Contributor

Pulitzer Prize winning poet Ted Kooser entertained a crowd of MSU students for an event sponsored by the English Department on April 17.

Kooser, also a two-time U.S. Poet Laureate and Stanley Kunitz Prize winner, read several of his most famous works, while also discussing his life and experiences, before a packed crowd in the Plaster Student Union Theater on Friday evening.

With a soft, but resonant voice, Kooser began with a humorous introduction of himself, in which he recalled the story of a young boy who noted Kooser’s resemblence to a hobbit in a picture from the newspaper, before turning to his poems.

His simplistic works have called forth a generation of memories and vivid images that almost any audience could relate to. Among the many poems he read, a few were “Tattoo,” “Father,” “At the Cancer Clinic,” and “Site.”

The depth of his words captured many in the audience and few appeared disinterested. In the hour that he read, he spoke of death, life, the plains and about several people that influenced his own life in one way or another. He visited an era long forgotten by the fast paced world of today.

After the reading, his books Delights in Shadows, The Poetry Home Repair Manual, and Sure Signs were for sale and a book signing took place.

Prior to the reading, Kooser visited several MSU creative writing poetry classes and gave a question and answer session. For many students, the ending of the poem is the most difficult portion to complete, so one student asked him how he finishes his poems so well.

“My endings are not always deliberate,” he said. “The objective is to set it up, confine the reader, squeeze them in, before letting them go at the end.”

Kooser’s poetry is world-renowned for it’s deft and detailed imagery.

“I have always be known to be a descriptive poet,” he said, “and simplicity is key.”

Kooser mentioned throughout the question and answer session and the reading that he prefers not to write in the first person. He said he despised putting himself too much into his own work.

April 1, 2009, was not a day just for fooling around.

English Society hosted one of its central programs in the Plaster Student Union on April 1, where they served cookies, soda, and delectable information,

Faculty members of the English department and other speakers discussed the possibilities  of what a student can do with an English degree.

A total of six speakers made presentations, kicking off with junior Tyler Snodgrass.

Through poetry and pure humor, he set the ball rolling and entertained the students and faculty that attended.
Tracey Glaessgen, academic advisor at the Advisement Center, followed with a spectacular presentation of her own.

She got to the heart of the issue, directly asking the students why they wanted to be English majors. Many of the answers were vague, like, “I love to read. I love to write. It’s all I can see myself doing.”

Glaessgen challenged the students to think deeper. She said English is a gray major because there are so many channels that one can follow.

She emphasized the critical thinking skills English majors attained through their various literature and writing courses.

Danielle Evans, an instructor for the English department, followed with information about publishing and creative writing. Evans received an M.F.A. in Fiction from the Iowa Writer’s Workshop.

Her short story, “Virgins,” was published in The Best American Short Stories of 2008. She was also published in the Paris Review, Phoebe, Black Renaissance Noire, and the L Magazine. She discussed the ins and outs of publishing, shared her experiences of M.F.A. workshops, and described the sacrifices one must make as a creative writer. Evans also touched on editing and agent opportunities.

Technical writing followed, with a presentation by Lyn Gattis, an assistant professor for the English department. Technical writing was described as the world of writing that’s invisible, but that people see every day.
Technical writers are responsible for the labels on toothpaste, proposals in the corporate world, and all the important stuff people tend to overlook.

Gattis discussed job opportunities that are available to technical writers, and her advice was supported by the speaker that followed.

Robert Blevins, a graduate student at Missouri State University, gave a show and tell presentation of his position in college. “It’s a lot of work. You are reading and writing about twice as much as you did in undergrad,” Blevins said. He discussed the big “GRE” and gave tips to proper preparation for it.

The event ended with an education section by Mara W. Cohen Ioannides, an instructor for the English department teaching professional writing. Her book, A Shout in the Sunshine, was published by the Jewish Publication Society in 2007. Besides discussing the facts of teaching English, she gave advice about what not to do as a graduate student. Ms. Ioannides advocated that, despite everything, English majors should love their jobs. If they don’t, then they’re in the wrong place.

Hammons Hall Council will be hosting the Hammons Talent Show on Monday, April 27, in the Grand Lounge from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Students can still sign up at the front desk in Hammons House. The sheet asks how much time the performance will require and what kind of equipment will be needed.

Kameran Thull, who is the special events chair of the Hammons Executive Board, believes that people cannot afford to miss this event.

“We had an open mic last semester and lots of talented students showed up,” Kameran said. “We had singers, poets, and a band.”

She also gave an insight to how hard the executive board has been working. “We have been meeting weekly to discuss our plans and this one of our big programs,” she said. “Any MSU students are welcome to sign up.”

Prizes are still sketchy at this point, but she said that they will only be awarding first place and recognizing the second and third place winners.

Contributor

With pleasant weather sweeping across the university, you may feel the need to put aside your jacket for a tank top. You may revel in the sun and enjoy the refreshing air, but you mustn’t forget one little important thing: sunscreen.

The sun is bright and ultra violet radiation is still out there. You might blow off the idea of putting on a little bit of cream, but it can save you. One bad case of sunburn alone can implement future consequences that threaten your life. Take care and be sure to protect your eyes too. It is recommended to use a sunscreen of SPF 15 or more.

Contributor

English Society and S.A.C. was proud to welcome Michael Czyzniejewski at the Editing Q&A session at 7:30 p.m. in the Parliamentary room of the Plaster Student Union on Thursday, March 12th.

As the Editor-in-Chief of the Mid-American Review, Czyzniejewski was more than qualified to address the crowd of writers and several members of the English Department.

Through his vivacious nature, his words impacted students as he answered questions, from how he became a writer to what types of work the Mid-American Review accepts.

He talked about his own personal experiences and discussed the tactics that many universities use when trying to create a literary review.

He went further to explain the categories that some works are placed into when they are submitted.

“Ten percent of the work is really good,” he said. “Ten percent is really bad; like the person who prints on glitter paper, or the one who submits concrete poetry with the poem formed to look like a cat. And eighty percent is allotted to the competence submission section. These works are written by good writers. In essence they are a story, but the wow factor isn’t there.”

One of his greatest points of advice was to keep writing. A person won’t become stellar if they give up. Perseverance was the key in Czyzniejewski’s journey to publish, and he found success. His stories are scattered out in several reviews; The Cream City Review, The Bat City Review, American Literary Review, A Chicago Magazine and countless others.