Some recent graduates at our annual department graduation party.
English, writing, and Spanish students find many opportunities for enrichment at Bluffton, including:
An annual literary magazine, Shalith, which began in 1962. Shalith publishes poetry, fiction, essays and artwork by students and faculty, and is edited and produced by students.
An on-line literary journal, Inspriation Point, publishes writing by students in all genres. A volume is published each semester.
The weekly student newspaper, The Witmarsum, enables students to gain experience with editing, writing and production while earning academic credit or wages.
Students have seen their work published in a variety of national undergraduate literary journals. Jen Grathwol, Mandy Tirey, and Mandy Benton have had poetry published in the Cedarville Review. Lowell Wyse, through a contest, had his essay selected for publication in the Georgetown Review. And Heidi Martin had a literary analysis published in The Oswald Review.
A newly expanded Writers and Scholars Series and an annual English Festival bring significant authors to campus each year. Since 1984, visiting writers have included William Stafford, Gwendolyn Brooks, Scott Russell Sanders, Nikki Giovanni, Julia Kasdorf, Andrew Hudgins, Janet Kauffman, Jean Janzen, Charles Baxter, David Baker, Keith Ratzlaff, Erin McGraw, Maggie Anderson, Tim Gautreaux, Mary Grimm, Audrey Petty, Herbert Woodward Martin, Li-Young Lee, and many others.
An internship program provides experience with area publishers, newspapers, radio and television stations, and other firms.
The department employs four to six student workers, who assist English and Spanish faculty as well as staff the Writing Center. At times, students are also hired to serve as research assistants to work with professors on a particular project.
Both the Spanish Club and the English Club meet regularly and plan some larger events each year.
The departmental honors program allows students to earn 5 to 7 hours of credit in their junior and senior years for a special project. The English Department has been especially active in this program, with one or more outstanding seniors completing honors projects each year since 1998. Currently, two seniors are working on honors projects in creative writing.
