Creative Writing News

—One of the River Teeth web site's Beautiful Things columns won a Pushcart Prize:
http://www.riverteethjournal.com/blog/2016/05/05/beautiful-things-wins-a-pushcart

—Anna Meek's The Genome Rhapsodies (Ashland Poetry Press) has been reviewed:

From the Southeast Review:
http://southeastreview.org/review-the-genome-rhapsodies/

It was reviewed in her local newspaper the Star Tribune as well: http://www.startribune.com/review-6-luminous-earthy-and-startlingly-original-poetry-collections-with-a-minnesota-connection/375774351/

—Deborah Fleming's novel Without Leave was a finalist for the Chaucer Award for Historical Fiction given by Chanticleer Book Review of Bellingham, Washington.​

Donatini Wins the Outstanding Female Faculty Member of the Year Award

On Sunday, April 24, Dr. Hilary Donatini, Associate Professor and Chair of the English Department, won the award for Outstanding Female Faculty Member of the Year at the Leadership and Service Awards held in Upper Convo. She was nominated by the Student Senate. Dr. Dolly Crawford from the Biology department won the award as well. Dr. Naomi Saslaw was also nominated this year. 

2016 Recipients of English Department Honors

On Sunday, April 24, AU held its annual honors convocation in the Jack and Deb Miller Chapel. Three majors from the English department won awards for their academic achievements. 

Jacob Demers, a Creative Writing major from Shelby, Ohio, won the award for Outstanding Sophomore. When asked what his favorite English department memory was so far, Jacob mentioned Dr. Russell Weaver's emotional rendition of the St. Crispian's Day speech from Henry V in his Shakespeare course. 

Jacob Demers

Maria Cardona, a Creative Writing major from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, won the award for Outstanding Junior. Cardona's favorite memory so far " has to be meeting diverse students with different perspectives which help me to expand my thoughts. As nerdy and cheesy as it may sound, the other thing I've loved about my time here at AU has been being part of the English department. The texts have taught me not only about English, grammar, and the properties of genres, but have challenged me with profound topics that really make me think. Moreover, the professors are incredibly helpful, kind and passionate about their students and their work."

Maria Cardona

Kristen Herrick, an English major from Mansfield, Ohio, won the award for Outstanding Senior. Kristen writes, "I will always remember meeting Helen Benedict, author of the novel Sand Queen, which I read in Dr. Mondal's Literature and Gender course​. I am so grateful that Dr. Mondal included me in a small discussion among a handful of students, faculty, and Helen herself. It was an amazing opportunity to hear from Helen firsthand and learn more about a novel that deeply impacted me." 

Kristen Herrick with her niece

Dr. Stephen Haven Wins 5th Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award

Dr. Stephen Haven, Professor of English and MFA Program Director, won a 2016 Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award in Poetry. The award is for $5,000. This is the fifth time Haven has received an Individual Excellence Award from the Ohio Arts Council since his arrival at Ashland University in 1992. The poems that Dr. Haven submitted are all from his new collection, The Flight From Meaning.