The College of Liberal Arts

Southwest Texas State University Jimmy Barrera Dr. Benjamin Zhan Stacey Fondren SPRING 2003 Archaeology Geography Sociology

DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS AND ARTISTS WHO VISITED THE COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS LEADERSHIP DISTINCTIONS 2001-2002 Steve Wilson, English, was Senior Fulbright Lecturer in First Lady Laura Bush American Literature at Universa v Mariboru, in Maribor, Edward Hirsch, President Looking for Links Between Slovenia, in Spring 2002. Wilson taught courses in 19th- The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Environmental Hazards and Birth Defects century American literature and American Literature Karl S. Rove The relationship between birth defects and environmen- since 1950, and gave presentations on poetry and Senior Advisor to President George W. Bush tal hazards in Texas may become clearer as the result of a prosody. He also spent two days at the University of

three-year, $236,048 study to be conducted by two SWT Graz, in Austria, lecturing on “Prosody Since Ginsberg” Elizabeth Robinson researchers. The study will address whether living or working and reading his own poetry. Film Producer (Braveheart and Goldeneye) near hazardous waste sites or industrial emissions increases The Department of Geography began offering a new Shelby Hearon the risk of congenital malformations in offspring. Dr. doctoral program in Geographic Information Science in Author and five-time winner of the Benjamin Zhan, Associate Professor of Geography, and Dr. Fall 2002. The new Ph.D. is the only such doctoral degree NEA/PEN Syndication Short Story Prize Jean Brender, Associate Professor of Health Services and

in Texas and the third doctoral program in the Geography Research, will conduct the study, funded by the National Ai Department. Currently, there are eight Geography faculty Center for Disease Control and Prevention via the Texas Poet and winner of the National Book Award members with specialties in GIScience. Mark Doty Research Center for Birth Defects. Brender and Zhan will Poet and winner of the National Book Critics' Circle Award study families who conceived or gave birth to children while Patricia M. Shields, Political Science, won the 2002 and Britain's T.S. Eliot Prize residing near one of more than 100 federal or state superfund Leslie A. Whittington Excellence in Teaching Award. The sites in Texas or one of more than 1,000 industrial sites. award, given by the National Association of Schools of Leslie Marmon Silko Public Affairs and Administration, is considered the top Author and winner of the MacArthur "Genius" Award national award for teachers of Public Administration. Tim O'Brien The Ideal Job: Author and winner of the National Book Award Tim Wilson, a student in the Master’s Degree Program Sociology Students Serve as They Learn in Public Affairs, won the Pi Alpha Alpha Student Harm DeBlij After working for several years, Stacey Fondren decided Manuscript Award, the top national award in Public Geographer and network news commentator to come to SWT for a sociology degree. Her work experi- Administration at the master’s level. Wilson’s paper is Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison ence told her that she would have a hard time getting a job in titled “Pragmatism and Performance Measurement: An Republican from Texas and one of the top five Senate a new field without prior experience. So, she used an intern- Exploration of Pragmatic Practices in Texas State Republican leaders in the 107th Congress ship that she found through the Sociology Department’s well- Government.” respected internship program to gain that experience. As a Brig. Gen. Charles M. Duke David Glassman, Professor and Chair of Apollo 13 Astronaut result, her internship employer offered her a job. Sociology interns regularly receive job offers and high Anthropology, has appeared on Court TV concerning the Daniel Callahan praise, and Internship Coordinator Lois Hickman attributes forensic work he did in the Madalyn Murray O’Hair Bioethicist and Director of International Studies, Hastings Center the success to finding the right job for the right student. case. Glassman was also quoted in Science News in an Gilbert M. Grosvenor Interns are asked to describe the kind of job they’d most like article on the discoveries of ancient Maya burials in rock

Chairman of the Board, National Geographic Society to have, and Hickman and co-Coordinator Kelly Mosel help shelters. Glassman and other SWT anthropologists conduct an archaeological field school each summer at Ray Benson, Joe Ely, Tish Hinojosa, Ponty Bone, them to find an internship doing that job. Students provide Mayan sites in Belize. Ruthie Foster, Cyd Cassone real service, so they are in high demand by employers. In Texas composers and musicians fact, demand for sociology interns is so high that Hickman Sharon Keefe Ugalde, SWT professor of Modern and Mosel can’t fill all employers’ requests. Dayton Duncan Languages, has written a book of critical studies on the

Author, Journalist, Producer of the work of Spanish poet Juana Castro, titled Sujeto femenino y PBS documentary Lewis and Clark palabra poética (Estudios críticos de la poesía de Juana Student Archaeologists Make Discoveries Castro), published by the Cultural Delegation of Córdoba, Jorge Valadez When SWT’s Center for Archaeological Studies opened Spain. The book was announced in Córdoba at a confer- Professor of Philosophy, Our Lady of the Lake College for business in 2000, anthropology major Jimmy Barrera was ence on Castro’s work. John H. Thompson among the first to volunteer for the Center’s excavation proj- Professor of History and authority on the ects. He knew he wanted to be a field archaeologist, but he The San Antonio Express-News featured SWT’s U.S.-Canada relationship, Duke University needed actual field experience. Southwestern Writers Collection, NEH Southwest Regional Humanities Center, and Morris Dees Barrera’s expertise has grown along with the Center. He Center for Texas Music Civil Rights Attorney and co-founder of the became an employee of the Center, now a major archaeologi- History in a recent series. Southern Poverty Law Center cal contractor with government and private entities that must conduct cultural surveys prior to disturbing land. With as Also, Austin’s Bullock Amilicar Shabazz many as 30 contracts at one time, the Center has not only Texas History Museum Director of African American Studies, University of Alabama fulfilled its research function but trained students for exciting featured “Country Music Inmaculada de Melo Martin archaeological careers. Contracts for archaeological investiga- from the Lone Star State,” Professor of Philosophy, St. Mary's University tions are leading Barrera and other SWT archaeological stu- an exhibit launched in con- Rolando Diaz-Loving dents all over Texas, where they’re making significant discov- junction with the Center Professor of Psychology eries about such things as ancient Native American trade for Texas Music History National Autonomous University of Mexico routes, the living habits of early ranchers, and military cam- through the efforts of paigns against the Comanches. Center Director Gary David Hoekema Hartman. The exhibit paid Professor of Philosophy, Calvin University “We’re able to teach students the techniques that they tribute to Texas country Abbie Neal and the Ranch President, Society for Values in Higher Education often don’t learn in short-term field schools or in lecture halls,” said Center Director Britt Bousman. music from the early 19th Girls. Jack Greene “The students develop a sense of responsibility and find century to the present. Professor of History, The Johns Hopkins University out whether they like field archaeology,” added SWT Four members of the SWT Creative Writing faculty read Mark Tushnet Research Archaeologist Dave Nickels. “Pretty soon, they’re from their work and participated on panels at the 2002 Carmack Waterhouse Professor of Constitutional Law writing their own reports and articles, ready for graduate Texas Book Festival in November, at the Capitol in Austin. Georgetown University Law Center school or careers in archaeology.” Faculty included novelists Dagoberto Gilb (Woodcuts of Ellis Sandoz Women), Tom Grimes (City of God), Tim O’Brien (July, Hermann Moyse, Jr., Distinguished Professor Continued on outside panel . . . July), and poet Ai (Vice). Ai currently holds the Roy F. and Voegelin Institute for American Renaissance Studies Joann Cole Mitte Chair in Creative Writing. O’Brien is a Gary L. Gregg previous holder of the Mitte Chair and will hold it again in Mitch McConnell Chair, University of Louisville http://www.swt.edu/liberalarts 2003-2004. (512) 245-2317 College of Liberal Arts Director, McConnell Center for Political Leadership Continued on outside panel . . . LEADERSHIP DISTINCTIONS (continued from inside) (continued from inside)

France Invites SWT Students to Teach Liberal Arts faculty won five of this year’s six SWT Presidential Awards, for teaching, research, and Seven SWT students are among the 1,500 U.S. service. These are the most prestigious awards given by SWT. Award winners include Jennifer college students selected by the French Ministry of Forrest, Modern Languages; Barbara Trepagnier, Sociology; Allan R. Chavkin, English; Amy T. Education to teach in primary and secondary schools Randolph, English; and Rebecca Bell-Metereau, English. throughout France. They are teaching conversation- Richard A. Earl, Geography, received the Distinguished Teaching Achievement Award from the al English for seven to nine months, under the guid- National Council for Geographic Education, the most prestigious teaching honor in geography. Dr. ance of an English professor at the school. Another Earl is the 12th geography professor at SWT to receive the award. The SWT Geography five or six SWT students are expected to participate Department has more winners of this award than any other geography program in the nation. in Fall 2003. “It’s a significant experience – a more complete James R. Kimmel, Geography, received a $50,000 contract from the Texas Department of cultural immersion than one usually gets from a Transportation to assess the feasibility of Texas’ participation in the National Scenic Byways Program. short-term study-abroad program – and I am told He analyzed such programs in 39 states to develop recommendations for Texas. Kimmel also that our students are doing very well,” said Dr. received a $10,000 grant from the Cecilia Ward Young Foundation to support work on a popular Carole Martin, SWT professor of French, who coor- geographic history book of the San Marcos River, from the head- dinates the application process at SWT. “The stu- water springs to its junction with the Guadalupe River near dents must adjust to teaching and to the language Gonzales. and culture of a foreign country. They are also encouraged to enroll in the local More than 80,000 Texas school children recently submitted university, to finish undergraduate credits or to begin graduate studies. The expe- posters to be judged in a National Geographic Society contest rience requires a high degree of responsibility and maturity, which our students recognizing Geography Action Week. Final judging was coordi- demonstrate.” nated by the SWT Department of Geography and the Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education, located in the department. Winning posters will be displayed at geography and social studies conferences throughout the year.

Poster contest winner Michael Hseih

of Plano, Texas.

PERMIT NO. 29 NO. PERMIT

EA 78666 TEXAS

San Marcos, Texas 78666 Texas Marcos, San A MARCOS SAN

601 University Drive University 601 PAID

U.S. POSTAGE U.S.

College of Liberal Arts Liberal of College ORGANIZATION

NON-PROFIT Southwest Texas State UNIVERSITY State Texas Southwest

Recognition

The College of Liberal Arts is known for its strong tradition of educating students beyond the classroom. Our first-class faculty value those qualities -- teaching and learning, research and creative activity, the cultivation of character -- that transform individuals into leaders.