Saturday, December 8, 2018

WFP Series Vol. 7: Study Abroad with LLP

Students enrolled in Writing for Publication (Fall 2018) wrote and submitted blog stories related to the department. The fruits of those efforts will be published on our department blog every day during finals week.  The following stories were written by Kayla Tennille McCrary. 

Why LLP is for Me:  I believe LLP will play a role in my academic career because it will essentially give me the skills I need to be successful for post undergrad. I plan to go to law school, and that takes a lot of skill and experience in writing Academic papers as well as doing extensive and intensive research. Because I plan to be an author, being in this department helps teaches my how to be a diverse writer and how to be a creative and informative writer too. The skills I am gaining at Tennessee State University, I know will make me to be the best person for the job almost always, and that is a main reason why I chose this department.
Kayla Tennille McCrary

African American Literature Abroad


Dr. Jenifer Hayes in France
     LLP understands that studying abroad can be an amazing experience for students of African American Literature.  Drs. Rebecca Dixon and Jenifer Hayes are spearheading study abroad opportunities that help TSU students better appreciate the global impact of diasporic writers and texts. A couple of summers ago, they took students to Paris, France.  And, next Spring, they will take TSU students to Copenhagen, Denmark to study Nella Larson.
     Kierra Ewah, 21, travelled with Dixon and Hayes' class to Paris, and said the experience was revealing and educational.  She says she understand how travel enhanced the works of writers like Richard Wright, W.E.B. Dubois, and James Baldwin.She said that blacks went to Paris to feel connected to something and to essentially escape.
   
Dr. Rebecca Dixon in France
 Ewah was excited to mention that she saw another side of Paris that the world never sees. In traveling to a place called Barbes Street, she found thousands and thousands of Africans. She was both ecstatic and shocked to find out that her Nigerian father was actually raised in this place in Paris. She noted this experience as her most memorable one.
     Ewah is a senior and Mass Communication major with a minor in philosophy.  She hopes to travel abroad soon, and this time she aspires to go to Africa. She hopes that she has inspired other TSU students to get exposure and want to study abroad no matter what the major..



Where Literature meets Africa?

     Studying abroad can be an incredible experience. Not only are you able to see a new part of the world, but you’re able to study in a wonderful environment. I have had the privilege of experiencing studying overseas. Last summer, I was able to study World Literature in Cape Town, South Africa. 
     In addition to sight-seeing and volunteering, I was able to get a very intimate academic experience. In a class with about six students, we were able to engage in constructive conversation and share our experience in Africa through a different lens. The literature we studied dealt with apartheid, racism, and different forms of oppression, and we compared it to our lives in America. 
     We read two novels: The Born Frees by Kimberly Burge and A Thousand Splendid Sons by Khaled Husseini. The first novel told the stories of young girls living in Gugulethu, a small city in Cape Town, South Africa. These remarkable girls were a part of a creative writing group and we were able to read about their personal journeys. They struggled with things such as aids, poverty, relationships, and community responsibilities. 
     I even learned a valuable lesson there in which I got it tattooed while in Africa. The word is Ubuntu. Ubuntu means a person is a person through other persons. My humanity is tied up in yours, as yours is in mine. 
     While in South Africa we were able to witness racism and prejudices first hand. Majority of Cape Town’s population is full of European immigrants, and it was evident when we walked in certain places that our presence was not wanted. Apartheid in South Africa ended in 1994, so the idea and presence of this disgusting system is still evident. 
     Socially, you can see the barriers. 
     When you walked into a restaurant or hotel, the workers were always black, and the supervisors were almost always of European descent. This tied in with our literature because we read short stories that showed the systems of social class in their text. 
     Being that I am a LLP major, this experience was paramount to my English education as well as my outlook on studying abroad with TSU. Nonetheless, the experience taught me about myself as a person, a scholar, and a writer. I encourage students to not only see the world, but to experience it with optimism and gratitude. 

Kayla Tennille McCrary is a native of Atlanta, Ga and is currently a senior English major with a minor in political science at Tennessee State University. She serves as the 78thPresident of the Student Government Association. She also is the Vice President of the Alpha Psi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She is a member of Sigma Tau Delta, English Honor Society, the National Society of Leadership and Success, the Pre-alumni Council, AIPAC, and serves as a member of TSU’s Women’s Center advisory board. She aspires to be an entrepreneur and essentially become a self-made millionaire.

Friday, December 7, 2018

WFP Series Vol. 6: New Approaches to Freshman Composition

Students enrolled in Writing for Publication (Fall 2018) wrote and submitted blog stories related to the department. The fruits of those efforts will be published on our department blog every day during finals week.  The following story was written by Allisa Smith.

Why LLP is for Me: I suspect and affirm that Language, Literature and Philosophy will be dominant factors in  my success as a Political Science and Mass Communications major.  Language is everything to a professional. The correct articulation and diction could be the entrance way to network with top executives and CEO’s. Words are influential, and every word you utter leaves an impact on the person listening.  As a forthcoming Attorney, Author and Journalist, I will take the lessons learned from LLP with me in evaluating precedents, drafting law review and publishing creative works. English studies will be the foundation of my skill.
Allisa Smith

The significance of Freshmen Composition

     On the day I observed Professor Marsha Williams’ classroom it was filled with students from the beginning to the very last row -- each with a will to learn.
     The lecture was rather interesting. Students were reading and analyzing poetry. However, I soon realized there was a disconnect between students and composition.
Robin Dickey, a Junior enrolled in Freshmen Comp 10101, explains why writing makes her feel uncomfortable.
     “Writing is like my kryptonite,” she says. “It’s like I have so much to say, but as soon as sit in front of a computer screen or began let my thoughts flow, I freeze up and my mind goes blank. If writing was as easy as a talking, I would become an award winning author overnight.”
     Of the obstacles facing her during the writing process, Dickey said her biggest concern in page count.
Prof. Marsha Williams and her Freshman Composition
students organize a Green Kabaret. Through it,
students research, write essays, and respond
creatively to environmental issues.
     “It’s very intimidating to hear that you must compose a five paper in which you have to argue a point or explain multiple points in great detail.” Dickey said.
     “Page counts really put a mental strain on students. We go from explaining our opinions on given course topics to saying any and every thing to fill up the pages. We use our best efforts to avoid plagiarism so relying on our own words can be a frustrating and has a negative effect on the writing process.”
    Dickey contends that if professors could give students examples of how to write a successful paper and/or a piece of literature for their class it would relive a lot pressure and produce better outcomes per assignment.
     In addition to writing samples, Williams has a host of creative tools to help her students develop their writing skills. As part of her teaching style, she combines creative writing with traditional composition development.  This helps students better appreciate the creative aspect of the writing process.
     “Teaching Freshman Composition is certainly a challenge” Williams said. Her goal is to help students step out of their comfort zone to try a new skill. “I love connecting with students who are sincere about the writing process.”


Allisa Smith, 21, is a model, journalist, poet, writer and future attorney  from Atlanta GA. She often writes about politics, black businesses, and HBCU news.  She is also heavily active at Tennessee State University where she studies Political Science and Mass Communications, and is a part of the executive boards of multiple campus Organizations. Smith takes great joy in serving as the Commissioner of Healthcare for the Tennessee Intercollegiate Legislature, drafting bills that tackle political issues in Tennessee. Smith simply defines herself as a small town girl who dreams of taking over the world.

Thursday, December 6, 2018

WFP Series Vol. 5: A Sit Down with Dr. Philips

Students enrolled in Writing for Publication (Fall 2018) wrote and submitted blog stories related to the department. The fruits of those efforts will be published on our department blog every day during finals week.  The following story was written by Sincere Matthew Benton.

Sincere Matthew Benton
Why LLP is for Me: As far as my education and future career goes, LLP plays the second biggest role behind my understanding of the business world. The ability to convey a message that's convincing enough to persuade corporations to partner with me is crucial.

A Sit Down with Dr. Elaine Philips

     I recently had the pleasure of sitting down Dr. Elaine Philips, a creative writing instructor in LLP. We had an insightful conversation about the importance of fiction, experiences from our lives, and plans for the future.
     Fiction at TSU is a high priority according to Philips. “TSU needs to read fiction to understand the world around them and those who are different from them.” As our conversation continued I came to appreciate that Philips is one of the most passionate instructors at this institution. She
Dr. Elaine Philips
hopes to work here until she retires.
Her inspiration to teach comes from her students. She reflects back to students that she taught over the last decade who were resistant, at first, but became better writers and poets. The purpose of her class, she says, is for it to feel like a workshop. Students are not only graded on their work, but they also get insightful feedback so that they could become better writers.
One of the more insightful parts of our conversation was comparing her classes from when she first got to TSU to now. She said that in classes’ past there seemed to be a bit more excitement to learn.
Ultimately, Philips says that she’s enjoys her work TSU thus far. The college experience would be a lot more enjoyable and educational if all professors were like her.


Sincere Matthew Benton, 19,  hails from Atlanta, Georgia. Benton began writing at ten years old.  His goal is to become a renaissance man in the world of literature. In the future, Benton plans on becoming a published author and the owner of his own hotel franchise,

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

WFP Series Vol. 4: Gender Norms and Philosophy

Students enrolled in Writing for Publication (Fall 2018) wrote and submitted blog stories related to the department. The fruits of those efforts will be published on our department blog every day during finals week.  The following stories were written by Ashley Doxy.

Why LLP is for Me: LLP is not an easy program. It requires determination, zeal, hard work, attention to detail and sacrifice. You must be able to problem-solve and look at issues critically. If you fall, you must get back up. These characteristics are qualities needed when combating real-world issues. This program is preparing me for life outside of college. Whether in graduate school or a corporate position, LLP is providing me with the tools I need to identify, analyze, and solve problems.
Ashley Doxy

Gender Norms: What Are They?


     In an ever-evolving world, preconceived ideologies and beliefs about gender are now being tested. We often bear witness to ideas evolving or perishing. 
   Closely related to gender are gender norms. The United Nations Statistics Division defines gender norms as “Standards and expectations to which women and men generally conform, within a range that defines a particular society, culture and community at that point in time.”
     From a young age, youth perpetuate and conserve traditions and stereotypes that have been passed down for generations. Children are expected to behave, dress, or act a certain way because of their sex.
Dr. Jennifer Hayes, an English and Women's Studies professor at Tennessee State University, explains what
Dr. Jenifer Hayes
gender is and the expected roles that comes with it.

     “Gender is connected to connotations that we have about sex roles," Hayes says. "Think about social expectations and what we associate with what it means to be male or what it means to be female. Gender about performing those expected roles.” 
     There are many misconceptions one might have about gender and gender norms. Hayes explains that many people have a binary view of gender, when it is, non-binary because some people contain more than one sex.  “People can’t comprehend that gender is a social construction. They think it’s real.” 
     Punishment is another way to perpetuate gender norms, Hayes explains.  “Young children see models and can’t measure up and are chastised with negative affirmation when they are doing something outside of what is considered to be normal for that gender.”
     It is essential to be aware of societal issues because they seep through classroom walls and affect many, if not all students. Hayes says that in all of her classes she creates a space “where we’re looking at diverse works written by different kinds of people.”
     Hayes’s goal is focusing on uplifting and empowering her students and educating them on the human condition.  As one of the many LLP instructors who teach Women Studies, she hopes to help students become better citizens with dignity and compassion.


Philosophy as a Minor


     College is full of options regarding majors and minors for students to explore. It is easy for students to forget that they can minor in a subject that compliments their majors. Dr. Charles Edward Bowie, Philosophy and Religious Studies professor, gave substantial insight about philosophy and why it is a great option for a minor. 
Dr. Charles Bowie
     “Students need to identify and understand arguments and fallacies,” says Bowie. “Philosophy is necessary in Liberal Arts and Humanities. It is also necessary in Science research and education. It introduces students to culture studies and it intertwines with geography and religious studies, leading to sensitivity and understanding other cultures.” 
     When studying philosophy, you must get rid of preconceived ideas, principles, and beliefs and almost become “child-like,” as Bowie says. Philosophy enables us to “live in the imagination, opening our dispositions and helping us relax and play around. We must suspend all assumptions and not take things too seriously. Socrates and Plato are great examples of this.” 
     Philosophy is also about asking questions, which is something English majors must do to analyze and understand different texts. Philosophy is grounded in questions that students have the opportunity to explore and expand their perceived realities. 
     “Philosophy allows students to apply older texts to modern day. They are able to discern what questions the texts raise,” Bowie says. These are all tools that English majors must accomplish through their matriculation in college.
      Getting rid of biased dispositions, asking grounded questions, analyzing texts, and understanding that your conclusions could be wrong are all components that English majors should master. Philosophy is a great tool to help students accomplish these fundamental aspects of the English degree. 

Ashley Doxy is a senior an Tennessee State University who will graduate in May 2019. It was during her matriculation at TSU that she discovered through hard work and perseverance, anything is possible. “I think, therefore, I can,” is her life motto. Upon completion of undergrad, she aspires to be a fiction novelist and a YouTube blogger extraordinaire. 

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

WFP Series Vol. 3: NIA Grant and Queer Literature

Students enrolled in Writing for Publication (Fall 2018) wrote and submitted blog stories related to the department. The fruits of those efforts will be published on our department blog every day during finals week.  The following stories were written by Alldon Thompson. 

Congrats to Dr. Rebecca Dixon, recipient of NIA Grant


Dr. Rebecca Dixon
     Professor Rebecca Dixon received the NIA grant this semester, which allows educators time away from classrooms to focus on scholarship and academic works. It’s the first time it has been offered, so that’s another feat achieved by Professor Dixon.
     Dixon has worked at TSU for 14 years, and she specializes in a variety of subjects including: Post-Colonial, African, Diasporic Literature, and Gender Studies. She also serves as program coordinator for the Women’s Studies Program. The goal of that program is to help students understand  the complexity of gender identities and equality.
      Dixon plans on using her sabbatical to work on a book that covers all of Caryl Philips’ literature. Philips is an award-winning essayist and playwright.
      Congratulations, Professor Dixon, for your amazing achievement. The TSU family wishes you the best of luck on your upcoming book!

Queer African American Literature and Its Communal Teachings for TSU Students

   
     Queer African-American students are demanding inclusiveness, not just for campus life, but for course lessons as well. Some are feeling excluded from campus life, and truthfully, it's not because of their sexual preferences. The issue stalling communal growth is total inclusivity.  
     Jhalen Fears a student attending TSU stated, “When saying community, it’s not just subjected to social/racial injustice. LGBTQIA students want the student body to understand that they’re not accessories used to boost social rankings for organizations, especially after being judged and ignored once their communal goals are reached.” His statement affirms that the unification of all students should be promoted, but it’s pointless if it contradicts the principle of acceptance.
     If students need an escape from those forces, while also learning about themselves then they can turn to Queer African-American literature. Literature and art have always been a great escape for marginalized communities. It allows them the opportunity to express themselves.
      This self-awakening information teaches students the importance of community. Best explained in Mind Your Own Life: The Journey Back to Love by Aaron Anson, “When we allow our egos to wish harm and despair for others, the lapse in our judgment is made apparent. The notion that somehow there is less available for us, because someone else has received something that we desire, has to be banished” (116).
     It’s important to categorize gender expression as a commonality for most students. Reading queer literature can help students better understand what they have in common.  It could be a form of psychological role play for all students. The implication is that it allows experimentation to be a form of self-exploration.
     Fears says, “yes, the tension between queer and hetero students gets catty at times… in part mis-education playing a key role.” He adds, “Incorporating queer literature in part could open a whole new door… all students could learn a little bit more about themselves.”


Alldon Thompson is a sophomore at Tennessee State University. His year of anticipated graduation is in 2021. He is a double major, majoring in Economics and Finance/ Mass Communication. His career plans involve continuing school and obtaining his master’s in Business Economics, eventually working for or starting a Finance Agency.

Monday, December 3, 2018

WFP Series Vol. 2: Foreign Language & Adolescent Literature

Students enrolled in Writing for Publication (Fall 2018) wrote and submitted blog stories related to the department. The fruits of those efforts will be published on our department blog every day during finals week.  The following stories were written by Barbara Olivis.

Why LLP is for Me:  I would not have the proper tools to succeed without the English classes I have taken here at Tennessee State University. With my career of choice being rooted in professional writing, I am already getting experience in my academic classes that can help me with in that pursuit. The exposure that I have gotten with both reading and writing literature in class will serve as a working example that I will continue to build upon in my career. There is no doubt in my mind that once I delve deeper into my writing career that I am going to realize that LLP has prepared me and impacted me even more than I am already aware.
Barbara Olivis

For The Love of Linguistics—Flourish Foreign Language
   
     Imagine going to the non-English speaking foreign country of your dreams and being fully emerged in their culture. You can probably picture yourself wearing their attire, eating their food, and doing their dances. But, everything goes blank when you get to the whole language barrier part (give or take the few bits of language you might have picked up from watching Dora the explorer.)
     You may find yourself thinking “If only there were subtitles in real life.” Well, have no fear foreign language is here, and it is here at Tennessee State University.
     The Language, Literature, and Philosophy department offers various foreign language classes that range from beginner to intermediate. French and Spanish courses are paired with a multitude of different clubs and opportunities to strengthen what students have already learned in class. The Foreign Language table is one of the initiatives designed to keep foreign language learners linguistically leveled with both French and Spanish speakers having a day to let loose with linguistic leisure.
      “I believe that any language will open your mind even a little bit to other cultures. It will make you think
Dr. Roxane Pajoul
differently.” French professor Roxane Pajoul says. “I think that if as many students as possible are exposed to that, then something will switch in their brains. It can change people’s minds, our ways of thinking, and long term, I think it can even have some impact on our politics. I do believe that every major should take a foreign language, even just for a semester, because it can really make a small difference.”
      Learning a new language will set a person ahead in more ways than one.  Notably, it grants foreign language speakers with cultural tools as well as linguistic ones. In Pajoul’s French class, students learn about how the French have several different categorizations and levels to what they consider or do not consider a friend. This is particularly interesting after one takes into account the contrasting narrative in America, where someone met yesterday can be referred to as a “friend.”
     Differences like this show that language is often cultural. Words change and are shaped by socialization, and this may be no more obvious than when someone uses the wrong term in a different language. Language is especially important because communication would be nearly impossible without it.
It is impossible to fully experience a foreign country without knowing the language because of the fact that there is a dire piece missing; the heart of the country: language. Language is the tool that we use to see beyond ourselves and exchange ideas and beliefs. How well rounded can we call ourselves if our only dialogues are shared with those that share the same language as us?
The answer is simple; we can’t. Language is a bridge that connects human beings and provides them with tools to look beyond what they see. If there is no context behind a subject then it is just a string of words. Being well rounded requires more than sticking to what is familiar to you and language is one of the first things we learn how to distinguish.

Adolescent Literature and How It Shapes Who We Are.Lessons Learned in Literature


Do you remember crowding at your teachers feet during storytime in grade school? You and all the other children wide eyed and amazed at how everything in the story seeming true and possible? There is a reason that some memories probably rush to your brain.
The books we read in adolescence tend to be the books that we remember for the rest of our lives. Books that wowed us, inspired us or even drove us up the wall with annoyance when we were younger have a huge impact on our lives with this often being the first time we are introduced to more complex ideas.
       “I think adolescent literature is some of the most important reading in your life because once you’re 20, 25 your identity is fixed, you’re kind of who you are, but when you are 6, 7, or 8 you’re still forming,” Adolescent Literature professor Philip M. Shafer says. “We use adolescent literature to teach people how to read, and how to decode meaning, and how to decide what makes a boy, a boy, a girl, a girl and a grownup a grownup and other parts of identity.”
Dr. Philip M. Shafer
Adolescent literature is crucial to society because of the fact that it is the gateway to education. Literature learned at such a young age teaches children not only how to read, but also how to think in a way that is considered socially acceptable to whatever society the literature is being read in. “Any kind of language we give to children influences who they end up becoming and it influences how they can express themselves.” Shafer informs.
     Adolescent literature and Children’s literature go hand in hand with each other. “Children’s literature is considered literature fit for ages from birth to age 7, and adolescent literature starts around age 8 and stops around the age of 13” Shafer says.
     He goes on to inform about how at different ages we read various forms of literature and it has more of an impact on us than what we think when we are reading these novels. It is important to know the impact of literature around these ages so we can gage the appropriate forms of literature to expose to children.
Even though the common readers of Adolescent literature are teenagers it is important to note that adults read these novels too. Sometimes adolescent literature is not even written with the purpose of being distributed among the youth, sometimes adults just decide that certain books hold attributes that align with what we think children should know.
  “We have to recognize that we are not just giving children books to keep them entertained, they aren’t just learning what a story is.” Shafer says with passion. “They are learning how to behave based on the things they read, they are learning how language works, and they are learning how to think.” The distinction between reading for fun and reading to learn is blurred when one considers the fact that something can be picked up from the literature whether it is conscious learning or not.
Children’s Literature and Adolescent literature are both two separate courses offered in the English Department. There is not a minor for either one of these subjects at the moment, but these classes are available for those interested in studying the impact of learning at a young age.

Barbara Olivis is an English major from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She aspires to be a professional writer within the genres of poetry and fiction. Olivis has appreciation for Science Fiction, she hopes to someday turn her novels into movies and to direct a film. She expects to graduate in 2019.

Sunday, December 2, 2018

WFP Series Vol. 1: The State of the Department

Students enrolled in Writing for Publication (Fall 2018) wrote and submitted blog stories related to the department. The fruits of those efforts will be published on our department blog every day during finals week.  The first installment is from our very own social intern Lynne Barras.


Why LLP is for Me: Writing has always been an outlet for me. Since I was a young child, I was fascinated by the way authors captured my attention with their masterful use of language. I feel that Literature, Language, and Philosophy has only enhanced both my fascination with the way we use language and my understanding of how language has evolved and how it can continue to evolve. Examining the way we use language also allows me to understand more about general human behavior and cultural behaviors. I feel this new understanding will allow me to further my ideal career as a fiction writer.
Tarrolyn “Lynne” Barras

The State of The Department is Good

     The Language, Literature, and Philosophy Department has a few problems facing it. The department suffers a great deal from the general curse of not being based in science, technology, engineering, or math (S.T.E.M).
     Even the department’s head, Dr. Samantha Morgan-Curtis, expresses some exasperation on this point, “We all suffer that ‘Oh humanities, you’re not engineering, you’re not STEM, so how do you fit?’”
     To be perfectly fair, that’s not a bad question to ask. On the surface, anyone could argue that learning about dead writers and old books or whatever it is philosophy teaches isn’t directly applicable to the real world.
      However, the focus of the department isn’t just to have its students know that James Baldwin is a writer. Morgan-Curtis declares the main goal of the department, “What we are trying to work on now is understanding that we are a very good service department.” The prize hidden at the bottom of the LLP cereal box is what Morgan-Curtis refers to as “transferable skills.”
      Morgan-Curtis attests to the value of these skills based on the testimonies of STEM students, “They will
Morgan-Curtis
say close reading and writing are skills they also need to succeed.” Morgan-Curtis could not overstate the benefits of critical thinking and writing well.
      However, she also hit on the topic of language, hinting at how behind the United States is in terms of being fluently bilingual.
       These are the skills that are most overlooked by STEM focused people and also some of the most valuable skill sets to employers in a global market. Morgan-Curtis also stressed the importance of the LLP department’s skill set prepping students for graduate school. She reminds all that life requires more than just technical knowledge. It must incorporate all that one learns in college.
      She hopes to spread these skills and incorporate them into the learning tracks of all other majors, making TSU’s students more valuable on a global scale.
      Aside from working on the brand of the department, Dr. Morgan-Curtis seemed optimistic for the current and future status of the department. She cites the hard work of her staff in not only elevating the academic status of the university, but also in involving the school in the greater community.

Tarrolyn “Lynne” Barras is a senior English major, slated for graduation in May of 2019. After graduating from Tennessee State, she aims to enter a Creative Writing Masters Program. There, she will continue to work toward her dream of becoming a published fiction writer..