News
Jordan Klevdal’s Research at Wilson Library
Jordan Klevdal, an ECL PhD student, was recently featured in a UNC Endeavors news story.
Brendan Chambers Publishes Interview in The Millions
Brendan Chambers, a PhD student in the ECL department, recently published an interview in The Millions: “Dan Sinykin on Fiction, Scholarship, and Academic Twitter.” The interview focuses on Dan Sinykin’s book Big Fiction: How Conglomeration Changed the Publishing Industry and American Literature.
Alumni Spotlight: Adam McKible Publishes Book
Adam McKible, who earned his PhD in English from UNC in 1998, published a new book in February: Behind the Lines: How Plagiarism Popularized the Harlem Renaissance.
Graduate Student Spotlight: Emily Waller Singeisen
The ECL is proud to highlight the outstanding work of Emily Waller Singeisen, a doctoral student and teaching fellow researching how ancient texts and their reception can inform contemporary gender & queer theory and, likewise, how this theory might enrich our readings of ancient texts.
Prof. Marc Cohen’s English 105 Class Attends Rock Concert
Professor Marc Cohen’s English 105 class had a unique experience this semester! On February 26, the class visited the Cat’s Cradle music venue in Carrboro. Prof. Cohen’s class had previously interviewed the band Hotel Fiction and then had the opportunity to see them play live.
New Faculty Spotlight: Shinjini Chattopadhyay
The DOECL is excited to welcome Professor Shinjini Chattopadhyay! Professor Chattopadhyay joins the ECL faculty as an Assistant Professor of English.
Prof. Gotzler and Prof. Gutierrez Awarded Global Partnership Expansion Grants
The ECL is proud to announce that Professor Steven Gotzler and Professor Michael Gutierrez have both been awarded Global Partnership Expansion Grants!
MEMS and DLC host Medieval Gaming Night
This February, the Digital Literacy Communications Lab (DLC) and the Medieval and Early Modern Studies (MEMS) program collaborated to host another successful Medieval Gaming Event in the Greenlaw Gameroom.
Alumni Spotlight: Zena Cardman Heads to the International Space Station
The DOECL wishes Zena Cardman, UNC-Chapel Hill alum and creative writing minor, safe travels as she ventures to the International Space Station this fall! Cardman and three other crew members plan to embark on this mission as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Mission.
Prof. Julia Ridley Smith publishes “Sex Romp Gone Wrong”
In February, Professor Julia Ridley Smith published her debut short story collection, Sex Romp Gone Wrong. This collection centers on “women and girls navigating relationships, love, desire, sex, motherhood, work, marriage, female friendship—and how messy those things can be.”
Student Spotlight: Audrey Zhou
Meet Audrey Zhou, a creative writing minor whose story was accepted to the high-profile literary magazine Strange Horizons!
Congratulations to the ECL’s Award-Winning Teachers
The ECL would like to congratulate this year’s award-winning teachers!
Ariannah Kubli Publishes Essay in The Chronicle
Ariannah Kubli, a fourth-year PhD student in the ECL department, recently published an essay in The Chronicle of Higher Education: “Making Space for the Humanities Off Campus: Night School Bar and the Brooklyn Institute for Social Research offer alternatives to traditional academe.”
ECL Undergraduate Ash Chen’s poetry exhibited at Eno Arts Mill
ECL Undergraduate Ash Chen’s poetry was ehibited at the Eno Arts Mill, run by the Orange County Arts Commission, in the Coalesce 2024 exhibition. Click here to read more!
Student Spotlight: Malika Amoruso
Meet Malika Amoruso, a senior double majoring in English and Comparative Literature and Biology who has accumulated a wealth of unique research experience!
The Latina/o Cultures Speakers’ Series Looks Forward to this Semester’s Speakers
Collaboratively, Dr. DeGuzmán, Dr. Irizarry, and the LSP Crew—graduate assistants Ryan Carroll, Meleena Gil, René Marzuk, Victoria Valle, and Cody Ward—have lined up several exciting speakers for this Spring 2024.
Prof. Hilary Lithgow Facilitates Reading Groups for Veterans
Professor Hilary Lithgow has been involved with book groups for veterans since 2015.
Prof. Florence Dore Publishes Article on her Rock ‘n’ Roll Sabbatical
Professor Florence Dore recently published an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education: “My Rock ‘n’ Roll Sabbatical: A literature professor hits the road.”
Student Spotlight: Liam Furlong
Meet Liam Furlong, an English and Comparative Literature and Hispanic Literatures and Cultures double major!
Honoring Professor James Kimball King
Professor James Kimball King’s extraordinary impact goes far beyond the confines of traditional classroom walls and continues to reverberate through the profoundly fond memories of family, friends, former students, and the wider University community. In light of his exceptional legacy, a group of alumni are working together to create an endowed professorship in honor of Professor King, who passed away in 2019.
Gram-O-Rama Performs “Meat Prey Troll”
The ECL would like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to this year’s Gram-O-Rama team for this year’s production of “Meat Prey Troll”!
2024 Frank B. Hanes, Writer-in-Residence, Terrance Hayes
2024 Frank B. Hanes Writer-in-Residence, Terrance Hayes, will give a reading on Tuesday, February 27 at 7:30pm in Moeser Auditorium. The reading is free and open to the public.
Dr. Reva E. Sias Speaks at the Inaugural Hess Lecture
The inaugural Hess lecture took place on Monday, November 13 at 5:30. Dr. Reva E. Sias spoke on “The Rhetorical Presence and Activism of the First Nineteenth-Century African American Women Physicians.”
Student Spotlight: Georgia Chapman
Meet Georgia Chapman, an ECL and anthropology double major and creative writing minor!
Critical Speaker Series welcomes Pardis Dabashi and Lauren Michele Jackson
This semester, the ECL was delighted to welcome the distinguished speakers of Critical Speaker Series, Pardis Dabashi and Lauren Michele Jackson!
Student Spotlight: Claire Warr
Meet Claire Warr, a senior double majoring in English and music!
Student Spotlight: Luna Hou
Meet Luna Hou, ECL major and winner of the competitive One Teen Story fiction contest.
ECL Students Inducted into Phi Beta Kappa
The ECL would like to congratulate sixteen of our students for their acceptance into UNC’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter, Alpha of North Carolina.
Meet the Faculty: Melissa Faliveno
The DOECL is excited to welcome Melissa … Read more
Medieval Game Night hosted by MEMS and DLC
This October, the Digital Literacy Communications Lab (DLC) and the Medieval and Early Modern Studies (MEMS) program collaborated to host the first official Medieval Game Night at The Gathering Place.
Meet the Faculty: Kelli Holt
The DOECL is excited to welcome Kelli Holt as Teaching Assistant Professor. Prof. Holt holds a PhD from UNC-Chapel Hill. She studies 19th-century British literature and culture (especially law) and critical animal studies.
Hannah Skjellum-Salmon awarded Maynard Adams Fellowship
Congratulations to PhD candidate Hannah Skjellum-Salmon for receiving the Maynard Adams Fellowship for the Public Humanities!
Student Spotlight: Tasso Hartzog
Meet artist and writer Tasso Hartzog!
Dr. James W. Clark Receives Distinguished Alumnus Award
Dr. James W. Clark, Jr., a graduate of U … Read more
Meet the Faculty: Daelena Tinnin-Gadson
The DOECL is excited to welcome Professor Daelena Tinnin-Gadson!
Professor David Baker and his team launch MACMORRIS
Congratulations to Professor David Baker and his fellow collaborators for the official launching of MACMORRIS!
Prof. Daniel Wallace publishes “This Isn’t Going to End Well”
In “This Isn’t Going to End Well: The True Story of a Man I Thought I Knew,” Daniel Wallace tries to come to terms with the life and death of his multi-talented longtime friend and brother-in-law, who had been his biggest hero and inspiration, in a poignant, lyrical, and moving memoir.
Meet the Faculty: Sarah Ficke
The DOECL is excited to welcome Dr. Sarah Ficke as Teaching Assistant Professor. Dr. Ficke holds a PhD and an MA in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Student Spotlight: Ana Hoppert
Meet Ana Hoppert, a senior ECL major focusing on media production. Hoppert is the president of the Carolina Film Association and an editor for Aspect.
Meet the Faculty: Sarah Leilani Parijs
The DOECL is excited to welcome Dr. Sarah Leilani Parijs as a Postdoctoral Research Associate through the Carolina Postdoctoral Program for Faculty Diversity.
Colin Dekeersgieter Awarded 2023 Stan and Tom Wick Poetry Prize
Please join us in congratulating DOECL Ph.D. candidate Colin Dekeersgieter on being awarded the 2023 Stan and Tom Wick Poetry Prize for his poetry collection Opium and Ambergris!
Meet the 2023-24 DOECL PhD Cohort
Please join us in welcoming the twelve new PhD students joining the Department of English and Comparative Literature this fall!
2023 Thomas Wolfe Prize and Lecture with Allison Hedge Coke
Join us to hear Allison Hedge Coke, 2023 Thomas Wolfe Prize recipient, read on Tuesday, October 3 at 7:30pm in Moeser Auditorium in Hill Hall. Free and open to the public.
2022-2023 Graduate Job Placement Spotlight
In the 2022-2023 school year, the ECL congratulated a great number of our doctoral and masters students on the completion of their degree. Today we’re excited to spotlight a few of our recent masters and doctoral graduates who have recently received exciting job and academic placements!
Student Spotlight: Luke Morton
Meet Luke Morton, an English and Comparative Literature and Classics double major who published an article in the latest edition of UNC’s Journal of Undergraduate Research (JOURney) and recently presented for the Johns Hopkins Richard Macksey Undergraduate Humanities Research Symposium.
Student Spotlight: Elena Carabeau
Meet junior Elena Carabeau, an ECL major and Spanish and Studio Arts double minor who recently began interning with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
2022-2023 Graduate Degree Recipients
Congratulations to all the doctoral and masters students who earned their degrees in the 2022-2023 academic year. Their research, teaching, and community were invaluable to the department and UNC.
DOECL Undergrad Spotlight by UNC Discover
Check out the spotlight on recent DOECL grad Sonny Griffith!
DOECL Grads Organize for Improved Mental Health Support
Read about the efforts of DOECL graduate students to address the stressors of graduate school.
SOUL Featured in The Daily Tar Heel
SOUL, the Student Organization for Undergraduate Literature, was recently featured in The Daily Tar Heel.
DOECL Graduate Achievement Ceremony 2022-2023
Congratulations to all of our accomplished graduate students on another academic year! Read about this year’s graduate awardees in the department.
2022-23 Honors Poetry Thesis Students
Congratulations to the 2022-23 Honors Poetry Thesis students!
2023 ECL Senior Honors Thesis Students
Congratulations to this year’s Senior Honors Thesis students!
Prof. Stephanie DeGooyer Publishes “Before Borders”
Last November, DOECL Professor Stephanie DeGooyer published Before Borders: A Legal and Literary History of Naturalization through Johns Hopkins University Press.
Honors Fiction Class of 2023
Congrats to the Senior Honors Fiction Thesis students graduating this May! They will be reading from their works on April 17-18.
Meet the Faculty: Graham Culbertson
Meet one of the most recent additions to the DOECL’s faculty: Graham Culbertson.
DOECL Ph.D. Candidate Hannah Skjellum-Salmon Awarded Community Engagement Fellowship
Skjellum-Salmon was selected for the 2023 Community Engagement Fellowship through the Carolina Center for Public Service to fund their collaboration with local drag artists in Durham, NC.
Honors Creative Nonfiction Class of 2023
Congrats to the Senior Honors Creative Nonfiction Thesis students graduating this May! They will be reading from their works on April 19-20.
Greenlaw Gameroom Featured on CBS News
The innovative pedagogy and space of the DOECL’s Greenlaw Gameroom was recently featured by CBS17 (Raleigh).
Monique Truong, 2023 Frank B. Hanes Writer-in-Residence
2023 Frank B. Hanes Writer-in-Residence, Monique Truong’s reading Tuesday, March 28, 2023 7:30pm in Moeser Auditorium in Hill Hall on UNC Campus.
IAH Retrospective on Faculty Fellow Alan Shapiro
The IAH recently reflected on Prof. Alan Shapiro’s two terms in the Faculty Fellowship Program.
Dr. Inger Brodey Receives NEH Grant for “Jane Austen’s Desk”
Congratulations to Professor Inger Brodey and her team of dedicated collaborators for being awarded their second grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities!
Prof. María DeGuzmán Featured by UNC Research Publication “Rooted”
Read more about the interview and The Latina/o Studies Program’s contributions to UNC Chapel Hill.
Omari Akil Presents “Inclusive Design Practices in Tabletop Gaming”
This February, Durham-based game designer Omari Akil visited the Greenlaw Gameroom to discuss the story and successes of their game design studio and publishing company, Colorway Game Labs.
Alumnus Spotlight: Gavin Whitehead
Meet DOECL Alumnus Gavin Whitehead! Gavin is the host of the podcast The Art of Crime.
Prof. Michael McFee Publishes His Twelfth Collection of Poetry
“A Long Time to Be Gone” was published by Carnegie Mellon University Press.
Professor Philip Gura Publishes “Liberty or Justice for All?”
This February, DOECL Professor Philip Gura published a new book titled Liberty or Justice for All?: A Conversation across the American Centuries through the University of Georgia Press.
Dr. Søren George Palmer Recieves 2023 Chapman Family Teaching Award
Congratulations to DOECL Professor Søren George Palmer for receiving the 2023 Chapman Family Teaching Award!
DOECL Faculty Black History Month Recommendations
Check out what the DOECL faculty recommend for reading, listening, and watching this Black History Month!
Meet the Faculty: Destiny Hemphill
Meet Professor Destiny Hemphill, the 2022-23 Kenan Visiting Writer in the Creative Writing Program.
Student Spotlight: Tyson Weeks
Meet ECL and history double major Tyson Weeks!
DOECL Graduate Students Gather Around Lectures, Poetry, Films
Check out a few of the DOECL’s exciting graduate-run organizations!
Gram-O-Rama Performs “Past the Participle of No Return”
Congratulations to the Gram-O-Rama team for another year of hard work and for an incredible show!
Meet the Faculty: Steven Gotzler
Please join us in welcoming one of the newest additions to the ECL faculty: Professor Steven Gotzler.
Dr. Courtney Rivard Publishes “Layered Lives”
This August, DOECL Professor Courtney Rivard released her book Layered Lives: Rhetoric and Representation in the Southern Life History Project.
Prof. Wallace to Give Winter Commencement Speech
DOECL Professor Daniel Wallace—novelist, essayist, and illustrator—will speak to this winter’s graduates on December 11.
ECL Graduate Student Dailihana Alfonesca Shares Stories, Successes
Dailihana Alfonesca, a Literature, Medicine, and Culture master’s student, finds herself—and success—in creative writing. Alfonesca was recently nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
Prof. Eliza Richards uses Hyde Fellowship for George Moses Horton Book
Prof. Richards’ project, The Collected Works of George Moses Horton: A Critical Edition, will serve as the first complete critical edition of George Moses Horton’s work.
Theodore Nollert Concludes First Full Semester as GPSG President
Department of English and Comparative Literature Ph.D. candidate Theodore Nollert just concluded his first full semester as Graduate and Professional Student Government (GSPG) President.
Three DOECL Members Publish in New Collection
Early Modern Criticism in a Time of Crisis features Katharine Landers and Mary Learner, and was co-edited by Professor David Baker.
Student Spotlight: Drew Jones
Meet Drew Jones, a recent ECL graduate that has found meaningful ways to incorporate his skills as an English major into his career as an insurance agent.
Meet the Faculty: Shane Peterson
Meet Shane Peterson, one of the ECL’s newest faculty members!
Several DOECL Undergrads Serve as Short Story Resident Writers
Congratulations to the three undergraduates selected as Resident Writers at Short Story UNC!
Texts, Touring, and Teaching: Prof. Florence Dore’s New Album and Book
Prof. Florence Dore is touring the South with a new album and book in tow.
Michael Gutierrez publishes The Swill
Creative Writing Professor Michael Gutierrez released his most recent novel, “The Swill,” in late September of this year.
Undergraduate Alumna Publishes Comic in Literature & Medicine
Cathy Choi, a 2021 graduate who completed an ECL minor in Medicine, Literature, and Culture recently published a comic in Literature & Medicine.
Prof. Christmas wins 2022 Hettleman Prize
Congratulations, Prof. Christmas on this prestigious award!
Prof. Marsha Collins Begins as DOECL Chair
Prof. Collins is the new chair of the Department of English and Comparative Literature.
Undergraduate Victoria Wlosok to Publish Novel
Sophomore Victoria Wlosok will be publishing her debut novel in 2023. “How to Find a Missing Girl,” is a sapphic YA thriller that follows amateur teenage detective Iris Blackthorn as she investigates the disappearance of her cheerleader ex-girlfriend—who also happens to be the creator of a notorious local true-crime podcast about Iris’s missing older sister.
DOECL and the Latina/o Studies Program Celebrate Latinx Heritage Month!
Read about the exciting events this month upcoming from the Latina/o Studies Program.
Thomas Wolfe Lecture Fall 2022
The English and Comparative Literature Department congratulates this year’s winner of the 2022 Thomas Wolfe Prize, Percival Everett. This prize is awarded to contemporary writers with distinguished bodies of work in the honor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s own Thomas Wolfe.
BLACK FOLK COULD FLY: A Celebration of the Work of Randall Kenan
Please join us on Sunday, September 11, 2022, as we celebrate the life, work, and legacy of our beloved colleague and friend Randall Kenan.
Meet the 2022-23 DOECL PhD Cohort
This fall, the Department of English and Comparative Literature welcomes fifteen new PhD candidates! The department is very excited to introduce this special cohort, and their wide-ranging research interests.
Student Spotlight: Denise Stroud
Meet Denise Stroud, who recently won the spring 2022 Bland Simpson writing award!
Fantastic Fall Courses in the DOECL
Check out a few of the unique undergraduate classes that still have seats available this fall.
Reflecting on Prof. Mary Floyd-Wilson’s Time as Department Chair
When Prof. Floyd-Wilson left the position this summer, we took a look back at her time as DOECL chair.
Student Spotlight: Chelsea Deitelzweig
Meet Chelsea Deitelzweig, a pre-med English major and Morehead-Cain Scholar!
DOECL Wilson Library Fellowship Recipients
Three members of the DOECL were recently awarded prestigious fellowships from the Wilson Library.
Celebrating Honors Thesis Class of 2022
Congratulations to all the ECL seniors who completed an Honors Thesis in the Department this year!
DOECL PhD Candidate Elected GSPG President
Ph.D. Candidate Theodore Nollert was recently elected president of the UNC Graduate and Professional Student Government.
Exciting English Summer Course Offerings
Check out the variety of undergraduate English courses being offered for Summer 2022!
UNC Students Excel in Long Story Short Awards
UNC students won at least one award in every category!
Critical Gaming Event: Talk with Tara Fickle
Dr. Fickle will give a talk titled “New Yellow Peril: Asia/America at Play.”
PIT Journal Hosts Undergraduate Conference
The People, Ideas, and Things (PIT) Journal is hosting its newly revived Undergraduate Research Conference on March 24th.
Critical Speaker Series Welcomes Anna Kornbluh
Join Anna Kornbluh for a lecture and workshop on immediacy in literature and in the university.
DOECL Alumnus Brandy Varner Awarded Teacher of the Year
Varner teaches at Chatham Grove Elementary in nearby Pittsboro.
Critical Speaker Series Welcomes Christine Hong
Join Christine Hong for a virtual talk and seminar on race and militarism.
DOECL PhD alumnus Allison Bigelow Wins MLA First Book Award
Congratulations to Allison Bigelow, an alumnus of the department’s PhD program, on this prestigious award!
Readings and Conversations with Lorrie Moore
Join the 2022 Frank B. Hanes Writer-in-Residence Lorrie Moore for panels and a reading.
Critical Speaker Series Welcomes Kevin Quashie
Join Kevin Quashie for a virtual talk and seminar on Black literary criticism.
Student Spotlight: Camille DiBenedetto
“I like writing about things that are actually happening in the world that I feel are relevant. Nonfiction can actually be super interesting if you tell the story the right way.”
Graduate Lecture Series Announces Spring Schedule
Check out the DOECL Graduate Lecture Series’ exciting spring line-up!
Kennedy Miller Awarded Marshall Scholarship
Congratulations to ECL student Kennedy Miller, who was awarded the prestigious Marshall Scholarship!
Dr. Courtney Rivard Receives NEH Grant for Critical Games Studies
The National Endowment for the Humanities awarded the ECL, DLC, and Dr. Courtney Rivard a $54,000 grant to develop a proposal for a gaming studies minor.
Ross White Releases New Book of Poetry ‘Valley of Want’
Creative Writing Professor Ross White’s ‘Valley of Want’ celebrates the beauty of the world amidst the pains of modern life.
Professor Rick Warner Honored with Chapman Family Teaching Award
Dr. Rick Warner was awarded the prestigious UNC Chapman Family Teaching Award this week.
Karen Tucker Longlisted for 2022 Aspen Words Literary Prize
Creative Writing Professor Karen Tucker’s novel ‘Bewilderness’ was longlisted for the prestigious Aspen Words Literary Prize.
Jane Thrailkill Releases Book on James Siblings
DOECL Professor Jane Thrailkill released last November her new academic monograph, Philosophical Siblings: Varieties of Playful Experience in Alice, William, and Henry James.
Julia Ridley Smith’s “Sum of Trifles” Out Now
Prof. Julia Ridley Smith’s memoir in essays, “The Sum of Trifles,” was published in November by UGA Press.
Bland Simpson releases new book on North Carolina
Simpson’s “North Carolina: Land of Water, Land of Sky,” an exploration of North Carolina through nonfiction narrative and photography, was released in October.
Critical Gaming Tournament a Smash Hit
The ECL recently hosted a Super Smash Bros. tournament with a scholarly twist.
Student Spotlight: Latonya Dalton
As we continue to highlight the wide array of students in the DOECL, we’re turning our attention to non-traditional student Latonya Dalton,
Luisa Peñaflor wins Thomas Wolfe Scholarship
Congratulations to Peñaflor on being awarded the Thomas Wolfe Scholarship for her literary promise!
Seven ECL Majors to be Inducted into Phi Beta Kappa
Congratulations to Megan Anderson Busbice, Michaela Faith Campbell, Emily Lauren Clemente, Katie Margaret Leonard, Jamie Marie Lukow, Lucas Kennedy, and Li-Anne W Wright on being inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.
Student Spotlight: Jennings Dixon
Meet Jennings Dixon, senior double major in political science and ECL!
Carolina Arts and Science Magazine features ECL’s 225th Anniversary
This week, Carolina Arts and Sciences featured the 225th anniversary of the study of English at the university.
Furst Forum Announces Fall 2021 Speaker Lineup
This week, the Lilian R. Furst Forum in Comparative Literature announces its speaker lineup for Fall 2021.
Job Posting: Assistant or Associate Professor in Latinx Studies
The Department of English & Comparative Literature invites applications for a tenure-track assistant or associate professor Latinx Studies.
Ariannah Kubli and Jane McGrail Named Maynard Adams Fellows
Congratulations to Ariannah Kubli and Jane McGrail on being named the 2021-2022 Maynard Adams Fellows!
Meet the Faculty: Julia Ridley Smith
The Department of English and Comparative Literature welcomes Julia Ridley Smith, the 2021-2022 Kenan Visiting Writer (and ECL alumna)!
ECL Critical Speaker Series Announces Its Fall Lineup
CSS welcomes Dr. Anjuli Fatima Raza-Kolb and Dr. Dorothy Hale.
Meet the 2021 PhD Cohort
The Department of English and Comparative Literature is welcoming a cohort of twelve new PhD candidates!
Hilary Lithgow Leads Warrior-Scholar Project
Prof. Lithgow leads a humanities intensive for incoming student veterans.
ECL 225: The Departmental History Timeline
A digital timeline of the department’s 225-year history is now live.
Meet the Faculty: Stephanie DeGooyer
By Rose Steptoe Meet one of ECL’s newest … Read more
ECL Turns 225
Celebrate the 225th anniversary of the Department of English and Comparative Literature with us!
Elizabeth Shand Broadcasts Her “History of the Book” Series
ECL PhD student Elizabeth Shand delivered virtual lecture series called “The History of the Book” for residents at Galloway Ridge, a senior living community in Pittsboro, NC.
Meet the Faculty: Gabriel Bump
Meet one of the Department of English and Comparative Literature’s newest faculty members, Gabriel Bump!
Congratulations 2021 Undergraduate Honors Students
Congratulations to the students who completed honors theses during Spring 2021!
Student Spotlight: Gwendalyn Flick
Gwendalyn Flick, a double major in English and Business Administration, values the interdisciplinary focus of her classes. “I feel so lucky that I am able to be a part of two programs that see the value in cross-departmental learning,” she says.
Randall Kenan’s South
Watch “Two Wings Take Flight: Writers, Poets, Scholars, and Artists Reflect on Randall Kenan’s South”
Statement on BOT’s Decision Regarding Nikole Hannah-Jones’s Appointment
As members of the faculty of the Department of English and Comparative Literature, we write to express our alarm about the recent denial of tenure of Nikole Hannah-Jones for an endowed Knight professorship at the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media.
Prof. Gabriel Bump’s “Everywhere You Don’t Belong” to be Adapted for TV
Prof. Gabriel Bump’s award-winning novel is being adapted for the screen.
Prof. Jane F. Thrailkill Awarded National Humanities Center Fellowship
Congratulations to Prof. Jane Thrailkill on her fellowship from the National Humanities Center!
Anne Fertig Awarded AAUW Fellowship
Congratulations to ECL PhD candidate Anne Fertig! Fertig was recently awarded the American Dissertation Fellowship from the American Association of University Women
2020-2021 ECL Graduate Student Awards
Departmental awards for ECL students were awarded on Friday, April 23. Congratulations to the awardees!
Don Holmes Nominated for ACLS Fellowship
ECL PhD candidate Don Holmes has been selected as one of UNC’s four institutional nominees for the ACLS Emerging Voices Fellowship.
Student Spotlight: Rachel Sauls
“My experience with literature has been a willingness to sit in the discomfort of someone else’s experience… Reading and literature have helped me to seek out different ways that people contextualize and make meaning from their experiences.”
Graduate Student Spotlight: Emily Sferra
Meet Emily Sferra! Emily is an ECL PhD student researching female friendships in 19th century British novels.
New Faculty Publication: Video Scholarship and Screen Composing
Dan Anderson’s new project, Video Scholarship and Screen Composing, takes up digital composing with a deliberate emphasis on bringing the expectations associated with print.
Featured Faculty: Kym Weed
Get to know the DOECL’s Professor Kym Weed!
Professor Tyree Daye’s Surprise Student Chapbook
Tyree Daye, Teaching Assistant Professor of Creative Writing was surprised last semester when his class gifted him with a chapbook of their poems.
Student Spotlight: Alexis Dumain
Meet Alexis Dumain, Psychology and English and Comparative Literature double major!
Student Spotlight: Grace Morse
“It was very crucial for me to remember who I was as a writer, who I am as a person, where I want to go, who I’m looking to reach with my work—and I think that was something that I got better at understanding each English class I took.”
ECL Supports Professor Heidi Kim’s statement on the March 16th shootings in Atlanta
Asian American Center Director Dr. Heidi Kim on March 16 shootings in Atlanta. It gives me great sorrow to write to all of you again about anti-Asian violence, but I wanted to reach out in the wake of last night’s shootings.
PhD in a Pandemic: Researching and Writing during COVID-19
PhD candidate Sean DiLeonardi discusses his experience writing his dissertation during the pandemic.
Writing From Home: ECL Students on Completing Senior Theses During the Pandemic
Honors English and Comparative Literature students tell their experiences of writing their senior theses during the pandemic.
Four ECL Majors to be Inducted into Phi Beta Kappa
Congratulations to Chelsea Tate Deitelzweig, Alexandra Catherine Mao, Jessica Maria Pereira, and Hannah Kaitlin Whittington!
Student Spotlight: Laura Crook
“I’ve honestly loved every single English class I’ve taken at Carolina.”
Susan Iron’s ENGL 304 Course Creates a Healthier Campus
Professor Susan Irons’ English 304 “Advanced Business Communication” course has helped create a healthier campus.
Poetry and Play in the Pandemic: English Gaming Courses in the Digital Classroom
Last semester, Professors Gabrielle Calvocoressi and Courtney Rivard’s courses found success in the digital classroom.
A Reading and Conversation with Rev William Barber II and Jaki Shelton Green
2021 Frank B. Hanes Writers-in-Residence events, a reading and a panel, featuring Rev William Barber II and Jaki Shelton Green.
MA Student Megan Swartzfager’s COVID-19 in U.S. Prisons ArcGIS Story Map Featured in Synapsis
Megan Swartzfager, current ECL MA student in Literature, Medicine, and Culture, created a ArcGIS StoryMap about COVID-19 in US Prisons that was featured on Synapsis.
Critical Speaker Series: Alexander Weheliye
Alexander G. Weheliye, Professor of African American Studies at Northwestern University, joins the Critical Speaker Series.
Student Spotlight: Brett Harris
Meet Brett Harris, senior double major in ECL and European Studies!
Graduate Student Spotlight: Marcy Pedzwater
Meet Marcy Pedzwater! Marcy is an ECL PhD student researching contemporary Latin American and LatinX writers’ depictions of dictatorship.
Undergraduate Film Journal “Aspect” Launches
The Department of English & Comparative Literature is home to a new undergraduate journal! “Aspect: Journal of Film & Screen Media” launched this fall.
Celebrating Honors Thesis Students
While we still cannot celebrate in person, we want to congratulate the ECL’s honors thesis students graduating this December!
2020-21 PAGE Fellow Trisha Remetir
Congratulations to ECL graduate student Trisha Remetir on being awarded the PAGE Fellowship!
Katherine Stein Awarded Adams Fellowship
Congratulations ECL graduate student Katherine Stein on being awarded the Adams Fellowship!
Professor Florence Dore Creates Community Through Music in ENGL 408 Songwriting Class
Professor Florence Dore is navigating distance learning and making musical community in her ENG 408 songwriting class: “Collaboration: Composers and Lyricists”!
Meet the Professor: Liz Gualtieri-Reed
Get to know Professor Gualtieri-Reed! Professor Gualtieri-Reed has been with ECL since 2000.
Graduate Student Spotlight: Krysten Voelkner
Meet Krysten Voelkner, ECL PhD student researching Latinx environmentalisms and the environmental humanities.
Homegoing: A Celebration of the Life of Randall Kenan
Please join UNC’s Department of English and Comparative Literature as we celebrate the life of our beloved colleague and friend Randall Kenan on Oct. 21 at 5:00pm.
Meet the Professor: Karen Tucker
Welcome, Karen Tucker! Tucker joined the ECL faculty this fall.
Fall 2020 Latina/o Studies Teaching Award Winners
Congratulations to Chloe Hamer, Jo Klevdal, emilio Taiveaho, Nikki Roulo, Leslie Rowen, and Krysten Voelkner!
Four ECL Majors to be Inducted into Phi Beta Kappa
Congratulations to Molly Rose Hansen, Brett Michael Harris, Laura Jean Nelson, and Carol Rivers Seigler!
Meet the Faculty: Geovani Ramírez
Welcome, Geovani Ramírez! Ramírez joined the faculty this fall as a postdoctoral fellow.
Student Spotlight: Leticia Tuset
Meet Leticia Tuset, ECL junior, Institute for the Environment intern, and fiction editor at Arts Everywhere!
Student Spotlight: Josh Massey
Meet Josh Massey, ECL and American Studies double major and Beinecke Scholar!
2020 Thomas Wolfe Prize and Lecture: Michael Parker
This year’s Thomas Wolfe Lecture, featuring Michael Parker, will be on October 6.
Meet the Professor: Ruby Pappoe
Welcome, Ruby Pappoe! Pappoe joined the ECL Department this fall.
Dr. Heidi Kim Appointed Director of Asian American Center
Congratulations Dr. Heidi Kim, inaugural director of the Asian American Center!
Student Spotlight: Garland Rieman
Meet Garland Rieman, ECL senior and Jane Austen Summer Program intern!
Meet the Professor: Melissa Faliveno
Welcome, Melissa Faliveno! The Kenan Visiting Writer for 2020-2021, Faliveno joined the ECL Department this fall.
Dr. Rebecka Rutledge Fisher and Dr. Courtney Rivard Named IAH 2020-21 Faculty Fellows
The Institute for the Arts and Humanities named two ECL professors, Dr. Rebecka Rutledge Fisher and Dr. Courtney Rivard, 2020-2021 Faculty Fellows.
Remembering Daphne Athas
Beloved teacher and author, Daphne Athas, died in the early hours of July 28th.
Remembering Sally Sasz
The Department of English and Comparative Literature was deeply saddened to learn of the loss of Sally Sasz ’21 last month.
Kenan Visiting Writer, Melissa Faliveno, releases new book
This year’s Kenan Visiting Writer, Melissa Faliveno, has a new book, TOMBOYLAND, coming out August 4th from Topple Books.
ECL’s Statement of Support of the Black Lives Matter Movement
George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Sandra Bland, Akiel Denkins…And too many more. A movement powered by generations that include our own students and alums- the Black Lives Matter Movement- has taken up the call. The Department of English & Comparative Literature supports the movement for Black lives.
Dr. María DeGuzmán named the Eugene H. Falk Distinguished Professor
Dr. María DeGuzmán has been appointed the Eugene H. Falk Distinguished Professor, an endowed professorship bestowed by the college.
Dr. Candace Epps-Robertson named the first Jonathan M. Hess Term Professor.
Epps-Robertson is the Associate Director of the Writing Program, Director of Writing in the Disciplines, and studies rhetoric, composition, and literacy studies.
Student Spotlight: Keely Hendricks
Meet Keely Hendricks, an ECL and French and Francophone Studies double major (class of 2020) who will be teaching English in Senegal thanks to an English Teaching Assistantship through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
Nora Augustine and Jane McGrail awarded Humanities Professional Pathways Award
UNC’s Humanities for the Public Good Initiative has awarded the Humanities Professional Pathways Award to two ECL PhD students: Nora Augustine and Jane McGrail.
The Homebound Project
With the theatres dark, ECL alumna Catya McMullen is turning her creative energy in a new direction, an online charity helping those affected by COVID-19.
Celebrating Honors Thesis Students
With all that has been happening this semester, we wanted to make sure that we took a moment to give credit to ECL’s amazing honors thesis students.
Christopher Armitage Recalls J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis
In a recent interview with The Well, ECL Professor Christopher Armitage discussed his time at Oxford with J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis.
Geovani Ramírez Receives Two University-Wide Honors
ECL PhD candidate Geovani Ramírez has won a Diversity Award and been selected for induction into the Frank Porter Graham Honor Society.
John McGowan Receives Thomas Jefferson Award
The university-wide award honors the member of the faculty who “has best exemplified the ideals and objectives of Thomas Jefferson.”
Jennifer Larson Interviewed on Serving as Remote Teaching Peer Mentor
In an interview with The Well, ECL Teaching Associate Professor Jennifer Larson discusses her work as a peer mentor helping faculty transition to online teaching.
Bland Simpson Inducted into North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame
On the basis of a remarkable body of fiction and creative nonfiction, Professor Bland Simpson has been inducted into the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame.
Student Spotlight: Elliot Melfi
Meet Elliot Melfi, the Game Studies Specialist Intern for Digital Literacy as part of the new Greenlaw Gameroom Initiative!
David Zucchino Visits Campus, Delivers Lecture
Creative writing students had the opportunity to hear Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times correspondent David Zucchino discuss his new book.
English and Comparative Literature University Teaching Award Winners
Four ECL instructors among 25 recipients of University Teaching Awards.
Nan Z. Da Visits for Critical Speaker Series
Nan Z. Da, Professor of English at the University of Notre Dame, will deliver a public talk and seminar on March 4 and 5.
Nikky Finney, Writer-in-Residence, To Give Public Reading February 25
Nikky Finney, ECL’s 2020 Frank B. Hanes Writer-in-Residence, will be giving a public reading on February 25 and participating in two panel discussions on February 24 and 27.
Marianne Gingher Offers First-Year Seminar on the Puppet Stage
Professor Gingher’s course used resources from UNC BeAM’s Makerspace to give students practical experience with cutting-edge technologies as they honed their creative writing and performance skills.
ECL Professor Bland Simpson Coteaches Seminar on Coastal Ecology
The course gave students firsthand experience in field research and brought creative writing together with the marine sciences.
Student Spotlight: Joi Dunston
Can the world of video games connect to the world of ECL? As Joi Dunston’s story demonstrates, a humanistic perspective can contribute quite a lot to the world of video games and eSports.
Professor James Coleman Dies at 73
Coleman joined the ECL faculty in 1990. The department has set up a memorial page where his students and colleagues can share tributes.
Short Story Vending Machines Installed on Campus Connect UNC Writers and Readers
This updated article includes a video, narrated by Professor Daniel Wallace, showing the machines in action.
Elizabeth Spencer, Author and Former UNC Visiting Writer, Dies at 98
Spencer served as a visiting writer in UNC’s creative writing department from 1986 to 1992. A funeral service will be held on February 1.
ECL Statement on Silent Sam Decision
The Department of English & Comparative Literature fully endorses the statement composed by the council of chairs of the College of Arts and Sciences of UNC Chapel Hill.
ECL Professor and Undergraduate Coedit Chapbook
Professor Gabrielle Calvocoressi and undergraduate Marina Greenfeld worked together to create the chapbook “Bounty Everlasting.”
Student Spotlight: Sophia Purut
Meet Sophia Purut, this week’s undergraduate student spotlight! Sophia interned for W. W. Norton over the summer.
Astronaut Candidate and ECL Alumna Zena Cardman Visits Campus
NASA astronaut candidate Zena Cardman discusses her time with ECL and how creative writing and science have worked together in her career.
English 105i Digital Humanities Students Present Work at Conferences
Students in two sections of ECL’s new ENGL 105i course, Writing in the Digital Humanities, presented their work at academic conferences.
Martin L. Johnson Named Finalist for Richard Wall Award
ECL Professor of Film Martin L. Johnson has been listed as a finalist for the Richard Wall Memorial Award for his 2018 book “Main Street Movies.”
Rachel Warner Wins Paul Green Prize
ECL PhD Candidate Rachel Warner has won the inaugural Paul Green Prize from the North Carolina Literary Review.
Michael Gutierrez Visits IAH Podcast
On October 21, ECL Teaching Associate Professor Michael Keenan Gutierrez made an appearance on the Institute for the Arts and Humanities podcast.
ECL Alumni Noted as Classic North Carolina Writers
A recently published list of ten classic novels by North Carolina writers features five graduates of the Department of English & Comparative Literature.
Hilary Lithgow Codirects “Troops to Teachers” Project
Thanks to a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, ECL Professor Hilary Lithgow is codirecting the “Troops to Teachers” project at the National Humanities Center.
ECL Alumni Honored at University Day Celebration
Two of the four Distinguished Alumni selected as part of UNC’s University Day celebration—Jill C. McCorkle and Robert D. Newman—are graduates of the Department of English & Comparative Literature.
UNC Spotlights Scottish Heritage with Gaelic Studies Symposium
Students with an interest in oral history, folklore, and languages are invited to the Scottish Gaelic Studies Symposium on October 22, part of a series of programs promoting Scottish culture and language.
Seventh Jane Austen Summer Program Celebrated “Pride and Prejudice”
ECL faculty and graduate students connected with the public to explore Austen’s novel and its afterlives through academic presentations and a range of other activities.
ECL Celebrates Greenlaw Day
This Friday, October 4, come learn about the programs available in English & Comparative Literature and join us in celebrating the department’s history.
ECL Alumnus Patrick Dougherty Exhibits Installation at Ackland
Sculptor Patrick Dougherty, who holds a BA from UNC’s Department of English & Comparative Literature, displayed a large-scale art installation outside the Ackland Art Museum this August.
Jordynn Jack Publishes New Book on Rhetoric and Neuroscience
Professor Jordynn Jack discusses her new book “Raveling the Brain: Toward a Transdisciplinary Neurorhetoric.”
Dorothy Allison to Deliver Thomas Wolfe Lecture
Acclaimed writer Dorothy Allison will deliver this year’s Thomas Wolfe lecture next Tuesday, October 1, at 7:30 p.m.
Cary Wolfe Visits for Critical Speaker Series
Cary Wolfe, Professor of English at Rice University, will deliver a seminar and talk this week for ECL’s Critical Speaker Series.
Student Spotlight: Tiffany Tran
Meet Tiffany Tran, this week’s undergraduate student spotlight! “Picking up the ECL minor helped me find new enjoyments while also improving skills that I believe are essential!”
Danielle Christmas Interviewed on IAH Podcast
ECL Assistant Professor Danielle Christmas was interviewed by UNC’s Institute for the Arts and Humanities in a September 8 podcast.
Digital Literacy and Communications Lab Awarded Grant for Greenlaw Gameroom
The DLC Lab has been awarded the Center for Faculty Excellence/Lenovo Instructional Innovation Grant for the development of the new Greenlaw Gameroom.
ECL Professor Michael Chitwood Poetry Finalist for Virginia Literary Awards
ECL Professor Michael Chitwood is a finalist for the Library of Virginia’s 22nd Annual Literary Awards for his poetry collection, Search & Rescue.
PhD Students Awarded 2019 Humanities Professional Pathway Fellowship
Anne Fertig and Sarah Schaefer Walton earned HPP Fellowships awarding $5,000 in summer funding.
Two awarded Thomas Wolfe Scholarship in creative writing
October 5, 2018 From left, Grace Morse a … Read more
Student Spotlight: Lydia Thompson
ECL is taking Lydia Thompson to the Happiest Place on Earth, other than Greenlaw Hall! Not only is Lydia a great student, one of the 2018-2019 “Top Ten Scholar Athletes,” but she is also now an intern at Walt Disney World!
HHIVE Lab Researchers Find Dance Can Help People Manage Chronic Illness
Can dance help people struggling with chronic illness? After a visit to the Health and Humanities Interdisciplinary Venue for Exploration (HHIVE Lab), Chancellor’s Science Scholar Maebelle Mathew was determined to find out.
PhD Candidate Eddie Moore Wins Inaugural J. Lee Greene Award
In honor of Dr. Johnny Lee Greene, the Department of English and Comparative Literature at UNC Chapel Hill established the J. Lee Greene Award: for Excellence in Postgraduate Work on Race and Ethnicity.
Student Spotlight: Annabel Chung
Meet Annabel Chung, ECL and Chemistry double major and Fulbright award winner!
UNC Alumnus, Blake Crouch, and his book, Recursion, featured in News and Observer
Upon the release of his newest book, Recursion (Penguin Random House, 2019), The News & Observer featured UNC Alumnus (Class of 2000), Blake Crouch.
Student Spotlight: Andreamarie Efthymiou
Andreamarie Efthymiou, an undergraduate who had originally placed herself on the pre-med track, quickly found herself more at home in the English and Comparative Literature Department than anywhere else.
Dr. Jessica Wolfe on BBC’s “In Our Time”
On June 6th, Dr. Jessica Wolfe, professor of English and Comparative Literature and Director of Medieval and Early Modern Studies, spoke on the BBC’s weekly podcast, “In Our Time.”
Student Spotlight: Isabella St. Onge
Isabella St. Onge, a double ECL and theatre major, demonstrates the perfect example of one student finding a way to connect two seemingly disengaged topics for the benefit of both fields.
Dr. Shayne Legassie Awarded Mellon New Directions Fellowship
Dr. Shayne Legassie, a professor of Comparative Literature at UNC, has recently been awarded a Mellon New Directions Fellowship to pursue ethnobotany.
Student Spotlight: Chris Combemale
Chris Combemale, an ECL major who consistently works in the Department of Dramatic Art here on campus, discusses how his English studies have crossed disciplines to equip him with the fundamental skills he needs to succeed.
Dr. Jennifer Ho Elected President of the Association for Asian American Studies
Dr. Jennifer Ho has been elected as President of the Association for Asian American Studies for a three-year term.
Student Spotlight: Emily Long
Emily Long, an English and Biology double major with a minor in Medicine, Literature and Culture, offers a look at how one student has combined the two fields of study that interest her most— STEM and literature.
Mothers & Strangers Named “Okra Pick” by the Southern Independent Booksellers Association
Mothers and Strangers: Essays on Motherhood from the New South (UNC Press, 2019) was recently named a Spring 2019 “Okra Pick” by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA).
Student Spotlight: Danielle Kruchten
Danielle Kruchten, a double major in English and History, reveals how different majors play to each other’s strengths and can lay the fundamental groundwork for her future plans of attending law school.
William Blake Archive Publishes Blake’s Handwritten Receipts
The William Blake Archive at UNC Chapel Hill unveils digital collection of Blake’s receipts, publishing rare documents from Blake’s life.
Student Spotlight: Kendrel Cabarrus
For Kendrel Cabarrus, being an ECL major not only provided him with the fundamental skills he was looking for but also represented the best option in terms of diversity and flexibility in a job market that is ever changing.
Remembering Dr. Johnny Lee Greene
“Gathering Memories: The Life and Legacy of Dr. J. Lee Greene” honors Dr. Johnny Lee Greene, distinguished Professor of African-American Literature and a pioneer of campus diversity at UNC.
Dr. Philip Gura Awarded The Order of the Long Leaf Pine
Dr. Philip Gura, William S. Newman Distinguished Professor of English & Comparative Literature at UNC-Chapel Hill, was awarded The Order of the Long Leaf Pine on May 7th.
Student Spotlight: Julia Whitten
Julia Whitten, a double major in English and Spanish here at UNC, demonstrates the perfect example of a student who never expected to major in the Department, but naturally found her way.
Digital Literacy and Communications Lab
The Digital Literacy and Communications (DLC) Lab launched at the start of the 2018-2019 school year in a newly renovated space in Greenlaw 321, directed by Dr. Courtney Rivard.
ECL Celebrates 2019 Commencement
The Department of English & Comparative Literature celebrated its 2019 Commencement on Saturday, May 11.
Jessica Wolfe to deliver the annual Patrides lecture at the University of York
Jessica Wolfe to deliver annual Patrides lecture at the University of York.
Remembering Dr. James Kimball King
Dr. James Kimball King, Professor Emeritus in the English and Comparative Literature department who taught for 40 years and adjunct professor in the Dramatic Arts department, passed away on April 26.
Collaborative Digital Humanities Project, MACMORRIS, is 2019 Winner of the Irish Research Council’s Advanced Laureate Award
This award will fund research on MACMORRIS, a collaborative digital humanities project founded by Palmer, UNC’s own Dr. David Baker, and Dr. Willy Maley, of the University of Glasgow.
Sarah George-Waterfield Blends Text and Textiles in Alternative Dissertation
Under the directorship of Professor Jennifer Ho, Sarah designed an interactive art installation, Text and Textile, that weaves together—literally and figuratively—fabric and narrative.
Congratulations to the DOECL Small Award Recipients
The following graduate students in the Department of English and Comparative Literature have won awards for their accomplishments in the 2018-2019 academic year.
Cherríe Moraga Speaks at Sonja Haynes Stone Center
Moraga is one of the most influential Chicano/a writers in the U.S. today. Among other notable works, she is the playwright of Heroes and Saints and the editor for the collection This Bridge Called My Back.
Remembering Dr. Howard Harper
He joined the faculty of the English department at UNC where he instructed and inspired undergraduate and graduate students for 43 years.
Professor Candace Epps-Robertson Publishes Book on Race, Literacy, and Citizenship in the American South
Resisting Brown examines how African American community members in Prince Edward County, Virginia, responded to the county’s decision to close all public schools from 1959 to 1964 rather than desegregate as demanded by Brown v. Board of Education.
UNC Graduate Students to Lead Inaugural Veterans Writing Workshop
The two-part event will begin with a panel discussion led by four veterans discussing the ways in which American popular culture has impacted the divide between the military and civilians.
UNC English Alumnus Andrew Carlberg on his Oscar-Winning Short Film, Skin
Skin is a short film that follows a young boy who has an innocent encounter with a black man at a supermarket. His white supremacist parents react to the exchange with racial violence, and the two families “find themselves in a clash with shocking consequences.”
Dr. Florence Dore to Lead Conversation about Southern Fiction and Rock and Roll at Vanderbilt University
Incorporating the spirit of Southern rock and roll into the event, Nashville musician Kevin Gordon will also perform and participate in the conversation.
English Graduate Student James Cobb Celebrated by University Office for Diversity & Inclusion
Professor Gabrielle Calvocoressi, the department diversity liaison, says of Cobb, “in everything he does, James works to not only increase diversity on the campus, but to deepen the notion of what diversity and inclusion means in the classroom and in the world.”
Ross White Wins Sexton Poetry Prize for New Poetry Collection
His forthcoming book, Charm Offensive, was selected as a co-winner of the Sexton Poetry Prize for the best unpublished poetry collection by an American poet.
UNC Alumna Ashley Harris Publishes Poetry Chapbook Exploring Race and Racism Through the Legend of Zelda
The poems in her chapbook address the lack of representation and consideration for people of color in video game design, while also using Legend of Zelda as a lens through which to view contemporary society.
Dr. Hilary Lithgow Welcomes UNC Class of 2023 with Powerful Speech
Lithgow foregrounded her talk with her belief “in the power of stories” and then spoke about her class on the literature of war in which she brings in local veterans to share their experiences with the civilian and veteran students taking the class.
UNC Creative Writing Lecturer Tyree Daye Wins 2019 Whiting Award
Since 1985, the Whiting Foundation has supported creative writing through the Whiting Awards, given annually to ten emerging writers in fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama.
UNC Alumni David B. Woronoff to be inducted into the NC Media and Journalism Hall of Fame
Woronoff is now the president and publisher of The Pilot of Southern Pines, a twice-weekly local newspaper that has grown into a statewide media company.
Eight ECL Majors to be Inducted into Phi Beta Kappa
Our departmental inductees include Emily Sonia Danes, Marina Hays Greenfeld, Olivia Christine Jones, Emily Mae Krupa, Kent Matthew Mcdonald, Wyatt Ross Mcnamara, Savannah Nicole Morgan, and Matthew Jacob Williams.
ECL Doctoral Student Anne Fertig Curates Exhibit at Wilson Library on the History of Scottish Gaels in North Carolina
Drawing on the wealth of archival resources in Wilson Library’s Special Collections, this exhibit explores the beliefs, experiences, and traditions of the Scottish Gaelic-speaking community in North Carolina.
Tayari Jones to Give Frank B. Hanes Writer-in-Residence Reading
Her reading will take place on the UNC campus on Tuesday, March 19 at 7:30 pm in the Genome Sciences Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.
Three English and Comparative Literature Instructors Honored at University Teaching Awards
“These award-winning scholars exemplify the dedication of Carolina faculty members,” said Provost Bob Blouin. “Their work in the classroom and through their research demonstrates dedication and determination to uphold Carolina’s mission of inspiring the next generation of leaders and guiding them to learn and grow.”
William Blake Archive Opens New Digital Archive Exhibitions Wing
The new Archive Exhibitions space allows viewers to browse through curated presentations and special topics related to Blake’s work.
The Critical Speaking Series Presents Dr. Cary Wolfe
Dr. Wolfe will give a talk entitled “(Auto)immunities” on Wednesday, April 3rd and lead a seminar about “Anti-Reductionism in Deconstruction and Theoretical Biology” the next day.
National Humanities Center Fellow Dr. Matthew Rubery to Discuss Autism, Literature, and Surface Reading Next Week
His work focuses on modern literature, media, disability studies, and reading practices, lending new light to accessibility of literature through various rhetorical practices and technologies.
2019 Boundaries of Literature Symposium Hosts Keynote Speaker Dr. Alex Galloway
The Boundaries of Literature Symposium is an annual speaker series put on by CoLEAGS to highlight the work and research of a scholar in digital humanities and media studies.
Christine Zimmerman (UNC ‘18) to Screen Short Film at the Cannes Film Festival
“After working on ‘Just a Phase’ with such an incredible group of fellow artists, and seeing where our passion took us, … Cannes didn’t seem so out of reach.”
Eliza Richards Publishes Monograph on Mass Media and Poetry in the Civil War
Battle Lines charts the transformation of Civil War poetry and its symbiotic relationship with the development of mass media networks and modern warfare.
Distinguished Professor and Novelist Daniel Wallace to Receive the 2019 Harper Lee Award
Established in 1998, this award is given annually to a “living, nationally recognized Alabama writer who has made a significant lifelong contribution to Alabama letters.”
Michael McFee Awarded Thomas and Ellie D. Chaffin Prize for Appalachian Writing
McFee is the 23rd recipient of the Chaffin Award and will lead discussions and workshops at Morehead State University this coming academic year.
Dr. Marc Cohen’s English 105 Class Collaborates with UNC Emergency Department in Immersive Shadowing Experience
Each student in Dr. Cohen’s English 105 class spent four hours shadowing a medical professional in the UNC Emergency Department, immersed in the organized chaos of emergency medicine.
Bo McMillan (UNC ‘16) Publishes in Gastronomica
McMillan’s article, entitled “Food is the New Jazz: Jack Kerouac and Food Writing,” is a modified version of his undergraduate honors thesis written at UNC.
DLC Hosts Series of Successful Digital Pedagogy Workshops
These workshops aim to incubate, encourage, and share innovative pedagogical practices being used by Department of English and Comparative Literature graduate teaching fellows and faculty.
ENGL105i student, Mehal Churiwal, publishes in Carolina Scientific Magazine
Mehal Churiwal, a student in Sarah Singer’s ENGL105i class, published an article, “Molecular Mysteries of Medulloblastoma,” in the Fall 2018 issue of Carolina Scientific Magazine.
The New Yorker Publishes New Poem by Creative Writing Professor Gabrielle Calvocoressi
Calvocoressi is the author of three books of poetry, The Last Time I Saw Amelia Earhart, Apocalyptic Swing, and Rocket Fantastic, winner of the 2018 Audre Lorde Poetry Prize.
Dr. John Ribo (PhD ‘15) Honored for Accomplishments at Florida State University
Earlier this year, Ribo received a McKnight Junior Development Fellowship from the Florida Education Fund, an award that aims to promote “excellence in teaching and research by underrepresented minorities and women.”
ECL Faculty Use SURF Grants to Promote Undergraduate Research in the Humanities
SURF is a program through which students engage in undergraduate research, scholarship, or performance for at least 9 weeks.
Silent Sam Speaks
The Faculty of the Department of English and Comparative Literature pledge through our teaching, research, and public service to continue the hard work of rooting out racism and inequality and to replace them with “light and liberty,” the motto of our university.
Alane Salierno Mason (‘86) Discusses Her Career in Publishing at Flyleaf Books
This coming Monday, November 19 at 5PM, UNC Department of English and Comparative Literature alumna and senior editor at W. W. Norton & Company Alane Salierno Mason will discuss editing and publishing at Flyleaf Books.
William Blake Archive Publishes Digital Edition of Blake’s Early Pencil Drawings
Through these pencil sketches, viewers are given a unique perspective into the thought process behind the creation of a masterpiece.
English Honor Society Sigma Tau Delta Welcomes 21 New Members
Founded in 1924, Sigma Tau Delta is an international organization that recognizes excellence in English and Comparative Literature. Only students in the top 35% of their undergraduate class are eligible.
Dr. David Davis (PhD ’06) awarded 2018 Eudora Welty Prize
Dr. David A. Davis, assistant professor of English at Mercer University (PhD ’06, UNC-CH), was awarded the Eudora Welty Prize during the 30th annual Eudora Welty Writers’ Symposium
Randall Kenan Inducted into NC Literary Hall of Fame
The North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame celebrates and promotes the state’s rich literary heritage by “commemorating its leading authors and encouraging the continued flourishing of great literature.”
The Critical Speaking Series Presents Dr. Mark Seltzer
Dr. Seltzer will lead a seminar entitled “Systems as Usual: Art in the Epoch of Social Systems” and give a talk about “Exercise Machines” on November 1st.
Dr. Connie Eble Awarded Thomas Jefferson Award
The Department of English and Comparative Literature would like to extend a hearty congratulations to Dr. Eble and thanks her for her many exemplary years of research, teaching, service, and dedication to the Department.
Applications Invited for the Carolina Postdoctoral Program for Faculty Diversity
The Department of English and Comparative Literature strongly encourages candidates interested in modernism and transatlantic literature to apply.
UNC’s Michael McFee to receive 2018 North Carolina Award for Literature
Professor Michael McFee is among this year’s recipients of the state’s highest civilian honor, the North Carolina Award. The Award was created in 1961 to recognize significant contributions to the state and nation in the fields of fine arts, literature, public service and science.
Bland Simpson Awarded Edward Kidder Graham Faculty Service Award
Established in 2010 to recognize outstanding service by a UNC faculty member, the award nods to the University’s mission to “extend knowledge‐based service world‐wide.”
Looking Back on “Reconstructing Frankenstein’s Monster: Mary Shelley’s World in Print”
Students in Dr. Jeanne Moskal’s class created the exhibit to showcase rare books and artifacts that provide cultural context for Frankenstein in celebration of the novel’s bicentennial.
Digital Literacy and Communications Lab Brings New Vision to ECL Department
The new DLC Lab opened this fall under the direction of Dr. Courtney Rivard with assistance by new and returning graduate and undergraduate students.
DLC Hosts Inaugural Digital Pedagogy Workshop
Laurel Foote-Hudson introduced attendees to innovative pedagogical techniques she uses in her English 105 class, in which she leads her students in designing a game over the course of the semester.
NC Humanities Council Honors Jane Austen Summer Program
The Jane Austen Summer Program was recognized for its educator capacity-building efforts, a key component of the mission of the North Carolina Humanities Council.
The Story and Song: Music and Conversation with Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
Join us for this year’s Thomas Wolfe Lecture on October 2nd at 7:30PM with award-winning composer-lyricist-performer Gillian Welch.
William Blake Archive Announces Publication of Digital Edition of Blake’s Notebook
Blake’s newly digitized notebook offers a look at the evolution of Blake’s art throughout the Romantic Period.
Sigma Tau Delta: Applications Open for UNC’s ECL Honor Society
The quickly-growing ECL Honor Society has a ton of great events lined up for the Fall semester.
Stephanie Elizondo Griest discusses U.S. Borderlands on C-Span
Associate Professor of Creative Nonfiction Stephanie Elizondo Griest appeared on C-Span this weekend, discussing her latest book at the Brooklyn Book Festival.
Welcoming New and Visiting Faculty to the Department of English and Comparative Literature
The ECL Department welcomes Dr. Helen Cushman, Dr. Candace Epps-Robertson, and Dr. Tiber F.M. Falzett.
CURE Courses Introduce Students to Research in ECL
The two CURE courses offered this fall are ENGL 353: Metadata, Mark-up, and Mapping: Rhetoric and Digital Humanities, taught by Dr. Courtney Rivard, and ENGL 385: Literature and Law, taught by Dr. Jennifer Larson.
Come study, chat, or take a break in the new Alan Shapiro Graduate Lounge
The Shapiro Lounge will be open for graduate student use throughout the academic year.
Double Up with ECL’s Redesigned Undergraduate Major
This fall, the Department of English and Comparative Literature (ECL) began offering seven new concentrations within a newly revised major.
Prof. Jennifer Ho on WCHL’s show “Oh the Humanities”
Listen to Professor Jennifer Ho discuss the importance of multiculturalism in the humanities and the film “Crazy Rich Asians” with WCHL’s host of “On the Humanities,” Aaron Keck.
Departmental Statement on Silent Sam
On Monday August 20, 2018, the Confederate monument known as Silent Sam was toppled to the ground. ECL faculty to respond to this historic moment.
Publication: “Dangerous Conjectures: Ophelia’s Ballad Performance”
Professor David Baker and graduate students, Travis Alexander, Adam Engel, Katharine Landers, Mary Learner, and Ashley Werlinich recently published a chapter within Ballads and Performance: The Multimodal Stage in Early Modern England.
Bland Simpson Receives NC Humanities Council’s Highest Honor
The North Carolina Humanities Council awarded Bland Simpson the 2017 John Tyler Caldwell Award for the Humanities, in recognition of his extensive contributions to the field of the humanities in North Carolina.
Reconstructing Frankenstein’s Monster: Mary Shelley’s World in Print
To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the groundbreaking modern novel, members of Professor Jeanne Moskal’s English class reconstruct the world in which Mary Shelley created Frankenstein’s monster.
María J. Durán Receives IME Doctoral Candidacy Award
María J. Durán, a doctoral candidate in the Department of English and Comparative Literature, has been awarded the Initiative for Minority Excellence (IME) Doctoral Candidacy Award.