in Gulfsport, Mississippi. During her reading, Trethewey elaborated upon issues close to her that any Deltan could appreciate. She discussed important factors from her past that fuel her passions and creative drives now. She gave us a deeper insight into the research and work done to write Bellocq’s Ophelia, from studying Bellocq’s actual photographs to her archival dig through historical records. She revealed her frustrations as she tried to break away from writing in a set form, and how, through her challenges to herself, she came to embrace her historically-oriented, character-driven style. From the readings, to her commentary, to her Q & A, Trethewey spoke with clarity and strength that kept her Deltan audience captivated. We were lucky to have her share her work with us in New Orleans.

Introducing the 2012-2013 Student Leaders

2012-04-03T10:52:00.000-07:00

At the 2012 Sigma Tau Delta International Convention in New Orleans, students from each of Sigma Tau Delta's six regions elected Student Representatives and Associate Student Representatives to serve their regions and represent the interests of students to Sigma Tau Delta's national Board of Directors. The Alumni Epsilon chapter also elected an Alumni Representative and Associate Alumni Representative. Throughout the next year, these leaders will be blogging, organizing regional journals, hosting regional events, and serving as resources for members. Next spring they will host workshops, contests, and social events at the 2013 Convention in Portland, OR. They are always happy to answer questions, share ideas, and help members connect with one another and with the Society.

Introducing YOUR 2012-2013 Sigma Tau Delta Student Leadership Committee:

Eastern Region

Joe Nelis - Student Representative (SR)
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana, PA
Email: sigmatd.e@gmail.com

Joe will complete his M.A. in Literature at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) in May 2013. He received his B.A. in English Writing and Literature from IUP in May 2011. Joe hopes to go on to a Ph.D. program in Cultural Studies to pursue his dream of professionally studying popular culture and digital media, incorporating more television and video games into the academy. His literary interests are contemporary, focusing on 20th and 21st century American and British literature, mostly in the realms of fiction, poetry, and sci-fi/fantasy. Joe's favorite authors include Douglas Adams, Stephen Chbosky, Neil Gaiman, George R. R. Martin, Joyce Carol Oates, J. K. Rowling, and Suzanne Collins. He has a reading knowledge of Spanish, and plans to learn French and possibly Japanese over the next few years.

A member of Sigma Tau Delta since the 2008-2009 academic year, he served as President of his chapter the following year. He has presented creative work at the conventions in Minneapolis, St. Louis, and his hometown, Pittsburgh. Joe is honored to serve as Eastern Student Representative, and hopes to strengthen the community of scholars in the region by creating an online peer editing site for creative and critical writing. He also has high hopes in the coming year for the region's literary journal, Mind Murals.

Brian Hartt - Associate Student Representative (ASR)
The College of New Jersey
Ewing, NJ
Email: sigmatd.e2@gmail.com

Brian Hartt, a junior at The College of New Jersey in Ewing, NJ, is studying English and Secondary Education. Brian works as a writing tutor and a housing assistant. His literary interests include critical theory, Latin American literature, and Masculinity Studies. He plans to teach after graduation, and in doing so attempt to stay out of debt when he enters graduate school. When not writing, reading, or grading papers, Brian can be found running the streets of Ewing in his neon orange Wayfarer sunglasses. He hopes to help foster regional communication through Mind Murals, the literary magazine of the Eastern Region, and by inter-chapter events. He is extremely excited to be working to bring the Eastern Region of Sigma Tau Delta together.

Far Western Region

Alexander Daley - Student Representative (SR)
California Lutheran University
Thousand Oaks, CA
Email: sigmatd.fw@gmail.com

Alexander Daley is a junior at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, CA, pursuing a B.A. in English with an emphasis in American Literature. He is originally from Westlake Village, CA. Alexander is an alumnus of the Westlake Information Technology Academy at Westlake High School. He attributes the beginning of his love for English to the great teachers he had during his time in the academy. At California Lutheran University, Alexander is Secretary of his Sigma Tau Delta chapter. Alexander hopes to pursue an M.A. in English after graduating from California Lutheran University. He ran for the position of SR in the Far Western Region with the hope of expanding Sigma Tau Delta's regional presence and the region's connections to the National English Honors Society (NEHS) for high schools. His other interests include going to the gym, swimming, watching movies, and spending time with his father.

Robert Durborow - Associate Student Representative (ASR)
Southern Utah University
Cedar City, UT
Email: sigmatd.fw2@gmail.com

Bob "Chaos" Durborow is a junior English Creative Writing major minoring in Graphic Design at Southern Utah University in Cedar City. Chaos serves as the Vice President of his local Sigma Tau Delta chapter and serves his school and community on a number of boards and committees involving the arts. He can get in a significant amount of trouble in Arabic, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Chinese, and Klingon as well as English. Chaos ran for the ASR position in the Far Western Region to help draw the chapters closer together and promote growth. Writing is his life and he does everything in his power to promote literacy and interest in the power of words.

Chaos has won a number of awards for his writing and has a number of poems and short stories published in various publications. He loves to read, draw, hike, and fish, and commands a tactical paintball team, Ghost Echo, which helps train ROTC, National Guard, Reserves, and various law enforcement units. Chaos has worked as a professional soldier, critical care technician, surveyor, handyman and phlebotomist, among other things. He has owned several successful businesses and is a nationally certified archery instructor.

High Plains Region

Jessica Reyes - Student Representative (SR)
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS
Email: sigmatd.hp@gmail.com

Jessica Reyes is a first year M.A. student in English at Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS, and the outgoing President of the Alpha Theta Eta Chapter. In addition to taking classes and teaching composition courses, Jessica likes to spend her time tutoring in the writing center. Her research interests tend to focus on writing center theory, but she is also enamored with post-Civil War literature and American history. Jessica enjoys the mind-melting power of literary and cultural theory, and currently finds her theoretical anchor in historical materialists such as Marx, Williams, and Jameson.

When Jessica isn't studying, you can often find her hanging out at the park with her six-year-old daughter, Bella, and her husband, Carlos. She also enjoys sitting on her porch and chatting with friends during the lovely summer months. Jessica is delighted to be serving as the Student Representative for the High Plains Region. Her goals this year include increasing inter-chapter communication and planning some exciting regional events.

Nick Miller - Associate Student Representative (ASR)
Chadron State College
Chadron, NE
Email: sigmatd.hp2@gmail.com

Nick Miller is a junior at Chadron State College (CSC) in Chadron, NE, working on his B.A. in Literature with a minor in Comparative Philosophy. He is President of the Sigma Beta Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta where, with the help of the other members, he works on several events such as bi-weekly open mic nights for music and spoken word poetry and various other activities that promote literature. Outside of the classroom (and when he is not frantically running around trying to set up those activities), he can most likely be found working in CSC's tutoring center or working at the local coffee shop. When not studying or working, Nick can most likely be found practicing with his band, Bless Me Ultima (named after his favorite magical realism novel) or writing. As ASR, he hopes to help bring members in the vast High Plains Region together more often to build a sense of camaraderie among chapters.

Midwestern Region

Jeffrey J. Jett II - Student Representative
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL
Email: sigmatd.mw@gmail.com

Jeffrey Jett is currently a student in the Teacher's Certification Program in English at Northern Illinois University, working on a Secondary Education endorsement in History and Philosophy of Education certificates of study. Jeff is also the President of Xi Delta Chapter at Northern Illinois University. He will graduate in Spring 2013 with his certification and degree and begin teaching as a profession soon thereafter. When not busy at school or in the throes of club activities, he can be found indulging in works by Stephen King, Scott Snyder, and T.C. Boyle as well as many works of Science Fiction. Jeff has had a long love of comic books and graphic novels, and feels that this medium can mean the difference in educating students with behavioral and attention disorders in a classroom setting.

Jeff is thrilled to be representing the Midwest Region as the new Student Representative for the 2012-2013 year and encourages communication and collaboration amongst all the region's chapters. Please send any questions or ideas about chapter community-building to him as often as you like.

Emily Scott - Associate Student Representative (ASR)
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI
Email: sigmatd.mw2@gmail.com

Emily Elizabeth Scott is a senior at Western Michigan University (WMU) in Kalamazoo, MI, where she is working on her B.A. in both English and Public Relations with minors in Arabic and Economics. She is President of the Alpha Nu Pi Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, and has the most radical executive board this side of the equator. Outside of Sigma Tau Delta, Emily is a peer educator for WMU's Department of Health Promotion and Education, an active member of the university's feminist organization, and an incoming executive board member for Drive Safe Kalamazoo – a student-run non-profit organization. Emily enjoys making people laugh and is a proud cast member of Worklight Improv Team. She is stoked to be serving as an ASR for Sigma Tau Delta and is hoping to help create a sense of unity among the chapters in the Midwest Region.

Southern Region

Christina Thompson - Student Representative (SR)
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, LA
Email: sigmatd.s@gmail.com

Christina Thompson is currently attending Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, LA., pursuing an M.A. in English Literature. She is thrilled to be the new Student Representative for the Southern Region (holla!).
Christina is primarily interested in the construction, composition, and connotative imagination of language. During her undergraduate studies in English, her affinity for literature matured into a proclivity for the pedagogy of language. In order to hone her skills assisting students with varying levels of English proficiency, she has begun work as a writing tutor at the Louisiana Tech Writing Center. Endeavoring to continue her studies to earn a Ph.D. in English, she hopes her efforts prove successful, allowing her to pursue a full career as a literary critic, university professor, and published writer.

Tamia Easterling - Associate Student Representative (ASR)
Tennessee State University
Nashville, TN
Email: sigmatd.s2@gmail.com

Tamia Easterling is a junior English major also earning teacher certification at Tennessee State University in Nashville, TN. She plans to graduate with her B.A. in May 2013, and continue furthering her education by attending graduate school the following fall. Hailing from Cincinnati, OH, she is the oldest of five, and considers her siblings, or her "babies" as she refers to them, as her greatest inspiration. She is President of the Alpha Alpha Eta Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta for the upcoming 2012-2013 academic year, and she is also a member of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs Incorporated. In the very few opportunities she can call "free time" she enjoys reading works by authors such as Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, Eric Jerome Dickey, and Zora Neale Hurston. On Sunday nights you can catch her tuned into AMC's "The Walking Dead" as she is their number one fan!

Her plans for serving as ASR for the Southern Region include not only assisting the SR in her endeavors, but also promoting communication amongst the chapters, and ensuring that all members of Sigma Tau Delta are aware of its opportunities.

Southwestern Region

Katherine Williams - Student Representative (SR)
Arkansas Tech University
Russellville, AR
Email: sigmatd.sw@gmail.com

Katherine Williams graduated from Arkansas Tech University (ATU) in Russellville, AR, in December 2011 with a B.A. in English, a B.F.A. in Creative Writing, and a minor in Film Studies. She plans to further her education with an M.L.A. at ATU in the fall.

Katherine joined Sigma Tau Delta in 2009 and served as the Omnicron Tau Chapter Vice-President and President until graduating. At the national level, she served as the Associate Student Representative for the Southwestern Region for the 2011-2012 term. Her goals as a Student Representative include strengthening inter-chapter relations in order to help smaller chapters like her own achieve big goals.

Shalicia Wilson - Assistant Student Representative (ASR)
Williams Baptist College
Walnut Ridge, AR
Email: sigmatd.sw2@gmail.com

Shalicia Wilson is a senior at Williams Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, where she is persuing a B.S.E. in Secondary English Education. Shalicia has been on the Dean's List for five consecutive semesters, boasting a 3.8 GPA. She is currently student teaching at Westside High School, and plans to attend graduate school upon graduating. In her free time, she reads, her favorite author being Jane Austen. Shalicia also holds a part-time job waiting tables, and enjoys meeting and getting to know new people. Shalicia is the President of the Alpha Delta Pi Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, which often holds open mic nights on campus, and conducts local book drives. She is also a member of the Octave Thanet Society and Pi Lambda Theta. Shalicia's goals as ASR include developing more communication between the region's chapters, and planning events in which smaller chapters in the same area can meet and organize events.

Alumni

Alyssa DeCaulp - Alumni Representative (AR)
Alumna of St. Edward's University
San Antonio, TX
Email: sigmatd.ae@gmail.com

Alyssa DeCaulp is currently finishing her Master's degree in Folklore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Alyssa joined Sigma Tau Delta in 2006, and served the president of the St. Edward's University chapter for three years. During that time, she also spent a year as the Southwestern Region Student Representative. Alyssa's current interest in literature focuses on spoken word poetry and the way oral literary art, and art in general, can be used to affect positive social change. As Alumni Representative, she hopes to facilitate the building of stronger ties in the alumni community, especially through the use of technology and social media.

Jon L. Peacock - Associate Alumni Representative (AAR)
Alumnus of Long Island University, Brooklyn
Brooklyn, NY
Email: sigmatd.ae2@gmail.com

Originally from Arizona, Jon L. Peacock is a Brooklyn based writer and actor. He joined Sigma Tau Delta during his graduate studies for creative writing at Long Island University, Omicron Zeta chapter, where he served as the chapter's president. After completing his thesis, Wayward (a novel), and graduating with his M.F.A., Jon has been teaching English Composition and Literature at various New York colleges, namely St. John's University, where he is currently the sponsor of the Upsilon Omicron chapter. As the Associate Alumni Representative for the 2012-2013 year, Jon is excited to bring more attention to the benefits and amazing opportunities available for Alumni Epsilon members. For more information, visitwww.jonLpeacock.com.

Job Opening, Chicago, IL

2012-03-20T11:06:00.001-07:00

Boeing has an opening for a Communications Specialist 2/3 in Chicago with the corporate employee communications team. “The primary role centers on writing corporate news stories for Boeing News Now, the company's around-the-clock internal electronic news service, and Frontiers magazine, Boeing's monthly four-color employee magazine.”

The latest issue of Frontiers online at http://www.boeing.com/news/frontiers/archive/2012/march/#/1/. Boeing News Now is, as stated above, internal.

“This high-visibility position, based in Chicago, Ill., involves heavy workload, multiple tasks, constant coordination and occasional travel. Frequent early morning or evening shift work required. The final candidate(s) for this position will be required to take writing and editing tests. ”

For more information, go to https://jobs.boeing.com/JobSeeker/JobView?reqcode=12-1005746

Best luck to applicants!

Convention 2012 Top 10

2012-03-08T13:17:00.001-08:00

by Allie Reznik
Student Advisor, 2011-2013

10. Strolling the oil lamp lit streets of NOLA.

9. Enjoying Cafe du Monde twice a day, everyday.

8. Lauren informing us that one of the Twitter contestants asked @EnglishCon out on a date.

7. Seeing brilliant deltans struggle with those tricky smart elevators.

6. Learning at the board meeting that Sigma Tau Delta is now the second largest honor society in the nation!

5. "Feast!"

4. "Honing ones empathy from the personal to the collective" -Anthony Doerr on literature

3. Networking in all of the fantastic Student Leadership workshops!

2. "Poetry allows us to not only touch the intellect but also the heart." -Natasha Tretheway

1. Toss up between "Show me your wits," "I like big books," and Bil Johnson scandalously exposing his leg!

Twitter Contest Winners

2012-03-07T13:16:00.000-08:00

Most Popular Winner ($50 amazon card):
Joe Nelis
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
@JMNelis

Most Popular Runner Up (Cafe Du Monde mug):
Heather Etelamaki
Kansas State University
@hetellama

Most Prolific Winner ($35 amazon card):
Caitlin Yimet
Xi Delta
AngelOfThursday

Most Prolific Runner Up (Cafe Du Monde mug):
Daniel Kasper
Southern Arkansas University
@wickedcoolghost

Top Ten Tips for a Twitter Triumph

2012-02-24T08:23:00.000-08:00

The Tweet the Convention Contest is a fun and easy way to connect with other Convention attendees and learn about all of the excitement Convention has to offer. Whether you are a Twitter veteran or a first time user, this handy guide will help you navigate the contest and come out a winner. (NOTE: Twitter tips listed can be done from the twitter.com website. If you are using a Twitter app on your computer or mobile device, it may not support all of these features).

1- Get a Twitter account. Sorry to state the obvious, but you will need a Twitter account to play. Sign up for free at Twitter.com. You do not need to link any personal information to your account.

2- Enter the contest. You can’t win if you don’t play. The full rules for the contest can be found here, but all you really need to know is that to be officially entered in the contest you must send your name, school, email, and Twitter handle to lbrandeberry@niu.edu. We need email addresses to contact the winners and send out prizes. We will not share your email with anyone or use it for any other purpose.

3- Follow @EnglishCon on Twitter. We will be tweeting tips and announcements throughout the convention. You can also ask us questions and we will try to answer.

4- Follow other contestants. The Twitter contest is a social game. You have to interact with other convention attendees to win. You will want to respond to things they say and share their most interesting tweets, in addition to tweeting yourself. See the official List of Contestants and start following the other people on the list. Bonus Tip: If you don’t see your name on the list, we have not gotten your entry and you need to send us a message right away. We will not penalize you if you entered late or if we lost your original entry, but you won’t get as much out of the contest if people can’t find you, so you want to be on the list.

5- Use lists to sort tweets. If you create an account just for this contest and don’t follow anyone but other contestants, this tip won’t help you. But if you are already a Twitter user, or if you quickly discover some of the other fun and interesting Twitter accounts to follow, you will soon notice that your Twitter feed fills up very fast. When you are busy, such as during the convention, you can’t possibly read every tweet to pick out the ones about the contest. Thankfully, there is an easier way.

Twitter allows users to create lists of people they want to follow and then sort your feed by list, so that you can only see tweets by your friends or, in this case, only tweets by convention attendees. You can also follow entire lists created by other people. We have already created a list of contestants that you can follow, or you can create your own custom lists. Go to your Twitter profile and click on “lists” to make a list and to see lists you are subscribed to, lists you have created, and lists other people have added you to. Click on someone else's profile to see and follow any good lists they have made. Master lists, and you are half way to mastering the contest.

6- Get the right app. Yes, you can use Twitter on your computer if that is your only option. But to really get the most out of the Twitter contest, you need to be carrying Twitter around with you and checking it throughout the day. This means you that if you have a mobile device, you will want to install an app that will let you use Twitter on it. There are tons of free and paid apps available to put Twitter on your smart phone, tablet, ebook reader, iPod Touch, and probably just about any other portable device. To find the best options, do a web search for the name of your favorite device and the words “best twitter app.” Set it up, play with it and become comfortable with how it works so that once the contest starts, you can tweet on the fly like a pro.

7- Master the Retweet. Part of the contest involves contestants “voting” for their favorite tweets. How do you vote? With a Retweet! Retweeting means quoting someone else’s tweet in your tweet, as a way to share it with more people.

Twitter has a built-in retweet function that will make the original tweet appear in your feed exactly as it originally looked, but with “retweeted by” at the bottom. This is the fast and easy way to retweet. Check out @EnglishCon for an example. If you see tweets that appear to be from other people in the @EnglishCon feed, those are things we retweeted.

But suppose you want to modify the tweet? What if you want to add a comment such as “sounds like fun!”? Or what if you want to add the names of some of your friends so it will catch their attention? In that case, just copy the tweet and then paste it into a new tweet by you. Use “via @username” to show where it originally came from. Example:

Orignal Tweet from @EnglishCon: Come check out bad poetry night, Acadia 15 min!

Retweet by another contestant: Sounds like fun @AllieBGoLightly @allielyrica @Allye001 Come check out bad poetry night, Acadia 15 min! via @EnglishCon

8- Don’t forget the photos! We love to hear about what you are doing and seeing throughout your stay in New Orleans. We love it even more when we can SEE what you are doing. Please remember to share your photos of the convention and your trips around town. The twitter.com website and most Twitter apps will have a built-in way to upload and share photos quickly--just look for the little camera icon. There are also several free services such as Twit Pic.

9- Tweet early, tweet often. The contest actually starts on Monday, February 27, two days BEFORE the convention, and ends two days after the convention, on Monday, March 5. This is because we want to hear about the whole experience, from packing and planning to reflecting and decompressing. Get started bright and early Monday morning to iron out all the kinks, find your Twitter groove, and start amping up the excitement.

10- Have fun! The whole point of this contest is to give people a fun way to interact and document their convention experience. Yes, there is a $50 Amazon.com gift certificate on the line, but the most important thing is to connect with people and have a good time. If everyone does that, we will all be winners.

Things To Do In NOLA

2012-02-10T08:30:00.000-08:00

by MeKoi Scott
Southern Region Student Representative, 2011-2012
Auburn University, Montogomery

With all that New Orleans has to offer, convention attendees may appreciate a starter list of activities to enjoy while in the city. Granted, you could walk around the French Quarter and the immediate area beyond and discover spots and attractions, but given the limited free time attendees have at the convention, this list can help point you in the right direction. Or at the very least, it may help you form your own list.

Below, points of interest are divided into three categories: Food; Music; Tours, Trips, and Museums.

FOOD
Restaurants in this category have either been patronized by me personally, or New Orleans locals or a notable chef have recommended them to me. All are relatively inexpensive and none require dressy attire.

Cafe du Monde
800 Decatur St.
-Located in the French Quarter
-French-style doughnuts topped with powdered sugar
-Open 24-7
cafedumonde.com

Mother’s Restaurant
401 Podrays St.
-Located in the Central Business District
-Po-boys, ettouffee, jambalaya, gumbo, and more
-Expect a line, but it moves quickly
mothersrestaurant.net

Lüke
333 St Charles Ave.
-Located in the Central Business District
-Combines Franco-German cuisine
-A little pricey, but if you are in a mood to treat, you may want to consider Lüke’s
lukeneworleans.com

Port of Call
838 Esplanade Ave.
-Located in the French Quarter
-Steaks, hamburgers, baked potatoes, and salads; despite the lack of variety, if you enjoy a well-made burger, then you might want to give them a try.
portofcallnola.com

Coop’s Place
1109 Decatur St.
-Located in the French Quarter
-Cajun/Creole
coopsplace.net

Red Fish Grill
115 Bourbon St.
-Located in the French Quarter
-Seafood; decadent double chocolate bread pudding
-May be a little pricey
redfishgrill.com

MUSIC
All of these music venues are located on Frenchmen Street, which is just outside the French Quarter, past Esplanade Ave. Within the French Quarter live music can be found at various locations, but the venues on Frenchmen Street offer notable and renowned artists and bands. Not all admit persons from 18-20, but a few do.

The Spotted Cat
623 Frenchmen St.
-Music ranging from blues to jazz to Latin to various fusions
-Two bands nightly: first starts at 6pm, the second at 9:30pm
-Small area, mostly standing room only

Snug Harbor
626 Frenchmen St.
-Jazz music
-Two bands nightly: first starts at 9pm, the second at 11pm
-Restaurant also on premise
snugjazz.com

d.b.a
618 Frenchmen St.
-Jazz and Blues
-Sometimes a $5 cover
dbabars.com/dbano/

The Maison
508 Frenchmen St.
-Jazz, Blues, Electronic, Hip Hop, Rock
-Comedy Showcase Fridays 8-10:30pm; Latin Dance Party Fridays at 11pm; Dance Party Saturdays 10pm
-Restaurant on premises
maisonfrenchmen.com

The Apple Barrel
609 Frenchmen St.
-Jazz and Blues

Blue Nile
532 Frenchmen St.
-Jazz, Blues, Rock, Funk
-Sometimes a $10 cover
bluenilelive.com

The Three Muses
536 Frenchmen St.
-Jazz and Blues
-Gastro Pub, more of a restaurant with live music
thethreemuses.com

TOURS, TRIPS, AND MUSEUMS
These activities offer a taste of New Orleans’ charm and culture, past and present.

Spirit Tours New Orleans
601 Royal St.
-Starts every night at 8:15pm
-Two-hour walking tour to the “dark edges” of the historic French Quarter
-$16 per person
neworleanstours.net/ghost.htm

Steamboat Natchez
1 Toulouse St.
-Mississippi Riverboat with dinner and live jazz music
-Sails daily, three time a day: 11:30am, 2:30pm; 7pm; boarding begins 30min. prior
-Day Cruises: $25 w/o lunch, $36 w/ lunch; Evening Cruise: $41 w/o dinner, $68 with dinner
-Two-hour cruise
steamboatnatchez.com

St. Charles Streetcar
-Runs through the Central Business District to Uptown
-See antebellum mansions, historic monuments, the Audubon Zoological Garden
-One-way fares: $1.25 (exact change)

Voodoo Museum
724 Dumaine St.
-Experience the curios, relics, and artifacts of one of New Orleans’ religions
-Open 10am-6pm daily
-$7 General; $5.50 Students
voodoomuseum.com

The Presbytere
751 Chartes St., Jackson Square
-Houses a collection of Mardi Gras artifacts and memorabilia
-Open 9am-5pm Tuesday through Sunday
-$5 General, $4 Students
crt.state.la.us/museum

The Backstreet Cultural Museum
1116 St. Claude Ave.
-Houses an assortment of memorabilia indigenous to Mardi Gras, jazz funerals, and other New Orleans’ traditions
-Open 10am-5pm Tuesday through Saturday
-$5 admission
backstreetmuseum.org

Prepare for the Big Easy with Natasha Trethewey’s Bellocq’s Ophelia

2012-02-08T10:23:00.000-08:00

by Jessica Reyes
Chapter Preseident
Kansas State University

I have a confession: I’m an English major who isn’t fond of poetry. So when I found out that the common reader for convention this year is a collection of poems, I was less than eager to read it. But then I found out Natasha Trethewey’s Bellocq’s Ophelia is a prostitute living in turn-of-the-century New Orleans, and I was smitten.

In the collection, Trethewey uses a series of historical portraits by E.J. Bellocq to invent a life for her main character, whom she names Ophelia. Each poem reveals an episode of Ophelia’s life, picking up with her arrival in New Orleans as a naïve and hopeful young girl. Unable to find work, Ophelia takes up residence in a brothel for colored women. The poems feature a variety of speakers writing in an array of forms, including diary entries and letters. Each entry provides the reader a glimpse into Ophelia’s struggles to shape her own life despite the invisible forces of race and gender that organize society in the still heavily segregated south. Trethewey writes in a way that is accessible and yet still stunningly complex. Ophelia’s story is riveting, and I found myself drawn into it despite my initial hesitance.

There is another great reason to read Bellocq’s Ophelia: everyone at the convention will be talking about it. Several conference sessions will feature either critical or creative work on Trethewey’s poetry (including a roundtable facilitated by yours truly on Friday afternoon). Reading the common reader is a great way to join the conversation. Also, if you’ve peeked at the convention schedule, you know that Natasha Trethewey is one of this year’s featured speakers. We’ll have a chance to hear her talk and have our books signed Friday evening, followed by a question and answer session with the author on Saturday.

P.S. If I still haven’t convinced you to read Bellocq’s Ophelia yet, there are two other things you should know. First, you can get a used copy online for as low as $5.95. And, if you’re busy with school and feel like you won’t have time to read it before convention, just tuck it in your carry-on and read it on the plane. With only 48 short pages, it’s the perfect book to get you in the mood for the Big Easy.

Get the Most Out of Your Convention Experience

2012-02-01T12:47:00.000-08:00

by Lauren Brandeberry
Associate Alumni Rep, 2011-2012

The Sigma Tau Delta Annual International Convention is an incredible experience, but it can also be overwhelming. The convention features exciting events:
-Three outstanding and often surprising featured speakers who will give presentations, answer questions, and sign their work
-Informative workshops and discussion panels by and for students, faculty, and alumni
-Hundreds of presentations of poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction, drama, and critical essays covering every aspect of literature, popular culture, critical theory, film and media studies, and English education
-Social events every night
-Society business
-Regional and Society-wide elections
-Ceremonies and awards.

Clearly the convention has something for everyone. Add in the fact that this year’s convention site, the French Quarter of New Orleans, has tons of fun and interesting things to do, and it becomes easy for people to run out of time to do everything they want.

With so many options and so little time, many people miss out on some of the best the convention has to offer because they didn’t hear about an event until it was too late, or worse, they never learned about it at all. Whether this is your first convention or you are a convention veteran, here are some handy tips for getting the most out of your convention experience.

1. Take the time to do it right.

Yes, I know the convention is longer than most undergraduate conferences, and many people balk at spending so much time out of town in the middle of the school year. If the convention falls during your Spring Break, you may be reluctant to spend so much of it on a school-related event. If it doesn’t, you may be even more reluctant to miss that many classes.

I know most of you work, I know staying in a hotel and eating out is expensive, and I REALLY know how busy you are because I am just as busy. But the convention is not your average conference; it’s a unique and rewarding experience. Everyone I know who has ever gone agrees that spending time surrounded by so many other people who love the same things you love is incomparable. Convention is worth it.

Make as much time as you can; stay for as many events as possible. If you can manage it, come early Wednesday (or even Tuesday). Don’t leave until late on Sunday. Make sure there is time to see the sights, time to relax (or work on homework), and still time to attend as many convention events as possible.

2. Location, location, location.

Convention can be expensive, and I understand the desire to cut costs. Read my article on saving on convention costs, and also read these articles on fundraising for some good ways to manage convention costs. But be aware of the trade-offs of saving money, and don’t scrimp in the wrong places.

The convention hotel and overflow hotels in the area can be expensive, though we work hard to negotiate the best group rate possible. It can be tempting to cut costs by staying in a budget motel, but don’t just jump on the cheapest rate in town. Traveling back and forth from one hotel to the other becomes complicated, especially if the hotels are far apart, if you lack a convenient mode of transportation, or if there are a lot of people in your group. When possible, stay in the convention hotel. If you stay elsewhere, consider walking distance, public transportation options (a few trolley lines run right by this year’s hotel), and the impact on scheduling. Discuss in advance how people will be getting back and forth, who wants to be where when, and if people will be required to travel in groups. Use our Facebook page and Twitter account to find out if other chapters are staying at your hotel, and talk to them about sharing rides and making sure everyone has a buddy when they want to travel somewhere.

3. The more, the merrier.

Convention is a great bonding experience for a chapter, and a great personal experience for everyone who goes. It’s also a smorgasbord of experiences and information, and it can take several people splitting up, taking great notes, and reporting back to the group later for a chapter to get all of the information and inspiration it can. Convention can also be intimidating for people attending alone or in a small group, particularly if this is their first time.

Encourage as many of your members to attend as possible, even if they aren't presenting a paper. Do everything you can to raise money to help cover their costs, and assure all of your members that the convention is a worthwhile experience. Encourage your Sponsors to attend with you. If you’re really ambitious, encourage prospective members or even NEHS members to attend with you (be aware of any requirements that you secure parental permission and/or provide a chaperon for travel, particularly if you are traveling as a chapter or with younger students).

If you are traveling alone or in a small group, contact me and the other members of the Student Leadership Committee. We will help you meet people at convention, figure out what events to attend, and negotiate the trickier aspects of traveling alone. We can also help you find roommates to cut down on hotel costs.

4. Make a plan in advance.

The schedule is already available. Everyone attending the convention should read the schedule before hand, make note of what each one wants to do, and co-ordinate with each other to make your own tentative schedule. Make sure to leave time for sight seeing and group meals.

It can be good to pair up so that you don’t have to go to a presentation alone and you can compare notes afterwards, but it’s also good for your chapter to split up and take in as many different presentations as possible.

Events you should take special note of:

-Presentations by your chapter: Provide moral support to members of your chapter by making sure there are friendly faces in the audience. The entire chapter doesn’t have to attend each and every one of the chapter’s presentations, but there should be at least a few people at each one if at all possible.

-Presentations by the featured speakers: Every year we have speakers that I have never heard of, and they are always as good as or better than the speakers I have heard of. Every one of our featured speakers is excellent and insightful, and their presentations and Q&A sessions are some of the best chances to learn about authors, projects, and issues you never knew about.

-The Student Leadership Workshops and Chapter Sponsor Workshop: These events are a major part of the convention experience. They are jam-packed with quality advice about a variety of subjects that matter to Sigma Tau Deltans, from recruitment and retention to applying to grad school, and they are a must-attend for members at every stage of their Sigma Tau Delta experience.

-The Informal Regional Caucuses, the General Business Meeting, and the Formal Regional Caucuses: These events are where you learn about what is going on with Sigma Tau Delta at the regional, national, and international levels, where you can meet and vote for the candidates for office (or run for one yourself), and where you can get all of your questions answered about this large and multifaceted organization.

-The social events: From Open Mic Night to the Bad Poetry Contest, the evening social events are a great way to cut loose, make new friends, and even win a little something.

-The Twitter Contest: Make new friends and network with other convention attendees, get
insider tips and tricks on the best convention events, and compete to
win fabulous prizes! Even if you don’t plan on trying to win, participating in this contest is a great way to meet people and stay “in the know.” Never miss out on free pizza or an impromptu flash mob again, follow @EnglishCon today!

For more information on what to do at convention, check out our Facebook page. Become a fan, join in the discussion, and then share your experiences when it’s over. See you in New Orleans!

Final Convention Schedule Revision

2012-01-30T10:26:00.000-08:00

A revised version of the 2012 Sigma Tau Delta International Convention program schedule has been posted on the website. It contains the names of Session Chairs and Moderators.

This is the final version of the tentative schedule before we put the program to bed. And that means that the Convention Chair must hear from you no later than Wednesday, February 1 if you want to have even a glimmer of hope that a problem can be addressed.

Once the program is finalized and sent to the printer, we will not be able to make any changes, so check the program carefully for any errors.

Summer Internships

2012-01-27T07:37:00.000-08:00

Allie Reznik
Student Advisor, 2011-2012

While it feels that spring semester has just begun, with initial papers due and spring break so close yet so far, it’s already time to start planning your summer. As a Sigma Tau Delta member, you have special access to the Better World Books internship in Alpharetta, Georgia, and Penguin Group USA internship in New York City. While many internships are unpaid, recipients of these great opportunities are paid for their work and receive a stipend from Sigma Tau Delta to supplement their expenses.

As English and creative writing majors ,we’ve all been told, on most likely more than one occasion, that internships are essential to professional development and networking. Interning is also, of course, a great way to build your resume. You can also explore multiple career options and shadow professionals in your areas of interest. My own experiences with interning have helped me determine the landmarks of my professional journey. As an undergraduate I interned with Pennsylvania Presenters. I had the wonderful experience of working closely with the conference director to write articles, take photographs, and direct artists, presenters and agents to various sessions.

Another incredible internship experience of mine includes working with Dr. Lynne Bruckner on her co-edited, recently published book Ecocritical Shakespeare. While the majority of my work included line editing text and formatting the bibliography in Ashgate Publishing style, the stimulating conversations that I had with Dr. Bruckner illuminated my understanding of the academic field. Thanks to this internship I now have a credit in print and a more comprehensive understanding of academia that will influence the rest of my academic career.

Have you had an internship that has influenced your future career decision? Share it with us! If you haven’t yet, consider applying for a Sigma Tau Delta internship!

Applications are due by January 31, so be sure to look at the applications (http://www.english.org/sigmatd/awards/index.shtml) and take advantage of these great opportunities!

Leadership Positions Available

2012-01-18T07:47:00.000-08:00

by Lauren Brandeberry
Associate Alumni Representative, 2011-2012

Next year's student and alumni leaders will be chosen at the the Sigma Tau Delta 2012 International Convention. These leaders are fundamental to shaping the direction of Sigma Tau Delta, and these positions represent a great opportunity for students to network, gain valuable leadership skills, and learn how Sigma Tau Delta functions at the regional and international levels. All active student and alumni members attending convention should be eligible to run for one or more
of these positions.

January 31 is the deadline for applications for Student Advisor. This is Sigma Tau Delta's most prestigious and challenging student position, a two-year term as a full voting member of Sigma Tau Delta's Board of Directors. Student Advisors guide and mentor all of the other student leaders and serve as advocates of student interests.

Student Advisor Duties and Application

In addition, Student Representatives and Associate Student Representatives will be elected to represent each of Sigma Tau Delta's six regions, and an Alumni Representative and Associate Alumni Representative will be elected to represent alumni members. These representatives attend Board meetings, serve on committees, provide resources and leadership for their regions, produce the Student Leadership Blog, organize regional events, and help organize the annual convention. These positions are one-year terms, though incumbents may choose to run for a second term.

Elections for Student and Alumni Representatives will be held at the convention during the Formal Regional Caucuses on Friday, March 2. Applications to run for any of these offices will be accepted until Thursday, March 1, however candidates are encouraged to send them in before February 22 in order to take advantage of opportunities for online promotion.

Student Representative and Associate Student Representatives Duties
and Application

Alumni Representative and Associate Alumni Representative Duties and
Application

All chapters attending convention will have a chance to vote for their region's student leaders and can earn $200 by attending both regional caucuses and the General Business Meeting. More information on the candidates can be found at
http://sigmataudeltastudentleaders.blogspot.com/p/leadership-candidates.html

For more information about running for office, or general information about the open positions and election procedures, contact
lbrandeberry@niu.edu

Tweet the Convention

2012-01-12T14:04:00.000-08:00

The Tweet the Convention Contest is back, and it's better than ever! Simpler rules! Better prizes! Contestants help pick the winners! Don't delay, sign up today!

http://sigmataudeltastudentleaders.blogspot.com/p/blog-convention-contest.html

Scream Slam

2012-01-03T07:55:00.000-08:00

Nick Miller
High Plains Associate Student Representative, 2011-2012

I would like to take the opportunity to inform everyone of a very successful and fun event that the Sigma Beta chapter managed to put together: a Halloween themed open mic that we dubbed “Scream Slam.” This is not the first year that we have put together this event, but over the last couple years it has not been as successful due to sudden blizzards and mix ups with room reservations and catering.

We started planning this event in September, deciding where and when we were going to host Scream Slam this semester. Deciding on a room was difficult because we wanted to ensure we would have enough space for everyone, but we also felt that it was important to ensure the event had an intimate feel to it. Once the room was decided, it was time to figure out how we were going to organize the categories for prizes. For last year's Scream Slam we had three different categories: poetry, prose, and original work, and we figured that we should also have a costume contest as well to encourage everyone to dress up for this event (something we did not do last year, unfortunately).

After we decided on the categories for the readings, we had to get our hands on some prizes. We usually give out books full of fun and spooky short-stories but decided that gift cards were a better idea so that the recipients could pick what they wanted. In addition, we also received two books and an Amazon Kindle from the CSC English and Humanities department, and we used those as prizes for the best overall reading and the costume contest. A week before the event itself, we picked up a few Halloween decorations and different snacks (chips, dip, cookies, brownies, etc.), and then we focused our attention on putting up fliers all over campus and spreading the word.

On the day of Scream Slam, I came to the student center decked out as Bob Dylan with my frazzled hair, dark sunglasses, and Beatle boots, and carried the various decorations and snacks into our room. A lot of people from the local chapter were there helping out, stringing up spider webs, lights, and other various spooky decorations. It was not very long before people began showing up, and the room rapidly filled. We even ran out of chairs, and some of those that were late coming in were forced to stand.

Once the lights went out, I headed towards the podium. Despite the reading light on the podium, the audience appeared to me as dark, shapeless figures because I still had my sunglasses on (it was part of my costume after all). There were a lot of readers on the list, and many people read more than one piece of literature. The readings themselves were entertaining, which made judging the winner hard, but the event wasn't called Scream Slam for nothing, and I felt like a huge weight was off my shoulders after the winners were determined.

Events such as this take a lot of planning and work to get off the ground, but spreading the joys of literature around campus is well worth it. Open mics are usually very popular at Chadron State College because they present people with a creative outlet for their work and an opportunity for constructive advice. Couple this with a Halloween theme, free food, and prizes, and it makes for a very successful event. I hope other chapters that want to implement this event have just as much luck as we did!

5 Things You May Not Know About Running A Better World Books Campus Book Drive

2011-12-14T10:02:00.000-08:00

by Lauren Brandeberry
Associate Alumni Representative, 2011-2012

1. It’s not too late to get started!

Most chapters time their drives with the end of the semester, as students sell back their used books and clean out their dorms. Even if finals are already underway (or even over), it’s not too late to pull off a successful book drive. There is still time to get collection bins placed at area book stores for textbook buyback, and to contact dorms about placing collection bins in the hallways or volunteering to help with clean-out. Chapters that have not yet received their orange and green Better World Books collection bins may need to create makeshift bins rather than wait for delivery, but there is nothing to stop them from going out and collecting books right now.

Even more importantly, one of the best sources of used books is just getting underway: professor office clean-outs. Professors collect an enormous number of unwanted (and unused) books over the years, and many chapters find that donations from professors are one of the best sources of books around. Professors often try to clean out their offices after the semester is over, preparing for the new one, and they love offers to help with the cleaning. Get the word out now with fliers, and have a few members commit to sticking around for a few days after finals or coming back a few days before next semester begins to lend professors a hand with boxing up books and taking papers to the recycling bin. It will be well worth the effort.

Better World Books asks for books to be sent in by December 31 to count toward fall book drive totals, but they accept books all year round and books collected in January may still be included in the check for the fall drive. Contact a Better World Books account representative for more information. And don’t forget, it’s never too soon to start thinking about a spring drive!

2. Better World Books campus book drives are completely turn-key operations.

One of the reasons it is not too late to start a drive is because they are “turn-key” operations, meaning Better World Books provides chapters with everything they need to get started right out of the box. Each chapter is assigned an account manager who can provide supplies, guidance, and support. The account manager can help figure out the most effective strategy to get the most out of the short amount of time left. They provide posters, collection bins, shipping boxes (and prepaid mailing labels), and any other supplies a chapter needs. The account manager will even help chapters contact professors and administrators on campus, determine if drives are being run at other local schools, and help with media relations. Any chapter with willing volunteers can get a drive started today by emailing campus@betterworldbooks.com.

3. A Better World Books campus book drive is a fund raiser AND a service project.

Everyone knows Better World Books campus book drives raise money for your local chapter and for Sigma Tau Delta International. Every accepted book earns $1 for the chapter. Last spring alone Sigma Tau Delta chapters raised nearly $15,000 for their local chapters and $4,500 for the Society, which goes to fund events like the annual convention. Eta Theta Chapter from Wayland Baptist University brought in the most accepted books of any Sigma Tau Delta chapter at 1,805, raising $2,260 for their chapter.

What many people don’t realize is that these book drives also help fund literacy programs around the world AND help improve the environment. Each chapter selects one of Better World Books 6 international literacy partners to be the beneficiary of their drive. For every accepted book sold, a portion of the proceeds goes directly to that literacy partner. To date, Better World Books has raised over $10.5 million for literacy programs and libraries around the world.

All books collected, whether they are resold, donated directly, or recycled, are kept out of landfills and put to their best possible use. Over the lifetime of our partnership with Better World Books, Sigma Tau Delta has reused or recycled over 109,000 books. That has saved the lives of an estimated 2,095 trees and prevented the wasting of nearly 1 million gallons of water. These book drives do more than put some much-needed cash in a chapter’s coffers; they have a significant social and environmental impact.

4. In addition to raising money, chapters can win prizes and recognition.

Every chapter that participates in a Better World Books drive will receive a certificate of recognition and an environmental impact report that can be displayed on a website or the English Department bulletin board. These come in handy when it comes time to report chapter activities to the school and make funding requests for next year. The top 25 drives will also be recognized on Facebook.

Top drives in various categories are also eligible to win prizes including Better World Books t-shirts, a $100 donation to the charity of their choice, or a $500 gift certificate to BetterWorldBooks.com.

Finally, the student in charge of the drive that sends the most accepted books will win an all-expenses paid international trip with one of Better World Books literacy partners, so they can see first-hand the impact these drives are having.

5. Students who participate in a drive are eligible to apply for the Better World Books exclusive paid Sigma Tau Delta summer internship.

Better World Books offers an exclusive paid summer internship every year to a Sigma Tau Delta member who has participated in at least one book drive. This is not a “get me coffee and pick up my dry cleaning” internship either. This is six weeks in Better World Books’ main office in Alpharetta, GA. Past interns report meeting with important people inside the company, learning all about its various operations, doing real research, and gaining invaluable experience.

To get a better feel for what the Better World Books Summer Internship is all about, check out this blog article by 2011 Intern Becky Cressy and this interview with 2010 Intern Kerrin Epstein.

The deadline for applications is January 31, 2012, plenty of time to pull off a last minute book drive (remember to take lots of pictures), and then write up a great little story about that challenge to go with your application. Details about the application process can be found at http://www.english.org/sigmatd/awards/internships/bwb.shtml

The NaNoWriMo Pulse-Check (or Lack Thereof)

2011-11-21T13:00:00.000-08:00

By Katherine Williams
Southwestern Region Associate Student Representative, 2011-2012

So far, the development of my novel for NaNoWriMo has gone as slowly as expected. A mere couple of weeks until graduation, all my professors have made an unwritten, unbeknownst agreement that a) English majors don’t have a life; b) all English majors have too much time on their hands; and c) students must not have jobs or something, so let’s assign them more work! Oh yeah, and they all came to this decision without the consent of their students. So here I am, three days late on keeping everyone up-to-date the next “great American novel” (actually the next great American dystopia, more on that), while my creative endeavor gathers dust.

However, I won’t make excuses (because I’m sure everyone has got one); I managed to add two new chapters so far, and I’m working on the tone that will guide the novel and the series of books I want to write after these. Here’s my story in a nutshell: it’s a dystopian/apocalyptic setting with more animal characters than human ones. Try to imagine Gulliver’s Travels, Oryx and Crake, and Watership Down in one room, and that would be my novel. I’m not usually a fan of apocalyptic literature, but I’m managing to incorporate several artistic and literary references to flesh out the story and the significance of setting for the characters. I’ve also decided to include images from World War I into the novel, although most of the novel takes place one hundred years in the future. In short, it has an epic scope, which means I need to brush up on my history; I’m currently taking a class called Literature of the World Wars, which has come to influence my writing quite a bit.

Since a good chunk of the story is in screenplay-form, I’ve got most of the dialogue already written down, which turns out to be very helpful because now I can focus more on setting and tone rather than trudging through what characters are saying to each other.
All in all, I have not made much more progress this November than I did last year, but the holidays are coming soon, so maybe I’ll get a chance to catch up?

Total word count: 6,414

Confessions of English Majors

2011-11-11T09:52:00.000-08:00

Joseph Asbury
Far Western Associate Student Representative, 2011-2012
Utah State University

Five confessions as an English Major

1. I still like math. It is your friend, but you might not realize it.
2. I get to explore the world and time travel through books.
3. As a future teacher, I will get to share what I enjoy with my students.
4. Movies can be (and should be) viewed as literature.
5. The environments in English (and other humanities) classes are so welcoming
to everyone.

Nick Miller
High Plains Associate Student Representative, 2011-2012
Chadron State College

The Utterly True Confessions of an English Major

1. I spend more nights trying to decipher Henry James' Portrait of a Lady than hanging out with my friends.
2. By my third year of college, I have effectively replaced my blood with black coffee.
3. Studying Shakespeare makes me chain smoke.
4. I devote more time to reading and writing than body-builders devote to lifting weights.
5. Every night, I wrestle with the temptation to consult the “cheat-codes” of literature: Sparknotes.
6. Alexander Pope puts me to sleep faster than any cold medicine.
7. Whenever I walk into my room I nearly trip on the piles of books and papers that litter the floor.
8. You cannot sit in the backseat of my car because, like my room, it has essentially become my locker.
9. Most of the people I look up to died 100 years ago.
10. Procrastination is my most active habit and worst enemy.

Allie Martin
Southern Region Associate Student Representative, 2011-2012
Freed-Hardeman University

I, like most of you I’m sure, feel that my decision to become an English major was a brilliant move. But, I must admit, sometimes we English majors are misunderstood. In an effort to amend some of the rift created between the world and us, I asked my fellow English majors what their “confessions” to other majors would be:

1. I judge people when they use poor grammar.
2. I don’t like Jane Austen.
3. Whenever I say "good" or "well," I have a moment of panic where I have to go back mentally and make sure I've used them correctly.
4. I refuse to text ungrammatically.
5. Instead of getting songs stuck in my head, I get words stuck in my head.
6. I use Sparknotes too; I just lie about it.
7. I'm closer to the characters in my favorite books than I am to "real" people.
8. I hear words the way they're spelled. In my head there's a big distinction between "your" and "you're."
9. When I hear or see a word I don't know, I have the uncontrollable need to find its definition. It will drive me nuts if I don't know.
10. I have a compulsive need to tell everyone that I am an English major so that they know I am smarter than they are.
11. If I make a mistake in a social networking post, I delete it, fix the error, and post again. Once, I reposted a tweet four times before I finally got it right.

Some of these may ring true to your heart—I know I can certainly relate. In addition though, I’d like to add a few of my own.

1. I wholeheartedly believe that the book is always better than the movie. Always.
2. I sometimes go into bookstores simply to smell the books. No reading required.
3. Although I try not to be a complete grammar snob, I do judge when people say “anyways” and “backwards.” What is our infatuation with making things sound plural?
4. I don’t just sit around waiting for people to send me their papers to edit… but I do get a sort of superiority complex when they do.
5. I’m okay with ending a sentence with a preposition.
6. I think an English major is the best there is.

There isn’t a single way you can define being an English major, but a comment by a non-English major student in my Women Writer’s class may come close: “I’m not an English major, but I wish I were. Y’all guys are cool!”
And really, doesn’t everybody feel that way?

NaNoWriMo Kickoff: Or, What Did I Just Get Myself Into?

2011-11-01T09:59:00.000-07:00

Katherine Williams

Southwestern Region Associate Student Representative, 2011-2012

Even through the glitter and fake wigs from a hung-over Halloween party, November rears its head. For many writers or writing enthusiasts, November is a significant month because it kicks off the annual National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for short. By the end of the month, writers across the country will have completed a 50,000-word manuscript. This year, I’ve decided to take part in the writing festivities, but before I’ve even started, I’m wondering—what have I just gotten myself into?

For one, November has got to be the most stressful time of year for college students, especially for English or Creative Writing majors (as the glutton of punishment that I am, I happen to be both). November is that deep gasp of air before a student dives into a plethora of projects, papers, and other various assignments that professors give out like cheap candy. Usually, there’s nothing due in the first three weeks of November, but this is the time of year when Interlibrary Loan books must get into our hands, paper outlines must be made (figuring out what to write a ten-plus-page paper on must subsequently be figured out), and projects have got to get started before Thanksgiving holiday.

And don’t even TELL me about Thanksgiving holiday! For many students, this is the ideal time to finish projects, because professors like to make them all due the week following Thanksgiving, right before finals week. However, I like to call Thanksgiving holiday Work-Forty-Plus-Hours-In-A-Week-Eat-Some-Food-And-Try-To-Hibernate-Break. Since I work at a movie theater, any length of time considered to be a holiday is the time when I have to work the most. And since movie companies know that students (other than I) are on break, they like to release hugely popular films the week prior to Thanksgiving break: this year, on the same day, will be the release of Twilight Breaking Dawn, Part 1 AND Happy Feet 2 in 3D. Let’s just say that the only thing I will be able to finish that weekend is a 2-liter bottle of Diet Coke and a cabinet-full of stress food. But that’s just me.

In short, NaNoWriMo, in motion in November, occurs in the most inconvenient time to write a novel. And yet I’m going to do it anyway. Not because I happen to like stressing myself out, but because I’ve decided that I can no longer wait for the “perfect” time to write a novel. This year, the “perfect” time has moved from Spring Break to summer vacation to my days off, until once again I haven’t worked on the story at all. NaNoWriMo gives me a deadline, albeit a frighteningly unattainable one, that will force me to make time to write my novel.

On to the novel…

The story I want to work on this year is something I’ve wanted to write for years, but never felt like I was ready to write it: not enough characters, not enough knowledge of mythology or themes, not enough literary experience, etc. I got started on it last year, writing only three or four chapters, then submitted the draft as part of my Senior Project for Creative Writing. Later I found out that my professor thought the story idea was terrible, and he suggested that “perhaps it would make an okay movie.”

Funny he said that, because I did end up using the story for my screenwriting class this spring. My professor, who is himself a screenwriter, actually liked the story in its film version and strongly advised me to finish it (it’s still only two-thirds finished). So now I’ve got a novel idea that’s been fleshed out in its film version, with the novel format barely even started. At least I can go back to the screenplay and use the dialogue there; that way, the novel version will be faithful to the film, and I’ve already got some of the work done. The screenplay is about 65 pages, which equals a little over an hour (one page in a screenplay equals about a minute of screen time).

I can’t guarantee that I can make the 50,000-word requirement (although I do believe in miracles). I hope that my experience with writing the novel will give other writers an idea on what it takes to write a full-length book. Sometimes it seems as though the biggest problem is not writing the book, but making yourself write it. It is all the more difficult for a college student who has a job and other extracurricular activities to attend to; plus that thing called a life, which I haven’t seen since the summer. But in hindsight, I know that writers are also busy, with their children, other jobs, their spouses, and that life thing, too. And I’ll bet that many of you Sigma Tau Delta members are also busy and probably as overwhelmed as I am. I’m not quite at the hair-pulling stage yet, but I did have a minor rage-fit the other day, so a mini-meltdown may be imminent.
On that note, let’s write a novel! Happy NaNoWriMo everyone!

“Deadlines, I love deadlines. I love the sound they make as they go whoosh-ing past.”

–Julie and Julia

Total words written: 4,176 (?) of original draft; 68-69 screen-pages (about an hour)

Scholarship Submissions

2011-10-28T13:04:00.000-07:00

Kelsey Hixson-Bowles

Student Advisor, 2011-2012
sigmatd.sa1@gmail.com

One of the greatest benefits we, as members of Sigma Tau Delta, have is the opportunity to apply for a range of scholarships. The amount of money awarded for each scholarship varies, with the highest being $5,000! It does not come easy, though. The scholarship committee really puts you to work before they dish out the dough. Lucky for you, they also take a lot of time to write excellent documents to support you through the application process.

Perhaps we should pause here for a moment. I would like to emphasize that this truly is a process. There is a well-thought out list of tasks for you to complete and timing matters. If you have not started yet, start now. Slice out some time between writing papers, picking out classes for next semester, and reading to acquaint yourself with the Sigma Tau Delta Scholarship Submission Process.

First things first: pick out your scholarships. See what you are eligible for and read about what is required. There is continuity between the scholarship applications, so if you are eligible for more than one, you don’t have to do too much extra work. Before jumping in, though, you must be nominated by your chapter. Let your chapter sponsor know that you plan to apply. If there are many students from your chapter applying, you may need to set up a nomination meeting. (Only three students from each chapter can apply for each scholarship.)

Got that done? Great. Moving right along. Now you will want to think about what goes into a stellar application. Read through Tips to Create a Winning Application for ideas and motivation. As you’ll see in the document, one of the most important things is to start early. Scholarship readers can tell when you’ve written your application in a hurry.

Further, please be mindful that professors writing your letters of recommendation will appreciate the gift of time. Since their recommendation for you needs to be received by November 15, make sure you request today (or ASAP) that they compose a letter on your behalf.

The platform for scholarship applications has changed since last year. We are now using STARS (Scholarship Tracking and Review System), a program that is easy to use and has all sorts of cool features under the hood. You can create a log-in and password and save your application at any point to come back to it later. Here is some more important information to read through before you get started: Five Things You Need To Know About STARS. Attached to that site is a list of instructions. They are so important that I’m linking to them here and here and here just to make sure you read them. Think of these instructions as a sort of check-list/FAQ hybrid. Infinitely helpful.

Meet the deadline. November 8. Burn it in your memories, highlight it in your calendars, and set an alarm on your phone. Late applications are not accepted.

Finally, don’t forget the other opportunities for awards and money that are due on November 8. Chapter Project Grant applications are also due November 8. If your chapter is doing something similar to these chapters, you should think about applying! The application process is different from the scholarship application process, so read through the instructions thoroughly.

Remember that our convention theme is Reawaken (this will show up in the application questions). Although Thoreau’s words are taken out of context, I found this (half of a) quote to serve as motivation to polish and complete our applications. So I leave you with this:

“We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake...” -Henry David Thoreau

What is a Roundtable?

2011-10-21T11:57:00.000-07:00

Lauren Brandeberry
Associate Alumni Representative, 2011-2012

Ever since submissions opened for the 2012 Sigma Tau Delta International Convention, many people have been asking, “What happened to panel submissions, and what are these new roundtables?” Roundtables are the same thing as what used to be called “panels.” They have simply been renamed to help clarify their purpose.

At many other academic conferences, the term “panel” refers to a group of papers presented at the same time in the same room. At our conventions, these are called paper sessions. Panels at our conventions were not for papers but for topic discussions. But many people were confused. So, this year panels have been re-branded to better reflect what they were always supposed to be: roundtable discussions.

Roundtables are not the place to present papers, even if a chapter has 4 or 5 papers on the same topic. Roundtables are a way for people to share their expertise or experience and then to facilitate a dialogue with the audience members.

Roundtables can be presented by one chapter, or, even better, by members of several chapters working together. For example, a roundtable could be made up of all the officers from one chapter talking about their experiences publishing a journal, or it could be the chief editors of four different chapter journals comparing notes.

The people submitting the roundtable should be prepared to answer in-depth questions about a particular topic and to stimulate conversation by asking thought-provoking questions of the audience and to invite the audience members to contribute to the discussion. Roundtables might start off with a short presentation, but the main goal is not to give a one-sided presentation. It is to encourage engaged and productive discussion and collaboration between the presenters and the audience.

Roundtables are evaluated separately from papers, so members are eligible to submit a roundtable proposal even if they have already submitted two works (critical paper or creative work) as well. As a result of fewer than usual presentation rooms in our 2012 hotel, competition will be fierce for getting a roundtable proposal accepted. So it is imperative that you read the instructions closely. They can be found at http://www.englishconvention.org/sigmatd/conv/roundtables.html

One other thing that is different is that, starting this year, roundtable submissions require both a short abstract and a longer description of the topic. So don’t wait until the last minute. Make sure you know exactly what you want to talk about and why you think it would be a good addition to the convention program.

Special consideration will be given to roundtables that discuss the common reader and to roundtables that involve members of more than one chapter, so those are some things to keep in mind if you want to give your proposal that extra push.

Roundtables are always interesting and engaging, and I look forward to seeing what great ideas people come up with this year. If you haven’t done it already, start talking to your friends about creating a roundtable submission today. The deadline is November 1, 11:59 p.m.

Board Meeting Reflection 5

2011-10-12T16:03:00.001-07:00

MeKoi Scott
Southern Region Student Representative, 2011-2012
Auburn University, Montgomery

Participating in and contributing to the Board meeting in New Orleans increased my appreciation for Sigma Tau Delta as an organization. This meeting was my first opportunity to experience firsthand the internal decision-making process of an organization. I was pleased and impressed by the effort and enthusiasm that went into the discussions over the three-day period. The Board truly does its best to provide Sigma Tau Delta members with as many rewarding opportunities as possible, from increasing available awards and scholarship amounts to facilitating unique experiences. I look forward to continuing to work with other regional representatives as we do our best to contribute to Sigma Tau Delta's mission.

Board Meeting Reflection 4

2011-10-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

Sarah Faulkner
Far Western Region Student Representative, 2011-2012
Chapman University

The Big Easy, NOLA, Nawlins, and The Crescent City: all different names for one amazing city! The people are incredibly friendly; the minute I got off the plane everyone was asking me how I was and if I needed anything. The Marriott is a gorgeous hotel, with the swanky lobby and high-tech elevators, beautiful pool and spacious rooms! After the amazing work done by the Board, I was thrilled to see the city! Bourbon Street, Frenchmen Street, the St. Charles Streetcar, Seafood Festival, it was all fantastic! It is a perfect spot for our convention, very literary and full of character and inspiration! I'm looking forward to going back soon for more beignets and coffee, and, of course, more time with the wonderful people of Sigma Tau Delta!

Board Meeting Reflections Part 3

2011-10-07T12:15:00.000-07:00

Janine, the High Plains Student Representative, wrote a creative response to her experience at the Fall Board meeting. While she used this for class, it is also a great example of what you could submit for convention (more on that later). We really like Janine's references to the music of New Orleans -- something you almost take for granted while you're there, but that is so central to the energy of the city.

We hope you enjoy! --Allie and Kelsey

Janine Brooks
High Plains Student Representative, 2011-2012
University of Nebraska, Omaha

Reawakened, New Orleans’ Way

My feet, already exhausted from the never-ending tread across sidewalks made of roughly laid redbrick and fractured sections of weathered slate, are eager for something new to attract my attention that would require me to sit down. I am in the midst of a large group of student leaders from Sigma Tau Delta. We are wandering the streets of New Orleans in our efforts to find a trolley stop so we can see the Garden District.

As we near Charles Street, we stop to orient ourselves with where we are. Faintly, in the distance, the sound of Dixie beckons us forward to join in its excitement. One of the girls says, “Hey all, let’s go see what is going on!” Not one of us objects to the idea, so we all head in the direction of the noise.

“Oh when the saints go marching in, when the saints go marching in.”

The words, uplifting and refreshing, yank at my heartstrings. My body willfully stirs about bending occasionally at the knees, permitting the arms to wave freely, and granting the fingers permission to snap in response to the beat. Little left that my feet can do, so sore and tired, yet they dance forward in anticipation. I am eager to immerse myself into this culture—I wish to be caressed into the sweetness of all those trumpets, trombones, clarinets, and drums that are filling the air with their rhythmic romance.

The park, bulging beyond capacity with people, is vibrant in its multitude of colors. As we push our way through the crowds, a wild man suddenly emerges before us. Dressed fully from head to toe in minute seed beads of sanguine colors, his body sways back and forth in motion to the music. Upon his face is a magnificent mask made of hundreds of feathers dyed in shades of deep purple, blood red, and pitch black. Laughing, he looks at me as he invites me to join him in his dance. I shake my head: “No.” Afraid of being alone, I hurry away to catch up with the group who has already walked away.

“And when the sun refuse to shine, And when the sun refuse to shine.”

People pack themselves about the stage swaying to the song of the South; the sound seems to permeate their souls. A dark man, shirtless with streams of sweat rolling down his back, has thrown his spirit fully into the music. He flips himself forward and then backward through the air, in a variety of somersaults. He then throws his body to the ground as he squats in preparation for a giant leap straight up as high as he can go. The crowd roars and he lets the jazz move him further to repeat those same crazy steps.

Trudging forward with my friends, we stand in line to purchase something cold to drink at a margarita stand. While waiting for everyone, I look about at the variety of food and liquor stands, craft booths, and tarot reading stations. Above the stage is draped a white banner laced in black letters that says “Seafood Festival.”

Sadly, I walk away with my group while regretting the fact that time always pushes one forward, and never permits an individual to languish. That sweet Dixie sound draws a tear from my eye as I reluctantly leave the event. As I move further away from the park, I am drawn to a scene before me that leaves me the helpless witness; I cannot move. A somewhat squat figure, half-covered in cherry dreadlocks running down to the buttocks, seems preoccupied with something possibly sitting on a marble ledge.

A voice calls out to me: “Janine, hurry up. We all want to get on the trolley.”

I shake my head and walk forward towards the group ahead of me, but I keep my eyes on the oddity. And then I see the truth. It is not a creature of the night confused and walking about in the daylight, but rather a female clown who is face-painting a child’s face. Her deft fingers move quickly as she decorates the boy’s cheek with a handful of balloons. The boy grins as he awaits the finished product, his head tilted willingly to the right to permit the clown to do her magic.
A man stands next to the boy, a twinkle in his eyes as he patiently whistles: “Oh Lord, I want to be in that number, when the saints go marching in.”