Midwestern Region Call for Submissions

Midwestern Region
Journal Title - Ex Medio
Call for Entries

Submission Due Date: January 6, 2012

The 2012 edition will be electronic and is open to original poetry, artwork and (NEW this year) flash fiction from members of Sigma Tau Delta's Midwestern Region. Contributors are welcome to submit up to three entries from each category. If submitting multiple entries, each must be sent as a separate email.

Convention Stories

Sigma Tau Delta International Convention 2011: Beyond Words
By Katherine Williams, Associate Student Representative: Southwest Region

On an uncharacteristically chilling week of spring, yellow bridges dotted the Allegheny and Monogahela rivers of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As silvery air-filled pillows floated effortlessly in the Andy Warhol Museum, countless thousands of college students dotted the downtown business district of the former industrial city, but rather than wearing the colors of yellow and gray of the city, they chose to wear cardinal and black to show off their pride in Sigma Tau Delta. On the last full week of March, Sigma Tau Delta members from chapters across the country met at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh hotel and convention center to present papers, attend student leadership workshops, and meet other like-minded college students for this year’s theme, “Beyond Words.”

Far Western Call for Papers

Hello Sigma Tau Delta Leaders!

I hope you are enjoying a wonderful summer. This is Sarah Faulkner, Sigma Tau Delta’s Student Representative for the Far Western Region.  It is my responsibility and pleasure to be of any and all assistance to the Far Western chapters, including organizing regional events, preparing publications, and this year, assisting with a  regional conference!

All chapters in the Far Western Region are invited to Pilgrimage West, Sigma Tau Delta’s Far Western Conference hosted by Chapman University in Orange, CA, November 12, 2011.

Call for Papers

Language & Linguistics Student Conference
Saturday, November 12, 2011
University of Central Oklahoma
Edmond, Oklahoma

Conference Date: Saturday, November 12, 2011
Submission Deadline: Monday, September 12, 2011
Acceptance Notification: On or before Monday, September 26, 2011
Registration Deadline: Monday, October 10, 2011

150 Word Abstracts are invited from undergraduate and graduate students for 15-minute presentations including, but not limited to, relationships between and among language, linguistics, and their many applications:

Convention Stories

It takes a village…Beyond Words 2011

Alexandra Reznik
Pi Delta Chapter
Duquesne University
Student Advisor 2011-2012

I was so excited that the Sigma Tau Delta International Conference, Beyond Words 2011, took place in my hometown of Pittsburgh. After growing up in the ‘Burgh, attending undergrad at Chatham University, and deciding to pursue my MA in English Literature at Duquesne University, I am proud to say that I share the same inspirational place as writers August Wilson and Willa Cather. The many communities I have fostered in Pittsburgh have inevitably expanded to an international level with my involvement in Sigma Tau Delta.

Convention Stories

MeKoi Scott
Southern Student Representative
Omicron Psi
Auburn University Montgomery

2011 Convention Experience

The day before my chapter flew to the convention, the manager at the Learning Center, where I tutor, asked me if I was excited about the convention. I told her I was neither excited nor unexcited. Definitely, I was appreciative for the opportunity to attend the event, but, to my mind, I had little to anticipate that would create excitement. I had never been to convention before, so I could not draw upon previous experiences to formulate what would possibly be in store for me. Only vague notions about what a convention offers could I conjure, especially about an English convention. Besides the opportunity to present academic or creative works and meet people who also enjoy literature, what else could the Sigma Tau Delta convention offer? As I found out, it can offer more enriching and motivating experiences that one could anticipate.

As I listened to students present their works during the various sessions and also read their inventive poetry during the bad poetry contest and on open mic night, I was infused with added desire to hone my own craft and to find compelling ways to express my own ideas. Not that my desire lacked before my ears were tickled and stimulated by words that pleased and ideas that provoked, but these words and ideas made my desire the more intense. Now I carry with me this inspiration as I push myself to improve.

In addition to being inspired by other students' works, I was also giddy with the inebriating pleasure of being immersed in literary discussions. One of the members in my chapter told me about an instance he had experienced at the previous convention:  he encountered a conversation weighing the merits of the characters in Stephen Crane's "The Open Boat." When I heard his story, I thought it would be nice to be among a large group of people who knew such topics or, at least, would be genuinely interested in such topics. However, from his story, I could not have anticipated the culminating effect of being in one stimulating discussion after another. It was as if I had stumbled upon a magical place, and once I crossed its threshold, everyone there greeted me with "Welcome! We have been waiting for you."

This sense of community and the added inspiration sent me staggering away from Pittsburgh in a euphoric bliss.

Job Opening, Communications Specialist 4

Boeing Commercial Airplanes is seeking experienced candidates for a Communications Specialist position at its Everett site. This position will create employee-focused communications that highlight how people and teams are contributing to the success of the Commercial Airplanes business unit. The communicator must have strong writing, reporting and story-telling skills, results-driven project management experience and demonstrated ability to work with all levels of an organization. On-camera video experience is preferred.

For more information, go to https://jobs.boeing.com/JobSeeker/JobView?reqcode=11-1016215

Book Jobs

http://www.bookjobs.com/ is a great site for anyone interested in working in the publishing field. For those who do not know much about publishing but are vaguely interested in it, the site provides basic information about the book publishing industry, including commonly used words and terms, department descriptions, and companies. Not only does the site have an organized comprehensive list of publishing internships (this is where I found my last internship with a literary agency in NYC), but for those who have graduated, it allows you to choose specific departments and provides a list of available jobs based on your specifications. Publishing is an evolving and engaging field and in need of talented English majors, so if you are contemplating your career plans, you should definitely explore this website.

Convention Stories

by Sean Cullen
Kappa Pi Chapter

On March 25, 2009, I embarked on a plane ride to an international convention that quickly established itself as the highlight to my final semester as an undergraduate. The convention was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at The Hyatt Regency, for Sigma Tau Delta members, the International English Honor Society founded in 1924.

When I first thought of any English Honor Society I usually imagined a room full of pipe-smoking white-bearded snobs. During my stay I failed to see even a single pipe, and a diminutive number of beards in white or any shade for that matter. What I discovered was an atypical assembly of students, scholars, and others who all shared the common interest of reading and writing.

This mix of people along with the thought-provoking sessions and presentations, the bad poetry contest, the speakers, the assortment of note-worthy restaurants, and the really big mall made the Sigma Tau Delta convention an experience guaranteed to please. I particularly enjoyed hearing stories of Sigma Tau Delta past, and how the society is moving forward each year. The featured speakers were my favorite part of the convention. Speakers were Alexandra Fuller, Neil Gaiman, Michael Perry, and Chris Crutcher. I was the most enthused by the lectures by Alexandra Fuller and Michael Perry. I felt that their lectures were each notable in their own distinctive ways.

Fuller had the ability to speak of a childhood that was chaotic at best in Africa, and she now lives as a liberal-minded female writer in conservative Wyoming. Through all of her personal struggles and the struggles she has seen and written about, Fuller was able to make jokes, but still got a strong message across to me.

Michael Perry’s life is much different than Fuller’s. He has a degree in nursing and was writing while having a mix of odd jobs that included being a truck driver, cowboy, music roadie, and firefighter. During his lecture he stayed true to himself and his unique stories. I went to Perry’s question and answer period where I was lucky enough to have my question answered.

I asked Perry if staying true to his sense of style had ever run him into any troubles while attempting to get any of his works published. He then told us of how his father had always stressed the importance of being who you are. He took that advice to heart and truly believed that if he had not been himself he doubted his career would be going where he would like it to be headed. He told us of how when his first book tour was being scheduled he changed the agent’s plans so that he could drive himself around to places that people were more likely to relate, buy, and enjoy his books.  

The featured speakers may have been my favorite, but other components of the convention will remain with me for years to come. The bad poetry contest, the t-shirt skits, and the creative nonfiction sessions were three other focal points of the convention. The bad poetry contest not only allowed me to finally let out my true feelings for Professor DeMeo, but also allowed me to see how talented some of my fellow Sigma Tau Delta members were when it came to their own terrible works of poetry. Before coming to the convention I had heard stories about this contest. I can now proudly say that I have participated in it.

The t-shirt skit was one of the easier skits to write. Dr. DeMeo’s choice of t-shirt design practically wrote our skit for us. I enjoyed being on the stage with other members of our chapter. Writing the script and performing it brought our group closer together. I am still delighted that we tied for second for our t-shirt skit.

An experience that I would not want to overlook was having the opportunity to see the city of Minneapolis. All of the people whom I had the pleasure to talk with were incredibly friendly and helpful. I mostly stayed in our area by the hotel. The Newsroom was an attention-grabbing restaurant. All over the restaurant were enlarged newspaper clippings that had some significance in world history.

Unfortunately, the convention had to finally come to an end. It was not until after I was blessed enough to make some new friends, grow closer to older ones, and listen to excellent stories and presentations. I only hope that I will be in a position that I will have the opportunity to go to the convention next year. Until then, I will continue to share my stories of this convention. As a speaker quoted Polly McGuire at the awards banquet, “Stories are like fairy gold; the more you give away, the more you have.” I feel that this captures the significance of having a convention like Sigma Tau Delta’s. It is necessary to share stories in order to grow as a writer, a reader, and as an individual.

Greetings Fellow Sigma Tau Deltans!

Summer is here and we are set to begin “experimenting” with our blog, not to mention we are also looking forward to next year’s convention in New Orleans. The convention will take place February 29 – March 3, 2012. As you may recall, our theme for that convention is “Reawaken,” and the common reader is Natasha Trethewey’s Bellocq’s Ophelia. The planning stages are well underway, and we look forward to seeing many of you there. Convention is such a wonderful experience and a great opportunity to be around fellow, like-minded devotees of English talking shop and being all literary.

Speaking of convention, we asked your newly elected SR’s and ASR’s to write down their experiences from this year’s convention in Pittsburgh. We have collected those stories and would like to start sharing them with you now. This will be the first of many feature presentations on our new blog.

If you have any ideas or suggestions for the blog, we would like to hear from you as well. Please feel free to email them to Jarrod (sigmatd.sa1@gmail.com) or me (sigmatd.sa2@gmail.com). We will gladly give you positive feedback on your idea. Please keep in mind that this is a blog, and we are looking for “blog-type” postings: “informal write-ups, reviews, personal stories.” Your SR’s and ASR’s have submitted many suggestions, and we will continue to experiment and let your blog transform and grow into a blog we all will want to follow. I think Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best, “Do not be too timid or squeamish in your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better” (Journals, 11 November 1842).

So please sit back, relax, and enjoy the first story from Amy L. Woody, Student Representative for the Eastern Region.

Sincerely,

Corey Hamilton

Student Advisor

                                    From “Beyond Words” to “Reawakening”

Amy L. Woody

Student Representative

Eastern Region

              This was my first Sigma Tau Delta International Convention, and it exceeded my expectations in every way. Arriving at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown, I was more than pleasantly surprised by the interesting architecture and even more interesting people that Pittsburgh’s Cultural District had to offer. It was the perfect setting for feeling inspired, and Jacqueline Woodson was the perfect opening-night speaker to kick that inspiration into overdrive.

            Thursday, I found myself surrounded by the best people that English Departments all over the world have to offer. I spent the morning listening to our Student Leaders give advice about publishing and grant writing. I met more people waiting for the elevator than probably any other time during the conference, and though I was annoyed to be waiting at the time, I would not trade those five-minute elevator conversations for anything. When else do you get to meet people from all over the world who are happy to laugh at your literary jokes or join you in writing a poem about the way you almost got smashed by the elevator doors? 

            The energy was ever-palpable. Even at my 8:00 a.m. presentation, the students were engaged and interested in the work I had created. It was not a typical educational experience; the people there were so committed to excellence in their craft. Even the “bad poets” read with a commitment unparalleled, that I could not help but want to give something back to them, represent them. I had considered running for Student Representative before I left for the convention, but, it being my first convention, I wanted to see what it was all about first. While there, I realized that I wanted to be more deeply involved with the organization and its people, and thus I decided to run for Student Representative of the Eastern Region.

            I was nervous. I wrote and rewrote my speech. But standing up in front of all the students, who in so many ways were just like me, felt more like being at home than running for office. Hearing our former SR, Sean, announce my name was a pivotal moment in not only the convention, but also in my educational career. (A little assuming goes a long way.)

            There were more panels and more speakers and more moments to be had on the elevator. Saturday, I attended a panel on graphic narrative and left with a sincere interest in visual literacy. I listened to other members of my chapter present their works, and felt a deeper connection to them as people and academics. Students from the Eastern Region were coming up to me all day Saturday to congratulate me, and I was more than thrilled to have the opportunity to start to get to know the population that I’m honored to be representing. And of course, listening to Dave Eggers speak was not only inspirational, but instantly fruitful. My chapter is already talking about the possibility of a service project involving the Boston branch of 826 National.

            Sitting in a shaky sky-bus on the way home, I had visions of New Orleans. I know it’s a year away, but I am enthusiastically looking forward to next year’s “reawakening”!

Summer Fun- Alpha Nu's 10 Best Film Adaptations from Literature

by Ellie Francis Douglass
Associate Student Representative for the Southwestern Region, 2010-2011

These are ten of the films that the Alpha Nu Lambda chapter deemed to be the best ever made. There order is random (it is too hard to pick between them).

1. Everything is Illuminated- “Although the movie only covers about one-third of the book, it really captures the spirit of it.” –Gloria Adams-Hanley

2. Pride and Prejudice- We are talking about the long BBC version with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy of course. If you haven’t seen it, it is far worth the five hours.

3. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s nest- “This film approaches the story in a different way. It is more subtle than the book, but still great.” –Jake Ryan McCoy

4. Fight Club- “A really good adaptation of the events in the book.”-Nicole Wolt

5. A Streetcar Named Desire- Marlon Brando screaming “Stella!” from the bottom of the staircase was enough to make this a great film, but on top of that everyone else in the film does a knock-out performance.

6. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy- These films are not only well casted and beautifully shot, they have amazing special effects and keep you at the edge of your seat for hours on end.

7. Macbeth- Roman Polanski really took advantage of this amazing play when he directed his film. The characters, the danger, and the tension in this movie are amazing authentic.

8. The Glass Menagerie- “The performances are very strong.” –Gloria Adams-Hanley

9. Sense and Sensibility- Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson are rock star actresses; getting them together in this film was ingenious. Also, possibly the best romantic comedy that Hugh Grant has ever made.

10. Hamlet- Kenneth Branagh never fails in his Shakespeare films but he takes it to the next level in this full-length version of one of the world’s most beloved plays. He is amazingly convincing as young Hamlet, and Kate Winslet breaks your heart as Ophelia with one of the best mental breakdown scenes ever.


Well, what do you think? What films do you think should make this list?

Deadline Extension

The deadline for submissions to Sigma Tau Delta's prestigious Rectangle and Review journals has been extended through Sunday, May 15, 11:59 CST! This is a great opportunity to be published. Any active student member may submit. If you experienced technical difficulties submitting the first time or if you didn't quite get your piece polished in time, this is your second chance! For more information, go to http://www.english.org/sigmatd/publications/journals/guidelines.shtml

Boeing Job Opening, Communications Specialist 3

Boeing is looking for a Communications Specialist for their Seal Beach, CA location. Applications close next Monday, so if you're interested you should hurry!

This position requires a high energy and versatile team player who will provide strategic communications support to the Space & Intelligence Systems (S&IS) and Network & Tactical Systems (N&TS) organizations, which are a part of the Boeing Network & Space Systems business unit. The qualified candidate will have experience in employee communications and media relations, and will write press releases, stories and articles, executive messages and speeches, employee announcements, executive biographies, website updates, communications materials for satellite launches, contract awards, and industry forums. The candidate will also support the business with knowledge of social media and online communications channels, technology and requirements, and other areas such as webcasting, pod casting, and blogs.

For more information go to https://jobs.boeing.com/JobSeeker/JobView?reqcode=11-1008569

Boeing Job Opening, Communications Specialist 4

Boeing is looking for a Communications Specialist in Renton, WA

This position supports 1) strategic and tactical media relations in support of Boeing's business interests in Asia, with direct responsibility for South and Southeast Asia; 2) internal communications in support of Sales & Marketing; and 3) support of global communications initiatives such as first deliveries and other Seattle-based international media events. Specialist reports to the Asia communications manager.

For more information go to https://jobs.boeing.com/JobSeeker/JobView?reqcode=11-1008149

SLW Grant Writing Breakout Session

Grant Writing Resources:
http://www.okhighered.org/grant-opps/

SLW Chapter Management Breakout Session

Member Recruitment

Recruiting members is a challenge for any club on college campuses world-wide. However, there are several advantages when it comes to recruiting for Sigma Tau Delta. This workshop will identify the positives of recruiting for Sigma Tau Delta, possible target audiences, and developing a further recruiting plan to bring in more members.

There is clearly a place where possible club members can be found for an English honor society. The English and Communication classrooms are a good place to start. Talk to English Professors about making announcements about events being run by Sigma Tau Delta (and the upcoming convention) while in the classroom. This is a realm where any person that would be interested in joining Sigma Tau Delta can be found.

In order to further recruit for Sigma Tau it is important to shed the stigma now. When some hear the words “Sigma Tau Delta” they will think of a Fraternity or a Sorority. When others hear “International English Honor Society” they think of snobs with white hair that smoke pipes and wear tweed. It is vital that we are clear on what this organization is and truly stands for. Run programs with mass appeal, and be sure to have an area where photographs from the events can be seen.

Sustaining Active Participation

Sustaining active participation is among the most difficult aspects of chapter management. But anyone who’s tried to motivate any group of people to do anything knows two things – 1) how difficult it can be to get a group of people to get involved and stay involved, and 2) how exciting it is when it happens. This section of the workshop will discuss keys to getting or keeping your chapter members active in Sigma Tau Delta such as the following: Take notes on what has worked and what hasn’t – and don’t repeat what hasn’t. Make becoming a member a big deal, and if you need help with ideas, check out www.english.org; under the “Chapters” tab, there are resources and even scripts for induction and new officer ceremonies as well as a host of other ideas for chapter activities. Get new membership involved right away. Start the year off by assigning positions and establishing a clear chain of command. Delegate responsibilities for each activity, and don’t be afraid to rely on those people who do want to participate. Set short-term and long-term goals for your chapter – and then do them. It is critical, however, to listen to your chapter membership; try to get feedback from them, see what they get excited about, and then reassess your short-term goals if you need to. Keep your activities a mixture of the fun and the purposeful. Finally, nothing beats face-to-face interaction and word-of-mouth communication.

Raising Your Campus Profile

How you decide to raise the campus profile will depend on what you want to accomplish. If you want name recognition, then name drop! Write articles with other chapter members under your chapter’s name, about chapter or society-related ideas and events, and get them published in your campus newspaper. Create a chapter Facebook, invite all your college Facebook friends to join it and be creative with how you present the news – get quirky! Write creatively! Look for ways your chapter could join other campus organizations on projects already in the works that you could contribute an English-y edge to. If your goal is funding, then you probably want to focus on getting involved in the sorts of activities that seem to get funding already. What sort of things do you think your department, your university, your student body would be willing to give their money to support? Show your campus you can do things seriously and that you can do them well. If your goal is increased chapter participation or membership you’ll want to play toward the things that would draw a larger group to membership. One key to remember, if this is your goal, is that you do not have to be an English major to be a member of Sigma Tau Delta – so create activities and publicity that emphasize this! Most importantly, listen and observe – what things seem to matter to your campus most? Recycling? Social justice? Stamp collecting? Is there a big artsy populace on campus? Video game-y? Outdoors-y? Figure out how broad – or limited – an audience you want to reach, and come up with ways to interest that audience. And finally, don’t participate halfheartedly – nothing sells like enthusiasm!

Community Profile

It is no secret that getting involved in the community can have a huge impact on the success and fulfillment felt while being a member of a club. The positives of having community involvement can be seen as a way for the club to raise awareness, funds, and do genuine good for the world. This workshop will identify the need for developing a community profile, pointers, and a general discussion about how to establish your club outside of your proverbial campus gates.

Getting involved could be as simple as asking. Better World Book Drives have yielded better results any time that Sigma Tau Delta clubs reach out for help from the community. This has given people a place to recycle unwanted books, raised funds for literacy and libraries, and also raised funds for your club. The same can be found with advertising for other events sponsored by Sigma Tau Delta.

As an English Honor Society it is important to give back to the community. Contacting schools and libraries could open an array of options to benefit the community. There are often areas where student need to be helped, or encouraged in order to further succeed in English classes. Offering a writing contest, or even participating in Read Across America can help do good in your community while helping to develop a positive community profile for the club.

SLW Event Planning Breakout Session

Call for Submissions

Abyss & Apex magazine asks for submissions of fiction and poetry four times a year, and they pay for accepted submissions. For more information, go to: http://www.abyssapexzine.com/submissions/

SLW Fundraising Breakout Session

SLW Personal Publication Breakout Session