A Day at the Cloisters

by Dominic Ferraro

Informative, fun, and interesting are the first three words that come to my mind when I think about my experience at the Cloisters Museum in New York City. For those of you who may not be familiar with the Cloisters Museum, it’s okay. I was wasn’t either until a day before this trip. The Cloisters Museum is a part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art with exhibits that include art and artifacts from twelfth to the fifteenth century of medieval Europe. There are even salvaged architectural elements built into the museum, which makes the experience truly original. There are not many places where one can see medieval European art and artifacts inside a medieval European influenced building, at least not in the United States. 

When Dr. Christina Francis, my Medieval Literature professor here at Bloomsburg University, explained to my class that this trip would be a part of a class lesson, I was not too sure about the trip. Driving to a museum that is dedicated to a topic, the medieval world, that I was not familiar with, with a group of people I don’t really know, did not sound like my ideal Sunday. Regardless, I had to go. It was a part of class, and the medieval class itself was geared towards the analysis of the literary works of medieval Europe. I knew that this trip would give me a better understanding of the work and I was right! All I can say is I am extremely happy I walked away with the experience I did.

 For starters, as I explained, the Cloisters itself is a building that contains parts of monasteries from medieval Europe. I was able to get a first-hand experience of architecture that was common during the time period we were studying. Inside, I was surrounded by art and artifacts from the medieval world. There was even a garden that was home to vegetation and plants that lived and were used, studied, or written about in this time period. As a class, we talked about different displays the museum had to offer, like the tapestry and its significance to the time period, stories, history, and art. We also spent a lot of time looking at the religious pieces because religion had a huge influence on the medieval world. I learned a lot about relics and the expensive garnishing of the Catholic Church. 

Personally, two of my favorite pieces were the stained glass windows and the rosary with the skull. Both of these pieces are elegant yet hint at death or punishment, which from what I took away from my experience at the museum was a big theme of the medieval world. Everything from the sculptures to paintings, as you can see in the window and rosary, is extremely well crafted and detailed. They are garnished and well put together, yet there is always a hint of death or punishment, something ugly amongst beauty, like sin, always prominent in life. This reflects the influence the Catholic Church had on every part of medieval life. People of that time were obsessed with the idea of body and soul. They wanted a lavish life on Earth, but they were constantly reminded about their soul and where it could end up, if they did not live a righteous life. That is one of the biggest things I have taken away from this trip and my medieval class. The idea of the Catholic Church having a strong presence and influence over people and their actions. The thought of death and what happens to one’s soul after it, alone has influenced a good portion of the writings, art, and actions of this time period and I believe it is reflected well in the two pieces I chose as my favorites.

 One of the best experiences had to come from not only seeing medieval life, but being able to experience it first-hand. Outside, on the grounds of the museum, there was a medieval fair. There was food, costumes, and venders that all looked like they came straight from art that was inside the walls of the museum. I was even able to hear live readings of books we were reading in class. I was experiencing what I was studying and that made learning and retaining information easier.

 

 One of the most memorable parts of the fair had to be when I was able to see a live jousting match. It had to be one of the coolest experiences I’ve had on a school trip and honestly, it did not even feel like a school trip. It felt like an outing with friends, an outing full of educational experiences; but like I said, it was a fun time. Hopefully other classes get to experience this. I can’t think of a better way to bring a class together and get lessons through to students than by putting them in an environment full of what they are learning and letting them see and experience it first hand with one another.   

In my opinion, this trip shaped the structure for the rest of the class this semester. After the trip, I felt like every aspect of class became more interesting. I noticed a difference in the first class following the trip. Since we had all spent the day in New York together, we were able to get to know one another and that added to the discussions and input from the class, in my opinion. Everyone seemed to open up more during discussions. Maybe it was because we all were more comfortable talking about class topics. People were more willing to share thoughts and ideas to friends compared to strangers who one thinks could judge them. The trip also gave me a face for the name kind of deal. Everything we saw at the Cloisters was either talked about or was going to be talked about in class. The visuals really helped me understand the concepts of the class, which again was geared towards the analysis of this time period. The collection of art and artifacts at the museum alone gave us a lot of things to connect back to our readings which helped us make clearer and more precise connections to the thoughts that influenced the writings of the medieval period.

Independent Study leads to Online Literary Magazine

Fledgling Literary Magazine is the brainchild of senior Bloomsburg University English major Sean Williams, who created the magazine as part of a Spring 2015 independent study under the direction of poet and creative writing professor Jerry Wemple.

According to Williams, the goal of the project is "to create an online workshopping experience for young/ aspiring writers, to provide a safe, no-cost, no-judgment outlet for them to publish their creative writing, and to give visitors of the site resources with which to improve their writing."

Williams, who studies English and creative writing with minors in professional writing and French, describes the process that led to Fledgling Literary Magazine as follows:

"To complete this independent study, I basically divided the project into two halves this semester. I devoted the first half of the semester to website creation--creating the elements, organizing, writing the content for pages, etc. The second half was devoted to publishing content and spreading visibility. That meant advertising on social media, spreading the word to different audiences, and actually having content up for people to see."

While he encourages participants to permit online publication of their work, Williams says, "I also welcome the opportunity to just read the pieces writers send me so that I can give feedback to them to the best of my ability. Sometimes the best thing a writer can do is ask someone to look at the piece with fresh eyes. I do that for no charge."

Visitors to the site can read published pieces and offer constructive criticism via moderated comments. Williams also offers writing tips, prompts, and links to external resources.

Grad Profile: Chris Ulloth, Professional Playwright & Dramaturg

Alumnus Chris Ulloth writes:

Chris and Dano Madden in a workshop of First Snow
at the 92nd Street Y. Photo credit: Miki Murata.

When I graduated from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania last year, I moved to New York City with my newly-minted BA in Creative Writing and a minor in Theatre Arts.  I came in pursuit of being a playwright but have come to realize there was another career my education had prepared me for in addition to writing.

During my studies, Professor David A. Miller introduced me to his New York City-

based theatrical collective, The Artful Conspirators.  He took a handful of students to the city to experience the collective's Open Rehearsal Series in which a playwright, director, and actors would spend a weekend rehearsing and developing a new work by the playwright.  I do not know exactly why, but the process of developing a new play specifically for the purpose of development, not production, took me by surprise.  Maybe I thought, rather naively, that writing development ceased to exist after college, that you either learn to be a good writer and your works go on to be produced/published, or you don't and that's just too bad.  In any event, I was enamored by the process.  I found myself using the same tools for theatrical and literary discussion I learned at University, but in a professional environment.

After my studies at Bloomsburg concluded, I took an internship with the Seven Devils Playwrights Conference in McCall, ID.  There, I was surrounded by several emerging and established playwrights whose plays were handpicked from hundreds of submissions to be developed at the conference.  I noticed there were people hired by the conference specifically for the purpose of developing the plays and using those familiar tools for discussion.  It was about that time I came to realize my studies had not only prepared me to be a writer, but also a dramaturg.

What the hell is a dramaturg?  Well, the definitions vary based on the needs of the company and/or play, but essentially the function I serve is as an advocate for the playwright.  I assist playwrights with their needs pertaining to their play, which can include anything from researching the play's topics to analyzing the plot structure or character trajectories.  Little did I know, I had begun honing this skill long before I knew what dramaturgy was, back in Creative Writing workshops with Professors Claire Lawrence and Jerry Wemple.

Enamored with and exhilarated by the process of developmental theatre, I came to New York City seeking more.  In NYC I worked with id Theater (the company responsible for Seven Devils) and The Artful Conspirators as dramaturg for BAD HUSBAND, a new play by Dano Madden.  Dano, who I met through Professor Miller, is an esteemed playwright who I am proud to say has become an invaluable mentor and a dear friend to me.

Rehearsal of First Snow at the Seven Devils Playwrights Conference.
Photo credit: Sarah Jessup.

In addition to dramaturgy, I have been using my knowledge base from my studies to create programs that allow others the opportunity to develop and create.  Early in 2014 (with the help of many talented 92nd Street Y residents and staff to whom I owe so much), I started a 92nd Street Y based arts collective called the Resident Artists.  The name was remarkably uninspired for one reason: to let the inspiration come from its members without restriction.  And so, over the course of three months, we held a reading of a new play and screenplay, produced and premiered a short film, and produced a short play festival.  As our members transitioned, so did the company.  Now several of us are working with another company in which I am Co-Artistic Director with fellow Bloomsburg University alumnus Lauren M. Shover.  The company, Elephant Room Productions, will debut its first season this November which includes the development and production of new works.

While developmental theatre is part of my career, I am first and foremost a writer.  Since I graduated, I have written two full length plays which have received professional development and one short play which has received production.  My most notable work has been First Snow, a play which takes place in a town based on Centralia, Pennsylvania, and makes reference to a few Bloomsburg-inspired landmarks.  I submitted this play to the Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, and lo and behold a year after my internship I was invited back to develop this play.  I am currently a playwright intern with Project Y Theatre, a NYC theatre company, where my plays have also been developed with their playwrights group.

Now I am in the midst of submission season—both submitting my own plays to theatres all over the country and working as a reader for Seven Devils—cognizant of the careers I can pursue and grateful to the educational system which has enabled my pursuit.

---------------------------------------

To learn more about Chris, please visit: christopher.ulloth.com

Update: Chris was recently named the Associate Literary Manager for Project Y Theatre Company in New York City and is a semi-finalist for the prestigious National Playwriting Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center.

Mass Communications Alumna Reflects on BU Experience

Julie Gould '14

May 2014:  I woke up to rain hitting my window and my phone buzzing as my family was letting me know they were on their way, but all I could think about was graduation day. It was a day that I remember thinking about 4 years earlier when I entered Bloomsburg as a freshman, and thinking how far away it was in time, but in reality, college is the fastest four years of life. My time at Bloomsburg taught me a lot about myself and everyone around me; I’m glad I was able to spend my time with the College of Liberal Arts and graduate with a Journalism major and English Minor.

Within days of graduation, I was already moved out of my hometown of Hamilton, NJ, and moved in with my boyfriend in Newtown, PA. During winter break of my senior year, I began to apply for jobs and interview in hopes of landing something shortly after graduation. Well, needless to say … it worked! I walked across the stage on that rainy day May 10, a couple weeks later I received a job offer, and June 9 was my first day on the job.

Through a lengthy process of a phone interview, face-to-face interview, reference check and about a month wait-time, I was on the edge of my seat in anticipation waiting to hear if I got the job or not. I applied to work with a company, Vantage Labs (USA), LLC, as their Proposal Writer. Although it wasn't directly reporting much like Journalism is known to be, it was still a writing position that would use the skills I learned through the Mass Communications/Journalism and English departments.

The Mass Communications department at Bloomsburg was by my side for the entire journey. They were the ones who pushed me to go and apply early because they knew I had it in me to land a job quickly. Many fears ran through my mind because you go through school and hear things about how hard it is to find a job, but with the right support, anything can happen.

My journey doesn't end there; I have also applied and been accepted to many different contributing writer sites to have personal work published on different websites. Currently, I contribute to Elite Daily, Thought Catalog, Quirky Daily, and I even have a piece featured on USA Today College. I have been contacted through some of my articles to join other sites as well, and it is a rewarding feeling to know that out of the thousands of viewers reading my posts, it does make an impact on a few.

When I sat in my classrooms during my four years at Bloomsburg, I never thought I would be this far along in my life in such a short time after graduation. I have to thank the support of everyone around me while there at Bloomsburg because I wouldn’t have made it this far without them. Since graduation, I have also had the opportunity to come back to Bloomsburg and speak to an underclassmen lecture for professor, Dr. David Magolis. I was able to go back and share my personal experience with the students and also give them tips about what they should be doing, and what they will be doing in their future; it is important for them to learn these things now before it is too late down the road.

I left Bloomsburg Univeristy with the confidence that I can do and accomplish anything that stands in my way. I also left with many connections that I know will last a lifetime between professional connections through professors and also those of my peers. My biggest dream and aspiration is to publish a novel for young adults, and although I have submitted a manuscript for a children’s book, I hope to turn that into bigger things. I know that Bloomsburg is always there behind me, and I still have many professors and friends that I can turn to when needed.

- Julie Gould, Mass Communications Alumna ‘14

English Classes Take Learning Outside the Classroom

Dr. Christina Francis' English 288 – Feminist Reading of Culture traveled to New York City on September 18th to visit the New York Public Library exhibit entitled “The ABC of It: Why Children’s Books Matter” as part of their exploration of fairy tales and gender representation this semester. 

Students on the steps of the New York Public Library,
courtesy of Dr. Francis

Student particularly enjoyed learning about banned children’s books and children’s literature from other cultures, and they also attended a performance of the newly adapted Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella on Broadway, which offered a Cinderella more in control of her own glass slipper. The trip was sponsored by a College of Liberal Arts Curriculum Enhancement Grant and the English Department.

Students in Dr. Francis' English 341 – Medieval Literature traveled to the PA Renaissance Faire from October 11 - 13 in order to experience some approximation of the material culture and activities associated with the Middle Ages. Students have been studying the original stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table by writers such as Chretien de Troyes and Sir Thomas Malory.  

courtesy of Dr. Francis

At the Faire, students witnessed a game of human chess--a board game invented during the Middle Ages--listened to talks on archery, sword-making, glassblowing, and falconry and watched several sessions of tournament and combat jousting, a form of military training common in the medieval period. Medieval and Renaissance torture devices were on prominent display during this Halloween season.

Students standing with a replica guillotine,
courtesy of Dr. Francis

Summer Writers Retreat

The College of Liberal Arts' first Faculty Writers Retreat took place this past summer, running from July 22-26. Mary Katherine Duncan, Steve Hales, Jennifer Johnson, Ted Roggenbuck, Nancy Giles, Danny Robinson, Megumi Omori, Christina Francis, and Claire Lawrence participated in the retreat. The group gathered daily for the duration of the week to work on their individual writing projects and to discuss the joys and frustrations of the writing process, share their tips, and generally gain insight, motivation, and support from peers. All report that it was an extremely productive experience.

“The retreat came about when Dr. Julie Vandivere told me about a similar retreat that they were running at Bucknell University.  We began to wonder if our faculty would benefit from one,” said organizer Heather Feldhaus.

“The College of Liberal Arts agreed to fund the event so I convened a small planning group composed of myself, Dr. Ted Roggenbuck from the English Department and Dr. Lisa Stallbaumer from the Department of History and TALE Director. After much discussion, we chose some dates and opted to begin by hosting a fairly unstructured event to see what faculty prefer,” said Feldhaus.

It was a productive week. with all participants making significant progress on one or more substantial scholarly projects. Additionally, at least one idea for an interdisciplinary collaborative project was conceived. 

The College of Liberal Arts will host another retreat January 13-17.  We have also set up a BU COLA Faculty writers group on Facebook and any member of the COLA faculty can join.

Bloomsburg Explores ... Community, Arts, and the 2011 Flood

From Dr. Christina Francis and Bloomsburg University's Institute for Culture and Society:

In conjunction with the BTE/BU Players upcoming “Pay What You Wish” performances of Flood Stories, Too, the Institute for Culture and Society (sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts) has organized a series of complementary talks and programs to take place March 8th through March 14th.  These programs will highlight some of the specific issues and people involved in the 2011 flood, as well as some perspectives on the value of art that responds to and includes its community in the creative process. Please join us! These events are free and open to the public.

Friday, March 8^th, 5:00 – 6:30 pm, McCormick 1303

Arlene Goldbard, nationally-recognized author/speaker/activist, presents “Tell It! How Shaping Our Stories Shapes Our Lives and Communities”

Saturday, March 9^th, 4:30 pm, Alvina Krause Theatre (AKT)

Arlene Goldbard, nationally-recognized author/speaker/activist, & Gerard Stropnicky, director/writer of BTE’s Flood Stories, Too., present

"What Happens When Communities Participate in Telling Their Own Stories"

Sunday, March 10^th, 12:30-2:00 pm, Moose Exchange, Grille Room

Gerard Stropnicky presents “Flood Stories, Too.: Context and Process”

Tuesday, March 12^th, 6:00 – 8:30 pm, Moose Exchange, Grille Room

Panel 1) Jennifer Whisner, PhD, Asst. Professor of Environmental, Geographical & Geological Sciences, presents “Climate Change and Flooding”

Panel 2) Rita Inklovich, Red Cross; Kathy Lowe, Agape; & Lee Sokoloski, Chief of Police, Bloomsburg, present “The Role of Response Services to the 2011 Flood”

Thursday, March 14^th, 6:30 – 7:45 pm, Hartline Rm 108 (Auditorium)

“Psychological Responses to Natural Disaster: Stress, Community, Resilience”

• James Dalton, PhD, Professor of Psychology
• William R. Harrar, PsyD, BU Director of Counseling
• Joseph G. Tloczynski, PhD, Professor of Psychology
• Jennifer M. Yarnell, MCAT, PhD, Instructor of Psychology & private practitioner
• Jodi Weiskerger, LSW, Private practitioner 
• Moderator: Nancy D. Giles, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychology

Organized by the Institute for Culture and Society

Sponsored by the BU College of Liberal Arts

Arts in Autumn

Bloomsburg University's Center for Visual and Performing Arts is hosting a fundraising dinner on October 21, 2012 featuring a delectable menu as well as an art exhibit and literary, musical, theatrical, and dance performances featuring some of BU's most talented students. Seating is limited and by advance ticket only. Join us!

Achievements

Mass Communications major Natalie Wagner is one of four students across the PA State System of Higher Education to receive one of the first William D. Greenlee Scholarships. Ms. Wagner, of Milton, is dual majoring in anthropology. Congratulations!

Anne Dyer Stuart, English Department, won the 2012 New South Prize Prize for her essay "Idiopathic." She received a $1000 award, and her essay will be published in the Fall 2012 issue of New South. She recently read from her novel at the KGB Bar in New York City as part of Columbia Faculty Selects. She also has poems forthcoming in Third Coast, Midway Journal, and Earth's Daughters. 

The BroadwayWorld Student Center recently featured the students and faculty of BU's Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance on its website, providing valuable national exposure. 

In April, Stephen Whitworth, department of English, delivered a paper on "Psychoanalysis and Teaching" at the Transitions and Transactions Conference at CUNY; he delivered another paper at Fordham in New York in April on Baroque poetry and psychosis at the annual conference of the Affiliated Psychoanalytic Workshops. Two of his articles on psychoanalysis are now featured at on the online journal of the Washington D.C. Lacanian Forum.  

2012 Dean's Salute To Excellence Awards

Dr. Janet Bodenman, Communication Studies; Dr. Luke Springman, Languages and Cultures; Dr. Jim Brown, Dean, College of Liberal Arts; Dr. Ted Roggenbuck, English. Not pictured: Dr. Faith Warner, Anthropology. Photo by Eric Foster.

Many faculty members in the College of Liberal Arts are excellent teacher-scholars who contribute greatly to the well-being of our students and the university community. By virtue of their teaching, scholarly/creative work, and service, campus culture is improved and the visibility and reputation of the university is enhanced nationally and internationally.

In 1998 Dean Hsien-Tung Liu established the Dean’s Salute to Excellence award to recognize distinction in the areas of teaching and professional responsibilities, scholarship, and service. Since then, the college has recognized a few select faculty members each year for their achievements, with selection based on performance reviews.

Dr. Janet Bodenman, Department of Communication Studies

Dr. Bodenman recently completed her fifteenth post-tenure year at Bloomsburg University. She is well known as an enthusiastic, rigorous, conscientious and creative instructor and—quoting her department chairperson here—“outstanding faculty mentor inside and outside the classroom.” Her peer observers made particular note of “her ability to create a supportive learning environment, and her confidence and enthusiasm which invite students to participate as active learners.”

In her most recent evaluation period she published one article and presented twelve competitively selected papers at regional and national conventions. Her scholarship is closely integrated with her teaching, mentoring, and community engagement. Within her department she has served on no fewer than eight committees during the evaluation period and has served on fifteen university-wide committees; additionally she has guest-lectured or provided workshops to student groups on nineteen occasions. And she is furthermore very active in the community. The quantity of these activities is matched by the quality and diligence she brings to every endeavor.

Dr. Ted Roggenbuck, Department of English

Dr. Roggenbuck is in his fourth year at Bloomsburg University, and his duties are divided between teaching in the English department and directing the university’s writing center. His student evaluations for last year were stellar. His peer observations were similarly full of superlatives. One observer described the class presentation as “one of the most interesting and thought provoking I have seen at Bloomsburg University.” Another described Dr. Roggenbuck as “an exceptional professor” who “teaches extremely important content while modeling how to listen carefully, communicate clearly and logically, and tutor with compassion and humor.”
As a scholar, Dr. Roggenbuck has been extremely active in a diverse array of projects. He has studied and presented on the topic of student writing with sources and collaborated with Dr. Amy Covill in Psychology in her work on peer review. He also works with undergraduate writing consultants and a teacher at Berwick Area High School on an ongoing project. In his spare time, he serves on the Liberal Arts Curriculum Committee and has presented a redesign of the first-year writing curriculum that will have a lasting impact on the whole university.

Dr. Luke Springman, Department of Languages and Cultures

Dr. Springman recently completed his fifteenth post-tenure year at Bloomsburg University. Dr. Springman is known as a conscientious and reflective instructor who is known for his willingness to explore technology and other innovative teaching strategies. His chairperson and peer observers made special mention of his “integration of culture and language, emphasis on communicative ability, and well-structured lectures.” His evaluation committee describes him as “the pillar of the Bloomsburg University German program,” and he is well known beyond the boundaries of Bloomsburg University as a strong advocate for language study in general and the study of German in particular.

Dr. Springman’s is a successful and prolific scholar. His book on youth culture in the Weimar Republic was published in 2007, and he has continued to write on that and related topics. He has achieved international recognition as an authority on this topic, as evidenced by the number of invitations and requests he has received to reprint and expand upon these topics. Dr. Springman served for many years in the capacity of department chairperson, and he has been active in developing a system-wide consortium to sustain and enhance the study of German. He has served on a wide variety of university and college communities and has been an active participant in APSCUF.

Dr. Faith Warner, Department of Anthropology

Dr. Warner recently completed her tenth post-tenure year. Her passion for teaching is effectively reflected in her student evaluations, which are exemplary, as well as in the observations of her chairperson and peers, who write that her “success is evident whether she is in front of over 200 students in a mass lecture introductory course, guiding anthropology majors through graduate and career preparatory upper level courses, or individually crafting research projects one-on-one with a single student.” Her commitment to mentoring and student success is evident throughout everything she does.

During the evaluation period she offered eight scholarly presentations and two additional posters in collaboration with students. Additionally she published three articles as well as a film on the discipline of anthropology. She is very active in service to her department and has served as interim director of the Frederick Douglass Initiative, as well as working with that organization in a variety of capacities. She has also been a productive member of the college’s Assessment Committee, and she has been asked to serve as chair of that group as well.

It is my great pleasure to recognize these four outstanding Liberal Arts faculty members with the Dean's Salute to Excellence. In a future post, I'll tell you about the very special origins of the glass apples awards each received. 

Book Examines Retellings of Classic American Stories

Dr. Betina Entzminger's new book, Contemporary Reconfigurations of American Literary Classics:  The Origin and Evolution of American Stories, will be published by Routledge in late August or early September. 

The number and popularity of novels that have overtly reconfigured aspects of classic American texts suggests a curious trend for both readers and writers, an impulse to retell and reread books that have come to define American culture. This book argues that by revising canonical American literature, contemporary American writers are (re)writing an American myth of origins, creating one that corresponds to the contemporary writer’s understanding of self and society. 


Informed by cognitive psychology, evolutionary literary criticism, and poststructuralism, Entzminger reads texts by canonical authors Poe, Hawthorne, Melville, Alcott, Twain, Chopin, and Faulkner, and by the contemporary writers that respond to them. In highlighting the construction and cognitive function of narrative in their own and in their antecedent texts, contemporary writers highlight the fact that such use of narrative is universal and essential to human beings. This book suggests that by revising the classic texts that compose our cultural narrative, contemporary writers mirror the way human individuals consistently revisit and refigure the past through language, via self-narration, in order to manage and understand experience.


Dr. Entzminger is a professor of English at Bloomsburg University, where she teaches courses in composition and American Modernism.  

It's National Poetry Month

Jerry Wemple, professor of English, has four new poems in the recent issue of the literary Fledgling Rag. The work is from “The Artemas Poems,” a series that is part of a manuscript-in-progress. Wemple is the author of two poetry collections and co-editor of the anthology Common Wealth: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania. He has won several awards from his writing, including the Naomi Long Madgett Poetry Award and a Fellowship in Literature from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.

Here is a poem from among those published:

Happy as the day

Happy as the day is long, Artemas

begins his stroll each a.m., a’ nine ‘xact,

he claims when asked, though few do. Who would?

Those about know wastrels, and his stale act.

Artemas is the finest fellow in all

downtown. He knows all the old, long-gone stores,

and where each brick used to lie. Still keeps tokens

from the defunct bridge, ready in a drawer.

A broken bird in flight, a stain against

the night sky, that’s what Artemas sure sees

and falls from his perch. He walks until woods

thicken. Notices fences even here. Why? asks he.

Information about National Poetry Month can be found at Poets.org, the website of the Academy of American Poets. 

The Valuable English Degree

Allison Hardy

What can you do with a degree in English? Four English Department alumni returned to Bloomsburg April 9 to share their experiences with current students. All say their English degrees are valuable in their careers.

Allison Hardy, a 2007 graduate, is an annual giving officer at the Mercy Health Foundation in Baltimore. Hardy notes a strong correlation between what she learned at Bloomsburg University and her professional life.

Marisa Peterson

"As an English undergrad, I spent most of my time reading, writing, and researching,” she said. “As a fundraiser, I spend most of my time reading, writing, and researching. Just the topics are different. From Shakespeare and Austen to donors and capital projects, the skill set remains the same. The flexibility of an English degree speaks to the importance of good communicators and clear writers.”

Likewise, Marisa Peterson, a 2010 graduate who works for the Jackson Hewitt corporate offices in New Jersey, credits the research and writing skills she learned as an English major as a key reason she was hired from the company’s temp pool. “As English majors, we are trained to view and interpret the world in a very different way,” Peterson said. “These skills set me apart from other young temps.”

Shawn Rosler

Panelist Shawn Rosler earned two Bloomsburg University degrees: a BS in Secondary Education/English in 2000 and an MS in Instructional Technology in 2002. Rosler is the lead analyst/project manager for the EHR Computer-Based Training Development Team at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville. 

Grant Clauser

The fourth panelist was Grant Clauser, a 1991 BU alum who earned an MFA in English from Bowling Green State University. Clauser taught writing at several colleges, then moved to the publishing business as the editor of several magazines about technology. Currently, he is the technology editor of Electronic House magazine and the web site editor of www.electronichouse.com. Clauser also has a new poetry collection, The Trouble with Rivers. 

Author Stephen Elliott Visits Bloomsburg University

The following was written by Stasi Golembiewski, a sophomore Psychology major with a minor in Creative Writing. 

Acclaimed author Stephen Elliott recently visited Bloomsburg University. Stephen Elliott is the author of seven books, including the award winning novel Happy Baby and the widely acclaimed memoir The Adderall Diaries. In addition, Elliott is a film director, and he founded and edits the cultural and literary website The Rumpus. He came to campus on March 27 and 28.

Elliott’s visit kicked off with a small screening of his new movie, Cherry, which he directed and co-wrote. The audience, which consisted mainly of students from upper-level creative writing nonfiction and seminar classes, was surprised by the announcement that only about one hundred people in the US have seen the movie so far. The film stars James Franco, Heather Graham, Dev Patel, Lily Taylor, and newcomer Ashley Hinshaw. It debuted at the Berlin Film Festival in Germany last month and will have its US premiere at the San Francisco International Film Festival later this month. Elliott told the audience that IFC Films recently picked up the North American distribution rights for the movie.

After the screening Elliott, a few professors and I headed to Marley’s downtown for a late dinner. Elliott’s humanity is startling considering his fame. He was soft spoken and listened intently to what everyone had to say. He jotted down a few thoughts to remember. He twitched every so often. He ordered soda water and ate someone’s left over mozzarella sticks. The only real difference between him and anyone else at the table was his collection of awards and, perhaps, his persistence.

Wednesday’s events began with an afternoon talk held in Kehr Union, focusing on writing in the new media. Around fifty wide-eyed students and professors sat in an intimate setting and listened to Elliott reveal the secrets to his success. His main point was that the current media world is fractured. Having a fractured media was beneficial, he said, because authors now had many different forms to write in and could really own how their words could be delivered. To explain, he told the audience that “where once everyone used to read a book together, now there is a smaller audience, but it's more intimate and more specialized.”

At 7 that evening, Elliott read from The Adderall Diaries in 1303 McCormick. He broke his reading into sections, with short questions and answer sessions between each reading. The audience sat in silence as the soft-spoken Elliott read his memoir, and aspiring writers asked questions about his writing. What made the reading special was the content of his book. The feeling of excitement was palpable among the member of the audience, most never having been this close to someone as acclaimed and involved in big media as Elliott.

There was another dinner following the reading, where eight students and three professors repaired to Rose Marie’s to talk with Elliott in a more intimate setting. He offered advice to a student who was struggling with her writing. The student knew that her experiences in the world would make good content for a memoir, but she was aware of the personal nature of her experiences. Elliott’s advice was to write what she knew would make a good piece, regardless that it was not the most polite of topics. When the evening ended, everyone paid for their meal, the students got their copies of The Adderall Diaries signed, and I watched Stephen Elliott drive away in the back seat of a small, black car.

Special thanks must be given to Professor Jerry Wemple, Dr. Claire Lawrence and the College of Liberal Arts for orchestrating such a memorable event.