Fall 2009 Updates

Students in the English Department have had several social and cultural opportunities this semester, beginning with “pasta and friendship” at Prof. Meidlinger’s house early in the semester, where the department welcomed first-year students and our new faculty member, Prof. Katie Gilbert.

Kansas City Trip

On Friday, September 18th, 25 students joined Profs. Ingwerson, Fuller, Jarray, and Meidlinger for a daylong trip to Kansas City, where we visited the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum, the Jazz Museum, and the Negro Baseball League Museum. After touring the Jazz Museum, we listened to live music in the Blue Room and joined the museum for its grand opening of the John Baker Film Collection Exhibit, an event that drew important dignitaries, jazz fans, and live music. Before driving home that evening, we went to Westport for coffee, smoothies, and food.

Poetry in Motion

On Thursday, September 24th, faculty and students will drive to the SBU campus in Bolivar for a poetry reading by former poet laureate Ted Kooser. And on Saturday, October 3rd, Prof. Van Arkel’s and Prof. Henderson’s poetry students will meet former poet Laureate Billy Collins at the Missouri Literary Festival. Drury students will read their work at 9:00 am on Saturday morning as part of the festival.

Currents

Drury students Cassy Cochran, Kathleeen Rauhoff, Ryan Bennett, and Amanda Rowley are collecting submissions to Drury’s literary magazine, Currents, which will go to press sometime around Fall Break.