Fallon Leads Student Research into Writing Systems and Database Development in UMW Summer Institute

Paul Fallon, Associate Professor of Linguistics, has led student research inventory and database of writing systems in UMW's first Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Summer Institute (AHSSSI). The event concludes with presentations of research results of their monthlong research projects. The event, beginning at 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 15, in the Digital Auditorium of the Hurley Convergence Center, is open to the public. Fallon's student team is presenting at 3 p.m. Writing Systems Inventory Database. Student researchers are Isabella Cunningham, Matias Esquivel and Ezra Hanning.   https://www.umw.edu/news/2022/06/14/humanities-symposium-highlights-faculty-student-research/   … [Read more...]

Vanessa Fickes ’22 Wins Prestigious Top-of-the-Class Award

Vanessa Fickes was one of two graduates honored by the University of Mary Washington with the Colgate W. Darden Jr. Award for earning the highest grade-point average (GPA) in the undergraduate program. The award was presented at the University’s 111th Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 7. Fickes completed her capstone project, “Christian Imagery in the Short Stories of Flannery O’Connor,” which earned her departmental honors, with Professor and Chair Gary Richard. She delivered two presentations on Shakespeare as part of the William Kemp Symposium held in April.     … [Read more...]

Lu Sheikhnureldin ’22 Recognized with Outstanding Leader Award

Lu Sheikhnureldin, class of 2022, recently received the Prince Woodard Outstanding Leader Award recognizing her work leading DiversAbility, Women of Color, Students Educating and Empowering Diversity, and PRISM, as well as serving as an inaugural Farmer Fellow with the James Farmer Multicultural Center. She plans to continue her education by pursuing a master’s degree through UMW’s College of Education.   https://www.umw.edu/news/2022/05/04/class-of-2022-stellar-student-stories-part-1/   … [Read more...]

UMW Sigma Tau Delta Honor Society Welcomes New Inductees

Professor Gary Richards, chair of the Department of English and Linguistics and Sigma Tau Delta sponsor, has announced six new inductees into the Sigma Tau Delta honor society, the most prominent national literary honor society that recognizes students’ achievements in literary studies: Kimber G. Foreman Elizabeth Gisselquist Hannah Grace Harris Jessica Faith Hopkins Grace Hopps Haley Schnitzer These new members will be inducted into the local chapter on Friday, April 22, 2022, at 4 p.m. in Combs 139. At that time, the department will also acknowledge last year's inductees who will be graduating this spring: Alyssa Brown Vanessa Pauline Fickes Georga Hackworth Chloe Martin Rosemary Pauley Emily Renner Madison Roberts Katia Savelyeva Keaton Sayers For membership in Sigma Tau Delta, one must be a major in English or English: Creative Writing with at least twelve credit hours in literature with a major GPA of at least 3.5 and an … [Read more...]

English Major’s Bookmobile and Literary Journal Revival Featured on UMW Voice

Hollis Cobb, a junior English major, was recently featured on the UMW Voice for his work initiating Bookmobile Fredericksburg, which partners with regional organizations to promote literacy, and his work rechartering The Aubade, UMW’s student literary magazine. https://www.umw.edu/news/2022/03/16/umw-gives-students-bookmobile-project-a-lift/     … [Read more...]

Barbara Thomas Phillips Scholarship Readings Held on March 15 5 pm in Combs 139

Barbara Thomas Phillips Scholarship in Creative Writing recipient (Augustus “Gus” Grohmann) and honorable mentions (Alyssa Brown and Emma Pillis) of the Barbara Thomas Phillips Scholarship in creative writing will read their work on Tuesday, March 15, at 5 p.m. in Combs 139. … [Read more...]

English & Linguistics Students Pursue Individual Studies and Internships in Fall 2021 Semester

This semester, English and Linguistics students continue to pursue high impact learning opportunities through independent studies and internships. Each semester and in summer, the Department of English and Linguistics offers juniors and seniors the opportunity to take individual studies in highly specialized courses that are designed by students in close collaboration with sponsoring faculty. Throughout the year, the Department supports juniors and seniors pursuing professional practice and learning opportunities through internships.   Individual Studies, with faculty sponsors : Kira Frazee, ENGL 491: Queer Children’s Literature with Professor Richards Vanessa Fickes, ENGL 491: O’Connor and Christianity with Professor Richards Summer Reardon, ENGL 491: Creating a Graphic Novel with Professor Whalen Michael Campbell, LING 491: Italian Phonology with Professor Fallon Matthew Nelson, LING 491: History of Latin with Professor Fallon   Internships, … [Read more...]

Department Inducts New Members into Sigma Tau Delta Honor Society

The Department of English and Linguistics, which sponsors a chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the most prominent national literary honor society that recognizes students’ achievements in literary studies, inducted new members on April 30, 2021. Professor Gary Richards, Chair of the Department of English, and Linguistics, campus sponsor for Sigma Tau Delta, welcomed the new members. For membership in Sigma Tau Delta, one must be a major in English or English: Creative Writing with at least twelve credit hours in literature with a major GPA of at least 3.5 and an overall GPA of at least 3.0.     The new members inducted: Alyssa Brown Rachel Cooper Sydney Dahl Elizabeth Devine Vanessa Pauline Fickes Liz Foster Georga Hackworth Dylan Lassiter Chloe Martin Mary-Gayden Morrill Rosemary Pauley Anna Perdue Maddie Reilley Emily Renner Madison Roberts Katia Savelyeva Keaton Sayers Faith Thorpe Rebecca Young Sarah Lindsey … [Read more...]

Graduates and Alumni Pursue Graduate School

The Department of English and Linguistics congratulates several graduates and alumni, who have shared graduate school acceptances and plans:  Congratulations to Elizabeth “Beth” Kelly! A May 2021 graduate with a special major in Psycholinguistics, she has been accepted into the University of Colorado Boulder's Speech-Language Pathology Prerequisite Program (SLPP). This one-year program offers eight different courses that will allow her to finish all of the requirements for her anticipated SLP graduate program. Starting this June and running through the summer, she will be taking a phonetics class and a speech science class. She also received acceptances from programs including NYU and Northwestern. Congratulations to Mackenzie King! A December 2020 graduate with a special major in Linguistics and a minor in English Literature as well as a member of the Honors Program, she will be attending the Master of Science degree program in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Longwood … [Read more...]

Riris ’19 Is Pursuing MA in French Studies in Provence

Eleni Riris ’19 (double major in Linguistics and French) is currently pursuing an M.A. in French Studies, specializing in Teaching French as a Foreign Language, at the American College of the Mediterranean in Aix-en-Provence, France. For more information, see Eleni's website. A piece of her calligraphy from her site is included below. … [Read more...]