English
English
"Storytelling makes possible redemptions and healings that can't happen in any other way."
- Stephen Donaldson, alumnus and distinguished author
The English Department offers the student a unique opportunity to encounter a rich variety of texts in which English, American, and Anglophone writers inscribe meaning into our world. Students discover their own relationship with the world as they hone their skills in reading imaginatively, thinking analytically, and expressing their thoughts clearly, creatively and persuasively both orally and in writing. In English classes, students discuss issues raised in their reading, work on their writing independently and in small groups, and embark on projects that apply their knowledge and sharpen their analytical skills.
The English faculty represents various areas of expertise and teaches a range of courses, from several perspectives. These courses include ones that focus on the writings of a specific author, such as Charlotte Brontë, Virginia Woolf, or Shakespeare; some that are organized around a theme or issue, such as Conventions of the Short Story; others that study British and American texts of specific time period or the writings of African Americans; and courses in journalism and creative writing.
The small college atmosphere enables close contact with faculty and students in this department and adds a rich dimension to the college experience.
Upcoming Events in the Department of English
A reading by the author Elizabeth McCracken on February, 14, at 7:30 p.m. in Severance 009. McCracken is the author of the short story collection Here's Your Hat What's Your Hurry, the novels The Giant's House and Niagara Falls All Over Again, and the memoir An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination. Free and open to the public.