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..