The

Department
Newsletter
2013-2014 Edition
Ohio Northern University-The English Department
Newsletter-Creative Writing-Literature-Language
Arts Education-Professional Writing-CreativityInnovation-Poetry-Old Works-Shakespeare-Grammar
-Reading-Discoveries-Success-Artistic-2013-2014

from the Chair

A year of accomplishment and change

his
year,
the
English
department has seen a
great deal of expansion and
developmentovercoming many
obstacles while forging new
pathways.
Department Chair Lisa Robeson
feels that one of the biggest
accomplishments would have to
be the revision of the departments
mission statement.
Our department, and English in
general, is not the same as it was
10 years ago, says Robeson. Rewriting our mission statement was
necessary, because so many aspects
of our identity have changed.
The whole process has made us
as a department reflect on what we
really do and who we really are, she
adds. We are excited for what is to
come.
The department now has two
writing majors, and the technology
available in the world is no longer
the same, she says. The world that
students will be graduating into is
continually requiring so much more
of them, and so the department
needs to prepare them for that.
With this shift in what is provided,
the department is now able to do
more with the studentsto allow
them to explore more avenues with
all that is offered.
The department has made
great strides in improving writing
seminar, digital writing, and many
other classes. The department has
developed a vision together, and
we want to keep what we
have goingto continue
to improve and grow. But

pg

at the same time, we dont want to

lose sight of who we are, she says.
This year, the department has
really developed and expanded
the reading seriesits gone to a
regular event schedule with more
student participation.
There have been three events in
the fall semester alone, with more
than 150 attendees overall. Dr.
[Jennifer] Moore has really done a
great job, Robeson says.

The challenge [we

now face] is to keep the
momentum going.

Lisa Robeson

Margaret Cullen collaborated with

Danny Kellermeyer (of the University
of Northwest Ohio) to begin the
Northwest Ohio Independent Film
Festival national screenwriting
contest. Out of submissions from
around the nation, ONUs very own
Patrick Fisher won second place,
and a special reading of his piece
was held.
Jonathan Pitts and Druann Bauer
have revised the professional
writing major, paving the way for
new technical courses, like grant
writing and science writing.
There is more focus on real-world
practical writing that will help
students go farther in their careers.
The department also made it
through a flood this year. In between
the fall and spring semesters, the
pipes in the building burst and the
offices of several faculty members,

in addition to the hallways, were

ruined.
However, Robeson says, the
flood had a silver lining.
Dukes is an old building, and we
have lived with an aging structure.
But when the water pipes broke, the
department lost a lot of equipment
and books, and the University
helped us turn things around.
They were able to claim everything
on their insurance, and we
underwent a complete department
makeover. They re-painted, put
in new carpet, and got rid of old
insulation.
The flood was able to provide our
faculty and students with a safer,
cleaner, brighter, more functional
facility, Robeson says.
The department is looking
forward to sharing these facilities
with new students, and housing
the creativity and intellect of those
currently part of the English family.
The challenge [we now face] is
to keep the momentum going,
Robeson says.

In the Spotlight
New Mission Statement

Tessa Mellas

Matt Hart

photos/ONU English Department

Reading Series

ased on its commitment to the values of the

humanities, the faculty of the Department of English
teaches analytical reading and critical, creative, and professional
writing as forms of art, as sources of pleasure, as a means of understanding
diverse peoples and cultures, and as practical, marketable skills. Through close
interaction with written, oral, and digital texts, students develop as critical thinkers and writers to become
producers of knowledge. Through close interaction with peers and faculty, and active engagement with a
variety of publications and professional experiences, students learn the value of creating texts and, in turn,
become thoughtful members of our global community. Studies in English prepare students for professional,
business and teaching careers, for law school, for graduate study in English and other disciplines, as well as for
a lifetime of continual engagement with language and literature.

Jonterri Gadson Roger Reeves

Professional Writing Makeover

he professional writing major is changing in 2014-15 to reflect new demands in the field. With
a creative blend of courses, ONU students can earn a degree with 37 major credits. There are
25 core credits, then students can specialize in areas of interest such as technical writing, business and
entrepreneurship, multimedia journalism, and design (web and/or graphic). If no one area of specialization
intrigues them, students can dabble in severalor allof them, taking a minimum of three courses that will
expand their knowledge base. Majors also work on cutting-edge publications (both print and web based) so
they can apply the skills they have learned. Its an exciting time to be a professional writing major at ONU.

Capstone Changes

Alex Hartsel

very senior in the ONU English department is required to undergo a project in a class of their choice,
and subsequently give a presentation on the topic. Previously, students were tasked with completing
the project by the end of the chosen course, and creating a presentation to discuss their work.
The project was then graded within the academic course, with the presentation graded in the senior
capstone presentation course, with the presentation serving as the only grade. Now, however, students are
being graded on a slightly different system. Although the students are still strictly graded on the presentation,
they also receive feedback and are given a pass or revise, allowing them time to further edit their work.
Considering the seniors writing is what will contribute to his or her job, this new system stresses quality,
rather than the presentation alone, with students being graded on general department outcomes specific to
their major. This shift in focus forces the students to work to create high-quality writingwriting
that will help them succeed in their careers. These efforts allow the department to better ensure
students are learning what they need to in order to do well in the professional world.

pg

Life in the English

Department

From the mouths

of English majors

What made you choose to

stay at ONU?

photos/Lizzy McKinney

The absolutely amazing faculty. Not many people

know this, but I took a semester off my sophomore
year. It was Dr. Bauer and some of the other faculty
that convinced me to come back and not to give up on
myself. When you have inspiration like that, the size of
Ada or the expense of a private school
doesnt matter anymore. When you can
find people that have that kind of faith in
youthats priceless.Joelle George,
Literature & Prof. Writing
I was originally a biology major on my way to becoming
a doctor. When I changed my major to creative writing,
the English departmentboth students and faculty
welcomed me with open arms. The overwhelming
willingness to help me transition was more than I
could have ever asked for. Jessica Cogar, Creative
Writing & Literature

In one sentence, what embodies

your experience here?
My experience with the ONU English
department is one of encouragement,
study, challenge, and friendship.
Lizzy
McKinney, Creative & Professional Writing
I enjoy the close-knit bond of the English department.
It is nice to be able to attend classes in which you are
familiar with the professor and your peers.
Allie Boley, Language Arts Education
Limitless opportunities to discover your passion.
Joelle George, Literature & Prof. Writing
I know I wouldnt be getting the one-on-one help I
need if I were pursing my majors somewhere else.
Jessica Cogar, Creative Writing & Literature

pg

Why ONU English

is the Place to be
Alex Hartsel

1. We are united in our love of puns; correctly

used commas, semicolons, and ellipses; diverse
sentence structures; and the smell of books the
older the better.
2. We are united in our hatred of a $30 printing
budget, the length of most Charles Dickens novels,
and poorly written and underdeveloped popular
fiction stories that give a bad wrap to what we love
to read and write every day.
3. We collectively hate the questions What are
you even going to do with an English degree?
and Will you be working at Starbucks after you
graduate? even if they were asked as a joke. We
dont find them funny or original.
4. We waste time arguing about narratives and
characters when we should be working on our
assignments that are due the next day.
5. We always have a book we are in the process of
reading and an eternal list of books to get to.
6. We can almost write papers in our sleep. I said
almost.
7. If procrastination had an award, we would have
won every year since its creation. Just because we
like to read and write doesnt mean we necessarily
like to do it all the time. Instead, we like to read the
book that has been stashed away under our desk
until we got back to it.
8. We willingly volunteer to assist our friends with
essays because we cant pull ourselves away from
them, and some of us love editing.
9. Even though we know its part of the field, we
hate the revision process with a burning passion.
10. Our education has barred our minds from
enjoying most narratives we have been trained
to analyze and critique everything. Instead, we find
comfort in each other.

Basically, we are da bomb diggity.

Wonderful Workshops

Ricki Ervin

urrently, the two available workshops are

Creative Writing and Screenwriting, which
are open to all students, English major or not. The
focus of these classes is geared toward the students,
to help them discover and enhance their writing skills
in any area that they may need help.
Jessica Cogar, a junior creative writing and literature
double major, is currently enrolled in the Creative
Writing Workshop, and brags about how it, continues
to be one of [her] favorite classes. Its a low stakes
chance to get some much-needed feedback on
my writing.
These workshops are held in a calm
environment, with understanding peers who make
you feel comfortable
with sharing your
work. Plus, you
get many different
opinions rather than

just the professors opinion, adds Ivy Keller, a junior

creative and professional writing double major.
The professors teaching the classes show students
how to publish their work, and introduce them to
many new forms and styles of writing.
Dr. Jennifer Moore, assistant professor of creative
writing, shares, No matter which workshop Im
teachingthe reasons I love them are the same:
The workshops a space in which discovery and
experimentation is privileged above all else.
You are encouraged to share unfinished work that
you may not feel is at its best quality, and receive
constructive and helpful criticism from others who
may have more experience in that area.
You will leave these classes feeling better about your
writing capabilities, whether it is for your future novel,
a class assignment, or a screenplay idea youve been
tossing around.

Student-Faculty collaboration

cott Rogers has been collaborating with

three of his students for a chapter in an
edited collection titled Preserving Public Memory.
The collection seeks to portray museums,
monuments, and archives as places to write, because
they represent arguments, Scott says. In reality, art
collections are simply arguments for certain points.
The artist is expressing their views and supporting
those ideas through their work.
His students portion of the project started in Fall
2013 as an assignment in the business-writing course
he taught. Chelsea Moore, Patrick Fisher, and Alli
Walbolts group project then morphed into more.
The students wrote a plan for adding a fourth floor
to the Heterick Memorial Library on campus. Rogers
wanted them to address its appearance, its function,
and so on. It was an opportunity for them to work
with a client, collaborate, and then create the final
document.
They spent 15 weeks on it, and hated me afterward,
Scott says with a chuckle.
They re-imagined the campus archive as a site for
student engagement, and collaborated with the
librarys archivist to create a space that could be utilized
as an extensive archive, easily accessible to students.
As the project progressed, the students became
more invested in the opportunity to assert a certain kind
of student identity, he says. They became engagedit

Khadijah Bagais

was an identity-making process for the students.

Oftentimes when it comes to student-professor
papers, we usually find one of two scenarios, Scott
says. Either the student does all of the work, and gets
no credit, or the student doesnt participate and their
voice is lost. But in the case of this essay, they tried
focusing on the topic with all voices equally heard and
circulating together.
Scott feels that
implementing projects like
these would be really great
for all involved, especially for
those at isolated schools (like
ONU). When there are no
opportunities to network, it
is difficult to collaborate in terms of research, and so
projects like this help overcome that issue.
A campus project is a great way for students to
think about who they are and why, he says.
Rather than students completing assignments with
no real benefit, this functional assignment allows
them to work with clients in a variety of situations, and
encourages reflection on their successes and failures.
Scott says that he is an advocate of the low and
slow method when it comes to project work.
Its like grilling. You end up with something
much better, with richer flavor. It makes
students angry, but its very rewarding.

pg

Alumni Activities

Greetings from Korea!

An email update from Micah Hein, BA 12

Hi, Dr. Pitts!
How are you? What is
new with you? Wanted
to drop you a quick
email to say hello and
let you know that I am
thinking about you. I
was looking at the ONU
website the other day
and saw a picture of
you. I thought, I need
Me clowning around in a
to send him an email to
costume fitting for Rapunzel.
say hey! :)
An update on me: Im currently working as an
edutainer at the Gyeonggi English Village in Paju,
South Korea. I create and perform ESL musicals! The
GEV is labeled as a theme park but not in the sense
that there are roller coasters and cotton candy. It
provides Korean ESL students an opportunity to learn
English through interactive resources all day.
The edutainers offer a mainstage musical, small
theatre show, and interactive game show for students
of all ages. The most unique element of this job
is that the 10 edutainers create these shows from
scratch. Each edutainer brings experiences outside of
performing (composing, writing, choreographing, etc.)
together to create a new work of theatre that serves
as an educational resource to thousands of Korean
students. It is a Micah Hein job to the max.
Korea has been amazing so far! Seoul (about 45
minutes away) is one of the centers of the world.
Every Korean is put together and beautiful. They are
so grateful that Americans are here. Learning English
is very important to them. The youngest generation of
Koreans are the most fluent now as they study it at a
younger age - fascinating!
I volunteer a lot at my English Village. A typical
day is two shows, rehearsals and/or devo time
(development) intermixed in our assigned positions for
the season. I composed the music for our adaptation
of Cinderella, which opened in January,
and choreographed it as well. I also
choreographed our mainstage Christmas
show that was in December.

pg

In the evenings, Im often chaperoning movie

nights for students, teaching interactive lessons, and
surrounding myself with Koreans. I just love to meet
them all!
I am trying to learn something about Korea every
day. Im planning a trip to the DMZ in a few weeks....
that will be eye-opening. Its funny...when youre this
far away from home, all you can think about is how you
fit in the world. I find myself watching the news in the
evening, asking about upcoming changes to the English
Village....all to be a part of something greater. This
place is all about advancing Koreas global reputation.
Anyway, thats a big update from me. Thinking of
you. You are missed!
All the best,
Micah

photos/Micah Hein

The Concert Hall where we perform our mainstage musicals.

Other News
Debra Garverick, BA 80, JD 83

Debra is currently a self-employed attorney in the

areas of real estate and probate. She resides in
Galion, Ohio, with her husband, C. Thomas Hardy.

Thomas Major, BA 07

Thomas is currently an English teacher at Garfield

Heights High School. He and his wife, Sarah
(Honek), PharmD 10, reside in Cleveland, Ohio.

Victoria Dickman-Burnett, BA 11
Victoria received a Master of Arts in critical theory
from Ohio University. She is pursuing a doctorate in
the same field of study at West Virginia University,
where she is also serving a teacher assistantship.

A guide for
incoming freshmen

What to bring:

Packing for College?

Here are some suggestions of items you might want to bring with you
to campus. Check with your new roommate first, of course, so you
can share the expense and you dont end up with two refrigerators.

Must Haves:

Extra-long sheets (twin)

Pillow and pillow cases
Mattress cover
Blanket and Comforter
Toiletries
Shower shoes
Shower caddy
Towels/washcloths
Laundry detergent/dryer sheets
Laundry tote/drying rack
Trashcan (small)
Hangers
Power strip/Extension cord

Nonessentials:

Microwave
Minifridge4.5 cubic feet or less
Bicycle
TV and cable
Foam pad for bed fluffiness
Printer w/ink cartridges
Printer paper
Dictionary & thesaurus
Bulletin board
Video game systems

Not Allowed:

Alcohol/drugs
Flags
Candles or any open flame
Curtains

Desk lamp
Clock radio with alarm
Office supplies/flash drive
Calculator
Laptop
Planner/calendar
Large backpack
Winter coat and windbreaker
Rain gear
OTC medicine/vitamins
First aid kit
Stand alone wire shelves
Plastic storage bins

Plastic dinnerware/utensils
Snacks
Ear plugs or headphones
Cleaning supplies
Board and card games
Eye mask
Camera
Room decorations
Command Strips for hanging pictures
Sports & recreational equipment

Toaster/electric skillet/grill
Bean bag furniture
Pets (except 20 gallon or less fish tank)
Nails/tacks for hanging pictures

pg

Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage PAID
Permit No. 43
Ada, Ohio 45810

Department of English
Dukes Memorial
Ohio Northern University
525 S. Main St.
Ada, OH 45810

A big thanks to

And the Staff!

L-R: Aaron Tuck, Alex Hartsel, Khadijah Bagais, Danielle Shuff, and Ricki Ervin

Make sure to visit us online for more awesome info

www.onuenglish.scottlrogers.net