hARDING aLUMNI ENGLISH NEWS summer 2013 sEARCY, 72149-5615 vOLUME 28 From the Chair John Williams

What Our Alumni Say and Do Thirty-three respondents have earned or you pointed out in the survey, it is not al- are working on Ph.D. degrees, five in Eng- ways easy to land that job. In the fall of 2012, former English major lish. Other doctoral areas of study include Several of you also commented on the Jennifer Hannigan, under the supervision of Applied Linguistics, Clinical Psychology, need to be better prepared for an uncer- Dr. Terry Engel, designed and distributed a Forestry, Spanish, and Peace Studies/Politi- tain job market. We agree that we could do survey of English department alumni. Jen- cal Science. more and have taken some small steps to nifer took on the task as part of her gradu- One-hundred-and-twenty of you told us address the matter of career planning. Over ate study, and we are grateful for her central what you do for a living. The results are the last two years we have incorporated a role in the first alumni survey since 2003. consistent with past surveys in the domi- short unit on non-academic careers into She sent questionnaires to 535 of you, with nance of teaching careers and in the variety our Introduction to English Studies course. 136 responding. Graduation dates of re- of other jobs or careers. (See Table Page Students now hear directly from alumni spondents range from 1968-2012. Here are 2.) who work outside academia, and they do highlights of what you are doing and what We will use this list to help English majors some preliminary research into and write a you told us about your time in our depart- assess their own career opportunities. Since short paper on a possible alternative career ment. so many factors influence where we end up for themselves. Ninety-two responding alumni have gone professionally, we should resist general- We are also hoping to address your con- on to earn master’s degrees: 21 in English izing too much about the role of an Eng- cerns about a limited curriculum. As you Education, 14 in English and others in a lish degree in placing students in specific can read elsewhere in this newsletter, we diverse array of fields, including Library careers. Obviously our majors have had have launched the first of what we hope Science, Divinity, Journalism, and Techni- success in finding teaching jobs at both the will be several courses in publishing, and, cal Writing. secondary and level, but as some of in partnership with the communications department, we are building a film studies component. I agree with your comments about a need for more writing courses, in- cluding technical writing, or more courses in grammar or linguistics, but it will be a few years before we can add them. As most of you realize, a small depart- ment cannot always muster the resources for a suitably diverse program. As a result, even though we want to expand course of- ferings, our core will continue to be the study of literature and the practice of criti- cal writing. Thus we are encouraged that most of you felt well prepared in the areas of critical thinking and textual analysis. What any department really has to offer— even more than information—is a set of skills, and what we need to do best will re- main the teaching of reading, writing, and thinking, which are the most enduring and transferrable of any skills. We share the Alumni Presenters at the 2012 Christian Scholars Conference. Standing (l. to r.): opinion of some respondents that students Everett Reed (‘05); Nathan Shank (‘08); Jonathan McRay (‘09) need to learn more computer-based skills Seated: Joanna Benskin (‘09); Jeremy Elliott (‘05); Karie Cross (‘09) from us, and we are trying to upgrade our SUMMER 2013 English News TWO

Nick Boone (’01) Michael Wright (’08) From the Chair (Cont. from One) Jeremy Elliot (’05) Ed Madden (’85) Everett Reed (’05) Jonathan Reinhardt (’04) Professional Field* Response Percent Response Jeanine Thweatt-Bates (’99) Education (elementary/secondary) 24.2% 31 Lauren Smelser White (’04) Education (college/university) 29.7% 38 Seven of these alumni are now teaching Copy Editor 4.7% 6 full time: Camp, Elliot, and McCracken at Writer (technical, publications, etc.) 12.5% 16 Abilene Christian; Madden at South Caroli- Creative/performing arts 3.1% 4 na; Reed at Northeast Alabama Community Business (management) 3.9% 5 College; and Boone and Singleton at Hard- Business (associate) 2.3% 3 ing. Benskin, Cross, Shank, and White are Skilled profession (law, medical, etc.) 6.3% 8 in graduate programs; McRay and Wright Not-for-profit organization 6.3% 8 recently completed master’s. Thweatt- Government 6.3% 8 Bates, who has taught at various places, Volunteer 2.3% 3 now works as an independent scholar, and Missions/minister 3.1% 4 Dorris works with the Open Door ministry Retired 0.8% 1 in Atlanta. Self-employed** 7.0% 9 An alumni survey or a list of scholarly pre- Other** 18.0% 1 sentations can reveal only so much. Success comes in too many forms and individual *Some respondents listed more than one professional field; therefore both the total percent- lives are too complicated to be wrapped in ages and count will be larger than otherwise. a nice PR bow. But when I see our alumni in action I am optimistic about our mission. ** If respondents labeled themselves as “self-employed” or working in an “other” category The men and women I’ve named are among of employment, they were asked to specify job titles Thus the list below is not made up of the best to emerge from our program, but separate “professional fields” but rather specific jobs within some of the fields in the above they came to us already possessing a unique answer options. We have included only those job titles that were mentioned more than once. potential. In that respect, they represent the larger group of alumni, not only in intelli- Adjunct English Instructor (3) Educator (2) Office Manager (2) gence and talent but also in an intensity of Associate Principle (2) Executive Director (2) Registered Nurse (3) caring. Their passions range from ministry Copy Writer (2) Freelance Writer (4) Substitute Teacher (2) to traditional scholarship to environmental- Director of Communications (2) Graduate Assistant (2) Writer (2) ism to theology to politics to performance. The papers they have read these last two own knowledge and pedagogy in order to group over the years, English majors have years are a tonic for any discouragement meet that need. brought a lot to our table. I’ll illustrate very we may have as teachers. The greater tonic Turning to another category on the survey, briefly by this roll call of English alumni is that, exactly as we hoped, all of them most of you agreed or strongly agreed that who have presented papers and/or moder- have moved beyond an identity as “English you developed as a spiritual person while at ated panels at the Christian Scholar’s Con- majors,” defining themselves by what they Harding, but that doesn’t tell us specifically ference at over the are becoming as people and what they do what role the English department may have last two years: as professionals. Selfishly, we wish all of played. Few comments addressed the issue, Joanna Benskin (’09) Jonathan Camp (‘95) you had a forum as convenient as a confer- though some of you felt we needed to do a Nathan Dorris (‘12) Jonathan McRay (‘09) ence to display your talents. For those who better job at presenting other worldviews. Victor McCracken (‘95) Karie Cross (‘09) remain here at your alma mater, it would be Another small group felt we needed to be Jon Singleton (’02) Nathan Shank (‘08) a pleasure to see. more explicit in delineating a Christian worldview in our teaching of literature. Al- though the survey responses point to a gen- erally successful attempt to infuse our work with Christian vision, we also hear your desire for more—a burden we gladly bear because if any discipline outside biblical study is ready-made to engender spiritual growth, it is ours, by making us confront those other worldviews honestly and by deepening our own understanding of how to apply Christian teaching to the simulated worlds of fiction. No alumni survey is needed to tell me that the most crucial factor in what you end up doing and being is—you. And as a Nathan Shank and Karie Cross answer questions following a presentation. SUMMER 2013 English News THREE

Department offers Introduction to Publishing Course

In the words of Mallory Pratt, a Hard- “Many English majors fear they have no blurred, it is not necessarily a bad thing.” ing English major who wants to work in option other than teaching, but they are English professor Katherine Dillion, who publishing after graduation, “The Harding not passionate about that. Publishing is a sat in on the course, concurs: “The content English department took great strides to- realistic career choice with so many bur- was relevant and informative about tra- ward strengthening its offerings by includ- geoning opportunities.” ditional publishing as well as about new ing an Introduction to Publishing course directions in publishing technology,” she during Intersession of 2013.” The course “I learned about tons of job opportunities wrote. “This is the part I particularly found was taught by Harding alumnus Jason Ash- that would have passed by my blind eye eye-opening—the huge world of digital lock (’02), founder and president of Move- had I not taken this course, and if there is publishing and all it entails—e-books, able Type Management, a book publishing anything English majors need it’s job op- Web books, enhanced books, and not just company located in New York City. portunities. I don’t know if I will go down the products but the ideas and philosophy English Chair John Williams envisioned any of these new roads that have opened behind it all. Ashlock conveyed well the the course as a response to a growing stu- up before me, but at least I can see them sense of the game-changing approaches dent interest over the last five years. He then now.” we should be aware of, and in the time- worked with Dr. Warren Casey, dean of the less sense he challenged us to deconstruct College of Arts and Humanities, to win ap- The class emphasized the changing role our pre-existing notions of what a book is. proval by the Academic Affairs Commit- of technology in the publishing industry by I thought he did a great job of balancing tee, a process which went smoothly. When requiring the students become familiar with technical with practical and philosophical approached by Williams about teaching and utilize the tools that are a part of the elements.” the course, former Harding English major changing industry. The course not only pro- Dillion was also appreciative of the class’s Ashlock was immediately excited by the vided “an overview of devices, platforms emphasis on ethical and spiritual consider- prospect of helping his alma mater and ed- and tools for creating, designing, market- ations of the publishing industry. “Ashlock ucating Harding students about the rapidly ing, and reading e-books,” but in the words didn’t overtly call attention to religious evolving world of publishing. According to of the syllabus, “In keeping with the digital themes or make scriptural references, but Pratt, she was exactly the kind of student emphasis of this course, assignments will re- rather he showed the ways that Christians Ashlock wanted to enlighten: she bought quire you to engage with a variety of online can conduct themselves in a competitive into the romantic vision of the “hardboiled social platforms and digital publishing plat- industry such as book publishing. In one NYC editor slaving among cigarette butts forms, and to do so with agility and speed. presentation a student did a comparative and reams of paper wads” and pounding You will be required to set up individual study of publishing agents, Jason Ashlock on a Remington typewriter on a weathered accounts with various social platforms for and Andrew Wiley showing the different wooden desk, trying to beat a deadline. content and data management.” Much of the approaches, one being informed more by That stereotype and the technology that post class discussion and assignments took spiritual values with the other being a more characterized print journalism are part of place on Tumblr, Twitter, and Facebook; re- worldly approach. I found it particularly the history with which Ashlock’s course quired texts were accessed as e-books; and affirming to see how Christians can be in- begins, but he soon showed how new tech- in a syllabus statement that would make volved in the publishing industry while still nology has radically changed the book most university professors cringe, students maintaining core Christian values. More- industry. With topics ranging from ac- were told, “You are encouraged to bring to over, with Jason being a Harding graduate, quisition and rights management, editing class and use during class your e-reading he was aware of the spiritual emphasis here and design, production and distribution, devices, laptops and (perhaps unlike any of and was at ease with it in a way that one through sales, marketing and discoverabil- your other courses) your smart phones.” unfamiliar with Harding may not be.” ity, students were provided with, the tools Ashlock is well-suited to a discussion on Ashlock felt good about the maiden voy- and knowledge necessary to compete for the revolution occurring in the publish- age of Introduction to Publishing and is internships and jobs in publishing. ing industry. Pratt explains how “Ashlock eager to return next summer for the second Anonymously submitted student reviews showed us the creative potential technology journey. He enjoyed his students, saying were enthusiastic, especially regarding how has gifted the industry players with. No lon- that “they were in many ways sharper than the class could enhance career options: ger is the author restricted to the traditional the students I’ve been teaching at the City value chain (literary agent, editor, publish- University of New York.” According to “I wanted to get out of this course a road er, wholesaler, distributor, reader). He now Williams, Ashlock’s dedication to Harding map of the publishing world so that I can self-publish through online platforms. is exemplary, and “if Harding does eventu- could get my own work published one E-books can include audio and visual en- ally develop a block of publishing courses, day. This course not only gave me a guide hancements. Authors can publish books on- Jason Ashlock will deserve the lion’s share for the publishing community, but it gave line in segments and receive feedback from of credit for his sacrificial pioneering of me ideas for how to better navigate it.” their readers. Though the lines are definitely this course.” SUMMER 2013 English News FOUR

Making a Difference: Amanda Jean Partridge

Growing up, Amanda Jean Partridge programs have lower recidivism rates; risks (’11) saw that there were “so many things of hospitalization increase by 50 percent that people who didn’t know how to read due to being unable to read safety warn- couldn’t do,” and she knew that she wanted ings labels; teenagers are twice as likely to to reach out to those people and help them become pregnant; mothers are less likely gain access to the world of print. Since Oc- to get prenatal care and follow up on doc- tober of 2012 she has been doing just that tors’ visits. Reading to children is one of as the Executive Director of the Literacy the main determining factor in the quality Council of White County (LCWC). of children’s reading skills when they be- The Literacy Council is a nonprofit work- gin school. ing within a coalition of other councils lo- Partridge is excited about the prospects cated around the state. The council works for the literacy council. She is working on to help English speakers learn how to read a new ESL curriculum, which will focus and write, teaches English to non-native on working in groups as opposed to one speakers, and offers GED and citizenship on one tutoring. She hopes the new cur- tests tutoring. riculum will shorten long waiting lists. She As Executive Director, Partridge’s duties has also put in a lot of time on organizing Of course the biggest challenge is finding cover the gamut, from writing reports and Second Time Around, the used bookstore volunteers and tutors, and fundraising, but grant requests, speaking to civic organiza- that shares space with the council. Located Partridge is thankful for all the friends in tions, and managing the bookstore, to train- in downtown Searcy, Second Time Around community she has met through this job. ing tutors and supervising volunteers, and is the only designated used book store in When she took the job, the LCWC was she is passionate about all those jobs. She Searcy, and all funds go directly to the on the verge of closing, but she hopes to rattles off the statistics: Thirteen percent of LCWC. Amidst a revitalized downtown, help guide it into a more stable future. You White County residents are functionally il- with new shops and restaurants opening, can follow her progress on Facebook, at literate; 75 percent of people in state and Partridge sees the possibility that the book- facebook.com/whitecountyliteracy, or on federal institutions are functionally illiter- store could fill a needed gap and tries to their blog at literacycouncilofwhitecounty. ate, but those who go through institutional give the store a community feeling. wordpress.com.

and a short story in The Dead Mule School in the humanities program at Pepperdine Faculty News of Southern Literature. He was accepted University. In Fall of 2012 she served as to the Heritage Studies Ph.D. program at faculty for the international program’s Arkansas State University. He published semester in England Iceland, Scotland, and Nick Boone wrote the book chapter a review of a reading by fiction writer Ireland. “Paterson as a Satyrical Work: Jennifer Egan for the Arkansas Times in Terry Engel presented the paper “The Epistemology of the Dance.” It was part addition to other writings for the weekly Need for Wilderness: Reading Wallace of the book Levinas and Twentieth-Century newspaper. His nonfiction was presented at Stegner and Edward Abbey” at the Christian Literature: Ethics and the Reconstruction Tales from the South, which was broadcast Scholars’ Conference. He oversaw a of Subjectivity, edited by Donald R. locally on KULR public radio station and graduate independent study that surveyed Wehrs for the University of Deleware syndicated across the country, and he was English department alumni, and he did the Press. In addition the article “The Five nominated for a Burksy award for favorite layout for and wrote English News. Armageddons of Revelation” was published professor. Kayla Haynie worked in a two-week in Restoration Quarterly. The book review Michael Claxton published an article reading program in Africa. for The Penguin Anthology of 20th Century titled “Adventures in Biography” in the Larry Hunt published his book The Glory American Poetry was published in Southern fall 2012 Alpha Chi Recorder. His Bison of Kings in the fall of 2012. Humanities Review. Boone also made two column “Just the Clax” reached its100th John Williams convened a panel conference presentations: “The Problem of entry in the fall of 2012. He continues to discussion Scholars’ Conference: “Deferred Olson’s Didacticism” at the conference “ work on a biography of the lady magician Hope and Fulfilled Longing: Questions of Re-Viewing Black Mountain College 4”; Dell O’Dell. Reconciliation in Terrence Malick’s film and “Exploring Form and Content: Epic Katherine Dillion published a review The Tree of Life.” Proportions” for the White County Creative of How the Arabian Nights Inspired the The department employed six adjunct Writer’s Conference. Boone attended the American Dream, 1790-1935 by Susan teachers: Lisa Burley, Stephanie 2012 Christian Scholars’ Conference where Nance in the Journal of American Folklore. Eddlemann, Adria (Giles) English, Holly he was respondent on a panel discussion of She presented a paper at American (Threm) Goslin, Anne Harrington, and the movie Tree of Life. University of Beirut at the Humanities Nekia Shelton. Heath Carpenter published three poems and Human Rights Conference and taught SUMMER 2013 English News FIVE

contest hosted by Utmost Christian Writers Alumni News with a poem titled “A Wave.”

Jessica James graduated with his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2013. 1978 Ted Dahlman along with Lisa (Paden, ’03), Beverly Nall Pace (B.A. 78, M.Ed. 79), Teia, and Thor live in Augusta, Georgia, Everett Reed presented the paper “Land as associate professor at where Ted is stationed with the Army. Curse, Land as Gift: the Ecology of Trag- in Montgomery, Alabama, has written an e- edy in Faulkner and Berry” at the Christian book with her fellow colleagues at Faulkner. James Benge works as a software tester for Scholars’ Conference. I Write is an English composition textbook a Tulsa-based company called eLynx Tech- written from the Christian perspective, and nologies, which serves clients in the oil and 2006 it can be found on iTunes. Pace retired May gas industry. He also writes a blog Mary Cunningham married Harold Stein- 2013. titled Chasing After Shadows. er on August 4, 2012. 1991 Erika (Salcido) Trejo and husband Juan Brian Harrison teaches English at Beijing Sara Barton published a book A Woman announce the birth of daughter Eva Larynn Normal University in Zhuhai, Guangdong, Called by Leafwood Press in 2012. Trejo January 26, 2012. They also have a 2-year-old son, Joaquin. China. He recently traveled to India. 1993. 2007 Kara Harland married Clay Harland (’01). Katie Bond and husband Ryan (’04) wel- Meghan (Perry) Clanton and husband They have two children, Kenneth (13) and comed third daughter, Lainey Nicole, in Cress welcomed Sydney Jae Clanton in Katherine (11). Kara homeschools and June 2012. Katie continues to stay home January 2013. Sydney joins older sister Si- helps Clay with his law practice. with their daughters. erra, 3. Meghan teaches Latin fulltime, on- line for a national charter school. 1994 2002 Michael Carriger is English department Luke and Sarah (’03) Duncan welcomed Emily (Stutzman) Jones is working on a chair at Lawrence High School in Law- daughter Lila Grace in August 2012. Lila Ph.D. in Forestry at Auburn University. She rence, Kansas. Grace joins older sister Callie. has a graduate teaching assistantship with the university writing center. She welcomed 1999 2004 her son, Mark Clayton, February 9, 2013. Andy Dunham is a trial attorney practicing Alicia (Bright) Moore and husband Josh in Houston, , with Jim Culpepper & welcomed daughter Lyra Noelle on Decem- L. Elizabeth Lanius was appointed lead Associates. He married the former Jennifer ber 11, 2012. teacher for the Jacksonville High School Fonville in 2007, and they welcomed their Freshman Academy in 2012-13. The pre- first child, Robert Geoffrey Dunham, Sep- Sara Moss lives in Dallas and is a technical vious year she was awarded No. 1 Student tember 18, 2012. They live in Rosenberg, writer at Southwest Airlines. Choice Teacher of the Year Shining Star Texas, and attend the Sugar Grove Church award at Jacksonville High School. She of Christ. Andrea Zahler works as a resident director at . graduated from the Arkansas Leadership Academy’s Deep Knowledge Leadership Julie (Osborne) McClure and Marcus Team three-year program in May 2013, and were married on the evening of their col- 2005 she will be moving to Crete, Greece, with lege graduation. They have three children: Jeremy Kirk Elliott and Kelly (’05) wel- her husband on military assignment for the Quentin (9), Marlie-Rose (3), and Jai (2). comed Silas Monroe Elliott February 6, 2013 school year. Marcus and Julie are licensed foster parents 2013. Jeremy presented the paper “Janisse through the County of San Diego. They Ray’s Complicated Vision of Human Labor Erin (Cooley) Lowery is the Executive lead monthly support group/trainings for in Nature” at the Christian Scholars’ Con- Director of Caterpillar Corner, a Christian foster and adoptive parents. Julie works ference. daycare/preschool, in Snyder, Texas. She part-time for Grossmont Community Col- and husband Caleb welcomed son Walker lege and teaches classes for families wish- Brandon Fox married Kari Kiser (’07) in Michael in May 2013. ing to become licensed foster/adoptive fam- May 2012. They live in Searcy and have ilies in San Diego County. Their family has both been serving on the worship team at a Julie (Keller) Tigner and husband Daniel been blessed through the gift of adoption, church in Cabot for several years now. Bran- (’05) welcomed daughter Mabel Christine and they started and lead a ministry about don worked at Capstone Treatment Center December 23, 2012. the need for loving foster and adoptive fam- for the past three years and just recently left ilies, “Rooted in Love,” at their church. Ju- to start a burrito restaurant in downtown 2008 lie’s full-time job is Vice-President of C&C Searcy. They plan to serve Baja-style bur- Nicole (Dicken) Boehrig and husband Sean Glass, a glazing contractor. ritos made from locally grown/raised in- gredients. Brandon continues to write and are missionaries in Swaziland, Africa. 2001 last year placed third in a Canadian poetry SUMMER 2013 English News SIX

15, 2013. She teaches freshman and sopho- Alumni News (cont.) more level English at Western Hills High School in Fort Worth, Texas.

Khristian (Carnagie) Decker works as a Rocky Hall coached football at Harding the 2012 Christian Scholars’ Conference at financial aid assistant at Freed-Hardeman University while completing an MBA. Cur- Lipscomb University. University. rently he is in the U.S. Army, completing Officer Candidacy School at Ft. Benning, Johnathan Strasser married Deborah Chris McKeever is an instructor in English Georgia, and will begin training as a Com- Bergsma. Their son Joshua is 20 months at Kansas State University. bat Engineer at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri old. Jonathan completed an M.Div. at Hard- ,later this year. ing School of Theology in 2012. Now, they Daniel Morrissey married Karen Castro. serve as missionaries in Mbulu, Tanzania. He works as a substitute school teacher and Jonathan David McRay received an M.A. is working on a collection of stories. in Conflict Transformation at the Center for Grant White and Natalie welcomed a Justice and Peacebuilding. He lives with daughter, Roxie Layne White, on Decem- Rachel (Melchers) Scholl and Ken wel- wife Rachelle and friends on a permaculture ber 10, 2012. comed daughter Avennah Joyce in May farm in the Shenandoah River watershed, 2012. Rachel works freelance from home, where he also works with a sustainable liv- Michael Wright works at Fuller Seminary specializing in copywriting, graphic design, ing center committed to regenerative sys- at the Fuller Writing Center in Pasadena, and Web design. Her company is called tems of food, transportation, and the built California helping students with theologi- Lampwood Studios, LLC. environment in partnership with marginal- cal writing. He presented a paper at the ized neighbors. He convened two panels at 2013 Christian Scholars’ Conference with 2010 the 2013 Christian Scholars Conference, Stephanie Eddleman on faith and poetry. Michael Brooker received an M.F.A. in one on anarchism and one on bioregional- The session is titled “The Fire and The Writing for Film and Television at Pepper- ism, and spoke on the latter. Dove: The Pursuit of God Through Poetry, dine University. Prose and Praise.” Johnna Percell is currently an education Marisa Smith Lytle worked as a substitute coordinator for Community Corrections 2009 teacher in the Springdale, Arkansas Public Improvement Association, the non-profit Amber Barnett has spent the past three School system and worked as a nanny with foundation of Iowa’s 6th Judicial District years in Kochi, Japan, teaching English to The Nanny Connection. She has written a Department of Correctional Services. She elementary and junior high students. series of Bible lessons on the theme of pro- runs a tutoring program for students with ducing fruit. The lessons are to be translated parents involved in the criminal justice Joanna Benskin is at Purdue University into Spanish for use by Honduran women system. Additionally, she teaches classes working on a Ph.D. in Comparative Litera- in small group Bible studies and will also to people on probation/parole for the Cor- ture. She presented the paper, “Death and be used in the U.S. rectional Education Adult High School Sainthood in the Lovers’ Meeting Sonnet Completion program she pilots for the dis- in Romeo and Juliet,” at the International Nelson Shake married Sally Tucker in De- trict. This fall she will begin a Master in Congress on Medieval Studies, and the cember 2012. He received an M.A. in Eng- Library Science specializing in information paper “Reconciling the Conflicted Closing lish from Georgia Southern University. He and diverse populations at the University of of ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’” at has presented at four conferences this year, Maryland’s iSchool. the Christian Scholars’ Conference. She most recently the ALA in Boston. teaches world literature and has an edito- Brooklynne (Travis) Peters is the Direc- rial assistantship with the academic journal 2011 tor of Marketing and Senior Copywriter for Arthuriana. Kathryn Arbuckle is working on an VLG Advertising in Dallas and Vice Presi- M.F.A. in Creative Writing, with a focus in dent of Boston Terrier Rescue of North Kurt Cavender published a book review fiction, from Butler University in Indianap- Texas. of Towards a Sociology of Digital Media in olis, Indiana. She spent summer 2013 at a Cultural Studies Journal. fiction workshop in Chamonix, France, for Ike Peters is Interactive Marketing Spe- three weeks. She works in Butler Univer- cialist at Aristotle Inc. Karie Cross presented the paper “Recon- sity’s writing lab. ciling Opposing Views in the Feminist Le- Nathan Shank completed the coursework gal Theory Debate” at the Christian Schol- Rebekah Craig studied at the University toward a Ph.D. in American literature at the ars’ Conference. of Denver, Denver Publishing Institute in University of Kentucky. His recent presen- summer 2012. tations include “The City and the Mind,” Tabitha (Goyne) Davidson began an M.A. at the University of Louisville Conference in Jewish studies at The Hebrew Univer- Adria (Giles) English received an M.A. on Literature and Culture Since 1900 and sity. in literature from the University of Central “God of the Gaps: Reconciling Christian- Arkansas. ity with the Consciousness Impasse,” at Emily Daw married Aaron Boyle on June Jocelyn McClung is the Admissions Coun- SUMMER 2013 English News SEVEN

North Carolina. In 2012 he presented the Arkansas. Alumni News paper, “Subjectivity in Wendell Berry’s Re- membering: The Other and Grace” at the Alex Ford works for Teachers on Reserve (cont.) Southeast Christianity and Literature con- and studied at San Francisco State Univer- ference. sity. selor at Education Sales Management in Amanda Partridge is program director at Bethany Howell married Michael Allen in Colorado. the White County Literacy Council. She July 2012. writes grant requests, trains and recruits tu- Kelsey (Sherrod) Michael is working on tors, and manages the used bookstore. Logan Mahan is a staff member and guide an M.A. in Folklore at University of North for Wilderness Expeditions, a Christian- Carolina. Hannah Stewart studied the past year in based guide and outfitting service in Colo- Spain at a Spanish immersion school. She rado that specializes in outdoor adventures Lucas Nossaman received a master’s de- has since returned to the United States. with a spiritual purpose. gree in English at North Carolina State University and for the past year has worked 2012 Nekia Shelton graduated with an M.Ed. at as a coordinator for an after-school literacy Whitney LaDon Dixon teaches tenth-grade Harding, and taught as an adjunct for the program in a low-income area of Raleigh, English at Vilonia High School in Vilonia, English department in 2012.

about. I write to learn, and I learned a lot.” Author Julie Cantrell Visits With characteristic humility, she said, “When it hit the NYT list and the USA TODAY list, I went completely numb. I think I’m still trying to absorb the numbers “[I’m] an overworked, out of shape, rap- allowed the story to develop organically of readers who have entered Millie’s idly aging mom who made a bucket list... on the page.” The novel was written over world. I count my blessings constantly and that led to [a] novel. Voila. No need to several months, from three to five in the and really believe this was never my story make me sound like I am anyone special”: morning, before beginning the work of the to keep in the first place. I feel lucky this that’s how Julie Cantrell, our 2013 visiting day: helping her husband with the chores story came to me, and I’m grateful I had writer, described herself. Her humility on their sustainable farm, teaching, and the opportunity to share it with the world. played well to the packed audience that getting children to school and activities. When I hear from readers who have been gathered in Cone Chapel on April 12th to Her ninth-grade English teacher was impacted by Millie’s journey, I know it hear her discuss her work and all things the first person to make her feel that she was worth every bit of work that went into related to the craft of writing. could be a writer, although her twelfth- this process. The emails I receive are in- A speech pathologist who teaches kin- grade English teacher made her put down credibly powerful, and I’m very glad I got dergarten and first-grade E.L.L. students her pen for ten years. It was a powerful to play some small role in helping those in Oxford, Mississippi, Cantrell’s debut reminder to the audience that the creative readers heal old scars.” novel Into the Free became a three-week spirit can be quite tender and responds bestseller in March 2012; it has gone better to nurturing than criticism. on to win Christy Awards for best debut Set in Depression-era Mississippi, Into novel and book of the year, among other the Free incorporates elements of the accolades from Publisher’s Weekly and Romani people, the Choctaw Nation, and Lifeway Christian Stores. rodeo culture. She explained that “the idea In addition, Cantrell is the author of the stemmed from reading about the real life children’s books God Is with Me through adventures of Kellie Mitchell, the ‘Queen the Day and God Is with Me through the of the Gypsies,’ whose elaborate 1915 Night, a Mississippi Arts Commission funeral in Meridian, Mississippi drew Literary Artist Fellow, and has served as more than 20,000 Romani Travelers from the editor-in-chief of Southern Literature North and Central America. The Travel- Review. ers end up being a thread in a much larger Cantrell invited audience questions tale—a fictional coming-of-age story of a throughout the session and offered her girl named Millie Reynolds,” a girl with knowledge on crafting a work and get- an abusive father and a “nothing mama.” ting it published. She freely admits that Regarding her writing process, she told when she started writing the book, she the audience that she “wrote the story as didn’t know much about things like plot, it came to me. Then, I spent lots of time structure, or characterization, other than doing research to fill in the details of the what she had gleaned from being an avid tale.” She pointed out that “some people reader, but she also found that “not know- tell you to write what you know, but I en- ing any of the rules gave her freedom and joyed writing about things I knew nothing SUMMER 2013 English News EIGHT

2012 Our Newest Alumni Jo Cleveland Creative Writing B.A. *Joshua Goslowsky Awards Kaitlyn Hasty December 2012 *Emily Helton Ashley Dargai *James Norris Poetry: Monica Duncan *Victoria Randolph Ross Holmes Claire Moore *Maggie Rothe Maddi Nelson Lisa Osborn Amanda Scott Emily Owens Natalie White Barrett Smith Aerial Whiting Laura Smith Non-Fiction: Lauren Smith Abigail Anklam May 2013 Sisan McNeil *Jakob Bastin * Teaching licensure *Benjamin Borgelt Fiction: Colt Cannon M.Ed. Barrett Smith *Emily Chaffin Irene David Melissa Hite David Dunnagan Gerad Vandegrift Laura Smith *Delaney Giles Kristen Ragland *Hannah Shelton Giles Nekia Shelton

2012-13 Bobbie Coleman Student Updates Teaching Award: Hannah Giles (L.) Please send news, including Outstanding Senior English Major: current email address to: Aerial Whiting (R.) Terry Engel Harding University Box 12248 Searcy, AR 72149 or email [email protected]

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