UW-Superior Writing and Library Science Department's News and Events

UW-Superior Fitzgerald Scholar Publishes Work with Cambridge University Press

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:41:00 +0000

Fitzgerald in Context, published by Cambridge University Press and edited by Bryant Mangum, includes the work of 40 international scholars of Fitzgerald's life and work.

In her chapter, "St. Paul, Minnesota, St. Paul Academy, and the St. Paul Academy Now and Then," Schlacks, Professor of English in the Department of Writing and Library Science at UW-Superior, examines the hierarchical yet fluid social structure of early 20^th-century St. Paul and its effects upon Fitzgerald, who spent his pre-teen and early teen years in the city. Fitzgerald, whose father was related to the aristocratic Francis Scott Key and whose mother was from a family of Irish immigrants, was, Schlacks stresses, in a "liminal space" in St. Paul: "among the rich, but not of them." This situation shows up in his fiction over and over again, beginning even in his earliest stories, published in the St. Paul Academy Now and Then.

Schlacks's earlier scholarly work on Fitzgerald includes a book entitled American Dream Visions: Chaucer's Surprising Influence on F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Author Francesca Abbate Coming to UW-Superior

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:54:50 +0000

Francesca Abbate is associate professor of English at Beloit College. Her poetry has appeared in Field, Iowa Review, Poetry Daily, NEO, and Poetry, among other journals, and is forthcoming in The Laurel Review. Her first book, Troy, Unincorporated, was published this year by The University of Chicago Press.

The Visiting Writers Series of the UW-Superior Writing Program asks you to join us in welcoming Francesca Abbate to campus on the final day of National Poetry Month.

At 6pm, we will gather by the fireplace in the Jim Dan Hill Library to listen to Abbate share her poetry, reading from her book, Troy, Unincorporated, a re-telling/re-imagining of Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde set in small-town Wisconsin.

A free event, open to the public, with refreshments, a Q&A opportunity, and book signing.

Writing Students to honor Superior Buildings

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 17:22:12 +0000

Service-Learning students bring history to life

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 17:21:08 +0000

Writing students hone skills will helping community

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 17:19:52 +0000

Eight from UW-Superior present at Lake Superior Service-Learning Conference

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 17:18:27 +0000

Business writing students create newsletter to increase fruit and vegetable consumption

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 17:14:43 +0000

Students help city councilors connect with constituents

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 16:53:16 +0000

Award-winning novelist Ellen Baker coming to UW-Superior

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 14:10:42 +0000

Award-winning novelist Ellen Baker will read from her recent novel "I Gave My Heart to Know This" at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, October 3, in the Fireside Lounge of Jim Dan Hill Library.

"I Gave My Heart to Know This" is a tale of the wartime lives of women working in a Superior shipyard during World War II. Richard Ford says the novel is filled with "an abundance of intelligence, and great shrewdness in its pure, story-telling appeal," and Fannie Flagg has described it as "a great, big, rich and romantic slice of World War II history."

Baker's previous novel, "Keeping the House," won the 2008 Great Lakes Book Award for Fiction and was named one of the Chicago Tribune's favorite books of the year.

Please join us for an evening of contemporary literature along cookies, coffee, and maybe even a fire. The reading is free and open to the public, and will be followed by a book signing.

Acclaimed poet Louis Jenkins to read

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 14:02:36 +0000

Internationally acclaimed prose poet Louis Jenkins will read from his work, answer questions, and sign copies of his books in the Fireside Lounge of the Jim Dan Hill Library at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 25.

Louis Jenkins' poems have been published in a number of literary magazines and anthologies, including The Best American Poetry 1999 (Scribner, 1999) and Great American Prose Poems (Scribner, 2003).

His books of poetry include An Almost Human Gesture (1987), All Tangled Up With the Living (1991), Nice Fish: New and Selected Prose Poems (1995), winner of the Minnesota Book Award, Just Above Water (1997), The Winter Road (2000)and Sea Smoke (2004).

His most recent books are North of the Cities (2007), European Shoes (2008) and Before You Know It: Prose Poems 1970-2005 (2009).

Mr. Jenkins was awarded two Bush Foundation Fellowships for poetry, a Loft-McKnight fellowship, and was the 2000 George Morrison Award winner.

Louis Jenkins has read his poetry on A Prairie Home Companion and was a featured poet at the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival in 1996 and at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival, Aldeburgh, England in 2007. Louis Jenkins is currently working with Mark Rylance, actor and former director of the Globe Theatre, London, on a stage production titled Nice Fish! based on Mr. Jenkins' poems.

UW-Superior Student's Poem Published in Anthology

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:30:37 +0000

UW-Superior sophomore Jasmine Baumgart's poem "The Naked Thing" has been included in the newly released Migrations: Poetry and Prose for Life's Transitions, an anthology compiled by Duluth Poet Laureate Sheila Packa and published by Wildwood Press.

Baumgart, who is studying English Education, Spanish, and Writing at UW-Superior, and who works in the UW-Superior Writing Center, says her poem was inspired by two of her classes at UW-Superior last year: Feminist Theory, taught by Dianna Hunter, and Writer's Craft: Poetry, taught by Barton Sutter.

"Feminist Theory opened up an entirely new creative monster in me. I was so empowered," Baumgart says. "Then I heard about the St. David's Day poetry reading from Barton Sutter. I was so enamored with him and with feminist theory that I wanted to write something great to read at St. David's Day."

Baumgart read her poem publicly for the first time at the St. David's Day reading on February 24 at Teatro Zuccone in Duluth. It was following this reading that Sheila Packa invited Baumgart to submit her work for the Migrations anthology.

Baumgart will be reading her work at the Migrations release reading this Saturday, November 12, 3:00-5:00 p.m., at the Phantom Gallery, 1112 Tower Avenue, Superior.

Also reading at the event are UW-Superior Assistant Professors Julie Gard and Yvonne Rutford, whose works also appear in the Migrations anthology.

New writing faculty bring talents and passion to program

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:17:13 +0000

By Elizabeth Reichert
University Relations student writer

For some people, writing is a hobby. For Dr. Jamie White-Farnham, Julie Gard, and Dr. Jayson Iwen, it's their hobby, their occupation and their love.

Each of the faculty members is new to the University of Wisconsin-Superior this academic year, and already they are helping to develop the writing program and academic minor through the Writing and Library Science Department.

White-Farnham, Gard, and Iwen come from different writing backgrounds, and each brings a variety of writing and teaching styles to UW-Superior students.

Dr. Jamie White-Farnham

Dr. Jamie White-Farnham is an assistant professor of writing and writing coordinator. She holds a doctorate degree in English with a specialty in writing and rhetoric. She worked for two years as a grant writer before coming to UW-Superior.

"Being a professor was my goal," she said. "I want to teach people reading and writing. It's a great balance of academic thinking and practical day-to-day helping."

As a new member of the writing faculty, White-Farnham hopes to help expand the writing minor. She sees many opportunities to create new upper-level courses. She also shares a common dream with the other members of the writing faculty - that the writing minor might one day become a major.

"We want to become well-known; that writing can be a career path by students saying, 'I want to be a writer,' and thinking 'what I need to do is consider this writing minor,' " White-Farnham said. "We hope our minor becomes a solid unit of students who succeed in a range of professions."

White-Farnham emphasizes the writing process in her classes. After students write papers, she gives them feedback and points but also lets the papers "accumulate." This gives students a chance to revise their papers and to apply topics learned later in the semester to papers written in the beginning of the semester.

"It gives students a real open shot of learning outcomes and emphasizes that the writing process isn't over," White-Farnham said.

Julie Gard

Julie Gard, assistant professor of writing, holds a master of fine arts degree and has experience in teaching communications and English. She taught at the Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College for four years before joining UW-Superior.

"I loved teaching there, and I love teaching here," Gard said. "I got to do the fun stuff of helping them use writing in their career, but I didn't get to do the liberal arts stuff like reading poetry and talking about it or getting deeply into a book and discussing it, like in (Writing) 102."

Like others in the writing program, Gard said she is excited about the possibilities of the program as they continue to develop it and make it stronger and more streamlined.

She would like to see a writing community built as the writing students meet each other and learn from each other.

"Will students say to each other this is a good program? If we build the quality and strength of program, then hopefully they will," she said.

Gard hopes that with increased strength and quality of the program, students will be aware of the writing program. "I would like the writing program to be seen as a valuable resource and a program in which students can be creative and learn really practical skills," she said.

Dr. Jayson Iwen

Dr. Jayson Iwen, assistant professor of writing, holds a doctorate degree in English with a concentration in creative writing, specifically poetry, but he also has studied many types of writing, including critical writing, technical writing, fiction, and dramatic writing. He has won awards in fiction and poetry, and published two books - an experimental novella, "A Momentary Jokebook" and a book of poetry, "Six Trips in Two Directions."

"If you have fun writing it, it should be fun to read" Iwen said. He brings this philosophy into the classroom and incorporates it into his own writing.

"You can tell if someone had fun writing it," he said. "I try to make it (class) as fun as possible while still being educational."

Besides creating fun classes for his students, Iwen enjoys the classes as well. "I like the relevancy and applicability, especially of Writing 102 and 209," he said, "because students can take stuff we're learning in there and apply it immediately to their lives."

Iwen noted that he also enjoys meeting his students, especially in his creative writing memoir class. "I'm just really enjoying getting to know a lot about my students - their pasts, the stories they think are significant," he said.

Iwen finds the writing program to offer both a practical and enjoyable experience.

"It's really job-relevant and practical, but creative and imaginative at the same time," he said. "I like the fact that there does seem to be a lot of flexibility so students can create any type of writing degree. I can't think of any employer that wouldn't value a writing minor."

Dr. Jamie White-Farnham joins faculty for Fall 2011

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 19:30:44 +0000

Dr. Jamie White-Farnham
Assistant Professor Writing

Education: Doctorate degree in English in 2011 from University of Rhode Island. Specialization in writing and rhetoric.

Experience: Instructor, writing tutor, administrator

Interesting fact: Dr. White-Farnham wrote her master's thesis at Bridgewater State University on the topic "An Online Writing Lab Using IM and Email: A Pilot Study."

Q. What are you anticipating most about your job at UW-Superior?

A: "Having grown up and gone to college and grad school in New England, I'm not only new to UW-Superior, but to the entire area as well. So, I'm looking forward to getting to know the city, the campus, my colleagues, the students -- everything! I plan to encourage students to research local institutions and natural features in the area to learn all I can about these things."

Q. What's your favorite topic to teach?

A: "I'm always happy to introduce rhetorical concepts into students' writing such as audience, genre, delivery, design elements, and many others that often go unarticulated, but are important practical principles for producing strong and useful pieces of writing. Writing and rhetoric go hand-in-hand."

Q. What message do you have for your students?

A: "I had the pleasure of meeting students during my interview and campus visit, and I was impressed by their stories: first-generation college students, commuting to school, paying their own ways. I want students to know that I, too, commuted to state school on my own dime, so I understand the difficulty of balancing schoolwork and nearly full-time employment. In fact, my reasons for studying the teaching of writing are tied very closely to these experiences, and I strive to assign writing projects that (I believe) will contribute to students' success at school, work, and in every endeavor they undertake."

Dr. Jayson Iwen joins Writing and Library Science faculty

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 19:28:03 +0000

Dr. Jayson Iwen
Assistant Professor Writing

Education: Doctorate degree in 2002 from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Concentration in creative writing and poetry.

Background: Writer and poet with experience teaching English and writing

Interesting fact: In Beirut, between 2004 and 2006, Dr. Iwen organized, publicized, and emceed the first postwar public open mic reading series in Lebanon. This series had led to ongoing readings at the Blue Note Café.

Q. What are you anticipating most about your job at UW-Superior?

A. "I'm looking forward to working in an environment where education is the number one focus, where students and faculty are provided with the necessary resources to do their jobs to the best of their ability, and where community collaboration is encouraged."

Q. What's your favorite topic to teach?

A. "I love teaching courses that either explore territory unfamiliar to students, such as cross-genre writing, or that dig into ground that is often passed without even a passing glance, such as the function of metaphor in everyday thought."

Q. What message do you have for your students?

A. "Make it fun!"

Julie Gard joins Writing and Library Science faculty

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 19:19:40 +0000

Julie Gard
Assistant Professor of Writing

Education: Master of Fine Arts degree in 2000 from the University of Minnesota

Background: Experience in teaching communications and English

Interesting Fact: Used a prestigious Fulbright Fellowship to study in Vladivostok, Russia

Q. What are you anticipating most about your job at UW-Superior?

A. Most of all, I am looking forward to working with UW-Superior students with a wide range of majors, backgrounds, and interests. I'm excited about the variety of perspectives they'll bring to the writing classroom.

Q. What's your favorite topic to teach?

A. As a writer of prose poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, I love to teach classes in the writing craft and creative writing to students who are enthusiastic about literature and eager to develop as poets, novelists, and essayists. However, I also enjoy helping students with a range of majors and goals to develop the writing skills they will need to succeed in their fields -- the practical, "applied" side of writing. I can honestly say I enjoy working with "reluctant" writers as much as enthusiastic ones.

Q. What message do you have for your students?

A. Improve your writing to improve your thinking. Strong writing and critical thinking skills will help you in any career and with any life goal. Consider writing courses at UW-Superior as an essential (and hopefully enjoyable) part of your education!

Carolyn Caffrey joins library science faculty

Tue, 02 Aug 2011 21:11:21 +0000

Carolyn Caffrey
Assistant Professor Library Science/Instruction and Reference Librarian

Education: Master of Library Science degree in 2011 from Indiana University Bloomington

Experience: Reference librarian and instructor

Interesting fact: Ms. Caffrey's commitment to public service began when she became the first high school student to work at the Moorpark College Library in technical services, and continues to her present work in reference.

Q. What are you anticipating most about your job at UW-Superior?

A. "I am most looking forward to working with faculty and students across disciplines. There's always something interesting going on, and as a librarian I get to see a little bit of each subject."

Q. What's your favorite topic to teach?

A. "I love teaching information literacy skills. The process of teaching folks to find, retrieve, analyze, and use information efficiently and effectively is very rewarding."

Q. What message do you have for your students?

A. "That librarians are here to help you with any questions or research you might have."

Journal publishes student's paper on Sylvia Plath

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 20:20:19 +0000

A peer-reviewed journal at Indiana University-Northwest has published a paper about famed American writer Sylvia Plath written for a UW-Superior class by Jamie Jost.

Jost, who graduated in May 2011 with a major in English and a minor in writing, wrote "To See What She Saw: The Influence of Sylvia Plath" as a research paper for her class Writing Women, Women Writing, taught by Dr. Deborah Schlacks at UW-Superior. The class was part of Jost's writing minor. Read her paper.

Jost's paper appears in the Summer 2011 edition of the online journal Plath Profiles: An Interdisciplinary Journal for Sylvia Plath Studies.

Writing minor features changes for Fall 2010

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0000

As UW-Superior students register for the Fall 2010 semester, they'll encounter several changes in the university's Writing minor.

The minor is now part of the new Writing, Reading and Library Science Department. Faculty used the move as an opportunity to create several new writing courses and re-examine the program's requirements, said Dr. Maureen Salzer, associate professor and coordinator of first year writing.

Students registering for writing courses will find them listed under a new WRIT course code instead of the ENGL code used for English courses.

Among the minor's new courses are two "craft" courses: Writer's Craft: Poetry and Drama and Writer's Craft: Fiction. These courses are not literary studies but instead focus on writing techniques and strategies.

Other new courses include Nature Writing and Women's Autobiography. The program also includes courses in creative writing in fiction, non-fiction and memoir, rhetoric, persuasive writing, and business and professional writing. Salzer describes most of the writing courses "studio courses" that feature a lot of opportunities to write, revise and collaborate with other writers.

Salzer said the minor's updates are responding to student needs, and part of an ongoing effort to make the program useful for everyone.

"Any student can benefit from a writing course. We're trying to develop a minor that will be valuable to a wide range of students," she said.

Salzer noted that the writing program attracts students from all academic areas. Students who can read critically and write well can get things done on the job and even do better on job applications. "Employers like to know their employees have experience in writing," she said.

UW-Superior students benefit from the breadth of the faculty's experience. They can study fiction writing with award-winning author Dr. Tony Bukoski and poetry with award-winning poet Bart Sutter. Salzer and Yvonne Rutford are experienced in teaching the business and professional writing course, and Dr. Deborah Schlacks lends her considerable experience to teaching persuasive writing.

Most students enrolling in the writing courses are enthusiastic about writing, but faculty members also see their share of reluctant writers. Salzer said faculty try to "demystify" the work of writing. Students write a lot in the courses, but they spend a lot of time working with other students as well as revising and rewriting their work rather than handing in every item for a grade. Salzer calls it "a workshop approach."

"I think of myself as their editor and guide," she said. "They're working with each other and learning from each other. We're always willing to work one-on-one with students, and often they'll work with the Writing Center as well."