MTSU English Graduate Program

?? Celebrate Open Education Week with the OER Champions Showcase! Tomorrow, March 5th, Walker Library will host a Zoom workshop sharing innovative faculty projects that demonstrate the power of Open Educational Resources across MTSU’s campus. We’re proud to see English department representatives — Dr. Kate Pantelides, Nicholas Krause, and Caroline LaPlue — featured as panelists, sharing their OER experiences alongside colleagues from Aerospace, Engineering Technology, and World Languages. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn how OER supports more accessible, affordable, and engaging learning experiences for students. To attend, all you need to do is a quick registration here: https://lnkd.in/ed73t9kb ?? March 5, 2025 ? 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM ?? Zoom (register here: https://lnkd.in/ed73t9kb) Learn more and celebrate OER innovation at MTSU! #TrueBlue

Exciting news from the ???????? ?????????????????? ???????????????????????? ?????????????????????? ????????????????????! ?? Six of our English graduate students presented their research at this year’s annual TPA conference, contributing incredible scholarship across diverse literary topics. For Lalonie McCarter, Karmen Miller, and Annalysa Grayson, this was their first time presenting at a state-wide conference—a great milestone! ?? Lalonie McCarter – "Haunted Boundaries: Liminality and Abjection in Gilman and Jackson" ?? Karmen Miller – "The Anti-Catholic Movement and Matthew Lewis’ ????? ????????" ?? Annalysa Grayson – "The Apothecary Diaries: Mystery Within a Slice-of-Life Story" ?? Nicholas Krause – "One of the Shouts" (Creative Nonfiction) ?? Caroline LaPlue – "Reimagining the Dissertation for Impact Outside the Academy" ?? Ashley Quinn – "Crafting Narratives in Motion: Mike Flanagan’s Evolution of the Long Take from ??????? to ????? ???????????????? ???? ???????? ??????????" We’re proud of these students for engaging in critical conversations and representing MTSU English at the state level!?And extra shout-out to the English Graduate Student Organization for funding and sponsoring our graduate students at this year's TPA conference! #TrueBlue

The Nontraditional Thesis/Dissertation Roundtable was a great success! ?? We had an engaging and informative discussion on the opportunities and challenges of nontraditional graduate projects. The slides from Program Assistant Nicholas Krause's presentation are attached to this post for anyone interested in exploring these ideas further! Huge thanks to Drs. Donnelly and Arroyo, and graduate students Caroline LaPlue and Abigail Wells, for sharing their insights and experiences. Their perspectives on innovative approaches to dissertation work were both inspiring and practical. Grateful to everyone who attended and contributed to the conversation! These discussions are essential as academia continues to evolve, and it was wonderful to see such enthusiasm for expanding what scholarship can look like. Looking forward to more conversations on the future of research! ???? #TrueBlue

?? Exploring Non-Traditional Thesis & Dissertation Projects – Join the Roundtable! ?? The academic landscape is evolving, and so are the ways we approach research! The English Graduate Program invites faculty and graduate students to a roundtable discussion on innovative thesis and dissertation projects. ?? Tuesday, Feb. 11 ? 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM ?? Peck Hall 221 Featuring insights from Drs. Donnelly & Arroyo, Ph.D. student Caroline LaPlue, and recent graduate Abigail Wells, this discussion will explore creative writing as a central research component—even as the defining core of a project at the MA level—as well as the possibilities of Digital Humanities-informed research. ?? Who should attend? ? Grad students considering innovative approaches to their thesis or dissertation ? Faculty interested in advising and supporting nontraditional projects ? Anyone curious about how research is adapting to new scholarly possibilities As higher education shifts, understanding these approaches is key to navigating and shaping the future of academic research. ?? Come explore new possibilities for your scholarship! #TrueBlue

Exciting news! Congratulations to Dr. Kate Pantelides, Caroline LaPlue, and Nich Krause for receiving one of Walker Library’s Affordable Course Materials Grants! Their project will create a significantly revised 2nd edition of The Ask: A More Beautiful Question, the OER textbook for ENGL 1020: Research & Argumentative Writing. The new edition will, among other things, feature updated readings aligned with the True Blue Core outcomes, a more accessible design, and an appendix detailing sustainability methods. This work is part of a pilot grant program aimed at reducing textbook costs for students. Altogether, the awarded projects have the potential to save 4,400 MTSU students over $440,000 annually. A huge thank you to the Provost for making this program possible, and to all the faculty dedicated to making education more affordable for our students! #TrueBlue

?? Big congratulations to Sami Grayson for not one, but TWO amazing accomplishments! ?? Her co-authored article, "The Feminists are Coming: A Conversation about the Work of the CCCC Feminist Caucus and the Coalition of Feminist Scholars in the History of Rhetoric and Composition," has been accepted for publication in the upcoming special issue of ??????????: ?? 4??4???????????????? ??????????????, set to release in April 2025. ?? This issue celebrates 75 years of CCCC, and Sami's work shines a light on the power of feminist activism in writing, rhetoric, and literacy studies. AND Sami has started a new role as ???????????????? ???? ?????? ?????????????? ???????????? ???? ???????????????? ????????????????????! Her leadership and scholarship are an inspiration to us all. Join us in celebrating Sami’s incredible work and wishing her the best in this exciting new chapter! ???? #TrueBlue #CCCC #SparkJournal

Call for Papers! ?? Apply now for the 2025 Tennessee Philological Association Conference at Freed-Hardeman University, February 20–22! This year’s theme is “The Mysterious”—but they welcome papers on all topics in literature, writing, pedagogy, and media. ?? Submission Deadline: January 20, 2025 ?? Submit Here: [email protected] ?? Register: https://lnkd.in/egghQarT Explore the unknown. Embrace curiosity. Share your work! #TPA2025 #CallForPapers #LiteratureConference #TheMysterious #TrueBlue

Graduate student Landon Funk recently presented her paper, “‘The Temptation of Being Thought Indispensable: Surviving the Domestic in?????? ????????????????????,” at the National Women’s Studies Association Conference in Detroit. ?? Many thanks to Landon for contributing her insights to such an important conference and for representing the department with her thoughtful and engaging work on feminist literature. Way to go, Landon! ?? #trueblue

??? Big congratulations to Dr. Claudia Barnett on the publication of ??????????????????’?? ?????????? with #OriginalWorks! Inspired by the unsung history of Aglaonike, the first female astronomer, this stylized coming-of-age play weaves together ancient Greek traditions and postmodern performance, featuring puppets, masks, and themes of political, ecological, and scientific significance. Explore the magic and science of ??????????????????’?? ?????????? here: https://lnkd.in/e7sApUJj #TrueBlue #AglaonikesTiger #MTSUEnglish #TheaterArts #WomenInScience

The English Graduate Student Organization’s Mystery Book Sale is running today through Thursday. From 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, the EGSO executive team will be selling books in the Peck Courtyard! But these books will be wrapped and will only include a hint or two as to the contents. Books will be priced at $5 or less (they will accept cash and have a Venmo QR code), and proceeds will go to supporting EGSO and the English department GAs. Swing by and pick up some mystery books for yourself (or give them as fun gifts for the holidays)! #trueblue