COLA

Undergraduate English Major Presents Paper at International Conference

David Pittenger — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 14:17:21 +0000

Derek Frasure, an undergraduate studying English and Humanities at Marshall, presented a paper titled: “V for Valerie: Lesbianism in V for Vendetta” at Mansfield College, Oxford University, as part of Inter-Disciplinary’s 1^st Global Conference: The Graphic Novel.

Derek’s paper examined the character Valerie in Alan Moore’s V for Vendetta, Derek successfully brings to the fore an otherwise critically overlooked aspect of Moore’s graphic novel. His work challenges us to rethink concepts such as gender identity and its role in oppression/resistance, arguing that Vendetta ultimately calls for a radical recognition of the value of difference in love and the necessity of this difference in the flourishing of human life and human community.

Derek’s paper was well received, and attendees expressed a considerable interest in his work—calling the methodology sophisticated and expressing their hope that he will expand his paper. “V for Valerie” will be published by Inter-Disciplinary Press as part of the conference proceedings.

Professor Peckham Honored in “The Best American Essays 2012″

David Pittenger — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 12:33:16 +0000

Professor Rachael Peckham of the Department of English has received much praise for her creative writing. Her most recent distinction is being cited for a “Notable Essay” in The Best American Essays 2012(Mariner Books, 2012). In addition, she recently received a Love of Learning Award from Phi Kappa Phi which includes a $500 prize to support faculty professional development. She also won second place for the Women Who Write 2012 International Poetry & Short Prose Contest. Her previous awards include, receiving the Marshall University Distinguished Artists and Scholars Award in 2011 and winning the Robert Watson Poetry Award (Spring Garden Press, 2010). Dr. Peckham earned the Ph.D. from Ohio University and holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Georgia College and State University. She currently teaches courses in creative writing. In addition, she oversees the Visiting Writer’s Series and the production of Et Cetera, the University’s literary magazine.

Dr. Williams to present paper at The British Society of Sports History

David Pittenger — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 13:57:21 +0000

Dr. Kat Williams will present a paper on September 8 at annual meeting of The British Society of Sports History at The University of Glasgow. In her talk, Sport: A Useful Category of Analysis: Isabel “Lefty” Alvarez: The Rascal of El Cerro, Dr. Williams shows how an analysis of Alvarez’s story, and that of any woman athlete, must extend move beyond the sport to better understand sport and its significance in the lives of women. In a technique Dr. Williams calls sport-identity, she shows how Alvarez’s life story allows for a better understanding of her life, how and why she made the decisions she did, and the ways in which she relied on that identity to survive a difficult life. For many women, sport becomes the dominate element of their identity as it provides a way to hide the things that make them feel inferior. As such, sports become a refuge from the physical and emotional difficulties of school or family become the location where self-esteem, motivation and confidence flourish. As Dr. Williams demonstrates, Alvarez is more than baseball player. The intersection of Lefty’s baseball experience, her nationality, gender and class and sexuality represents for Lefty, the sum of her identity. She is not only female, working class, Cuban-American or a former baseball player rather she is the sum of all those parts. No one, regardless of their athletic ability or their connection to sports is defined one dimensionally of course. But for women who are sport-identified, and particularly lesbians, sport is not just a profession or a hobby, it does not simply make us more physically fit or more self-confident, it is also the place, the intersection, where all other identity markers, race, class, sexuality converge to create gender identity.

The British Society of Sports History is an international organization that promotes the study of the history of sport. In addition, it organizes an annual conference and publishes the journal, Sport in History.

Dr. Williams is an Associate Professor of History and a member of the Women’s Studies program.

Professor Householder wins Pickens-Queen award

David Pittenger — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 15:52:23 +0000

Pickens-Queen Excellence in Teaching Award

The Pickens-Queen Excellence in Teaching award honors outstanding junior faculty who are teaching full-time and are either tenured or have tenure track appointment, and who have completed one to five years of service at Marshall. Professor Michael Householder was one of three University faculty to receive this important award. Professor Householder came to Marshall in fall 2010 having taught at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He is an assistant professor of English. Michael wants his students to feel confident that their ideas have value in the world. “All of my classes, regardless of level or topic, are an exercise in understanding intellectual activity as a kind of ongoing conversation.”

Professor Van Kirk recognized as distinguished senior scholar

David Pittenger — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 15:49:21 +0000

Professor John Van Kirk, Department of English, received the 2012 Distinguished Artists and Scholars Award, senior recipient in the field of Arts, Social Sciences, Humanities, Education and Business. He is the author of the short story, In the Shadow of Katahdin, published in the Journal of Literature and Art, (2010). In 2011, John was the The Iowa Review Writing Contest prize winner for his short story, Landscape with Boys. John has also received a Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation Creative Fellowship which included a two week residency at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Amherst, VA in July 2011. His novel, The Enchanted Pond, is scheduled to be published by Red Hen Press in 2013.

Professor Schulenberg recognized as distinguised scholar

David Pittenger — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 15:47:19 +0000

Professor Shawn Schulenberg, Department of Political Science, received the 2012 Distinguished Artists and Scholars Award, junior recipient among all faculty. Shawn began his work at Marshall in 2010 and has made a considerable number of contributions to the department’s academic program. He has also been extremely productive with his research, having published and presented many papers regarding the recognition of same-sex marriages in Latin America.

Professor Holbrook Wins Hedrick Teaching Award

David Pittenger — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 15:43:55 +0000

The Charles E. Hedrick Outstanding Faculty Award recognizes a full-time faculty member who has a minimum of seven years teaching experience at Marshall and a record of outstanding classroom teaching, scholarship, research and creative activities. This year the selection committee tapped Professor Daniel Holbrook, an associate professor and Chair of the Department of History. The award is named in honor of Charles Hedrick’s father, Charles E. Hedrick, a former history professor, one of the founders of Marshall’s graduate program, and later the Chair of the Graduate Council.

Professor Holbrook came to Marshall in 1997 as director of the Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree Program. He has been teaching in Marshall’s history department since 2003. He received his Ph.D. in history in 1999 from Carnegie Mellon University and specializes in the History of Technology, and teaches in that field as well as in Public, Local, U.S. and World History.

PsyD Program Reaccredited

David Pittenger — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 14:56:50 +0000

The American Psychological Association (APA) granted Marshall University a seven-year accreditation for its Doctor of Psychology Program, the Psy.D. The Psy.D. Program began in 2001 with the express mission to prepare graduates to work as clinical psychologists in rural and underserved areas, especially in the greater Appalachian region. Students in the program complete four years of rigorous training in clinical psychology and participate in various supervised internships to develop their clinical skills. During their fifth year, students complete a year-long residency at a comprehensive mental health facility.

The evaluation team gave the department much praise especially noting the high level of collegiality and camaraderie among the students. They were also impressed by the personalized attention each student receives from faculty in the program. The Department of Psychology has taken the strategic stand to keep its program small by admitting only 10 students into the program each year. This tactic allows the faculty to maintain a student-centered focus that is the hallmark of the program’s success. While studying at Marshall, students in the Psy.D. program provide various psychological services to the local community through the department’s clinic, the regional Veterans Administration Hospital, Cabell Huntington Hospital, Prestera Community Mental Health Center, and Riverpark Hospital in Huntington.