Kemp Symposium

Emma Sanford, Aliya Claiborne, and Ellie Killian present their LING 470A1: Language and Culture research at the 2024 Kemp Symposium.

The Department of English and Linguistics is dedicated to undergraduate research and creativity–and to a collaborative sharing of our students’ work.  Our strongest venue for this is the annual William Kemp Symposium (a name honoring a former department chair), which is scheduled each Spring semester and which showcases critical, creative, original work by the department’s students and classes.

The Kemp Symposium is open to the public.

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Spring 2026
Twenty-First Annual William Kemp Symposium
April 23-24, 2026

All upper-level daytime English and Linguistics classes will be cancelled on these two days.

Event Schedule Program:

For a detailed schedule with events, times, and presentation times, see the program:

Special Events:

Poetry Reading

Thursday, April 23, 5:00 p.m., Combs 139

Guest Poet Chelsea Krieg (ENGL 2010) will read from her debut poetry collection, Everything Is Water, and discuss the journey from UMW undergraduate to published author. Free copies of the book will be available for attendees (while supplies last), and a reception/signing will follow.

Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society Induction

Friday, April 24, 4:00 p.m., Combs 139

Select student will be inducted to the International English Honor Society

Taddesse Adera Memorial Address: Why Literature Matters 2026 Speaker: Dr. Corley Miller

Professor Barrenechea gestures toward a projection screen containing images of book covers and presentation text.
Professor Antonio Barrenechea delivers the annual Taddesse Adera “Why Literature Matters” presentation as part of the 2024 Kemp Symposium.

ENLI Department Picnic!

Friday, April 24, 5:00-7:00 p.m., Jefferson Square

For more information about this year’s event, contact Dr. Eric Lorentzen.

Symposia of Yesteryear:

2025: Kemp Symposium Program 2025

2024: Kemp Symposium 2024

2023: Kemp Symposium Program 2023

2022: UMW Kemp Program, 2022

2021: UMW Kemp Program, 2021 FINAL

2020: UMW Virtual Creativity and Research Symposium Booklet and Department Presentations

2019:Kemp Program FINAL, 2019 and 2019 UMW Digital Showcase Program

2018: kemp-program-final-2018

2017: kemp-symposium-program-2017

2016: PROGRAM, Twelfth Annual William Kemp Symposium, April 21-22, 2016

2015: Kemp Symposium Schedule 2015

2014: The 10th Annual William Kemp Symposium for Majors in English

2013: Kemp Symposium Program 2013

2012: 2012 kemp symposium program

2011: 2011 Kemp Symposium UMW Blogs Site

2009: Kemp Symposium Program 2009

2008: 2008 Kemp Symposium Program

2007: 2007 Kemp Symposium Program

2006: 2006 ELS Department Kemp Symposium Program

Mark DiSipio presents at the 2015 Kemp Symposium in The Dickinson Hat
Marc DiSipio presents at the 2015 Kemp Symposium in The Dickinson Hat