What Comes after Graduation - A Conversation with Dr. Jill Rappoport

by Barbara Olivis

            Thinking about life after college can be strenuous. A lot of college students go through feelings of fear upon reentering society and doing what many of us students would call “adulting.” Whether you are afraid that you won’t get into the graduate program that you desperately want to go to, or whether or not you’ll be able to get a job in your career, it is important to know that there are options out there for everyone.

Dr. Jill Rappoport

            Over this past weekend, I had a conversation with Dr. Jill Rappoport, the Director of Graduate Studies at the University of Kentucky. She gave me advice of life beyond college. “Do not go to graduate school unless you can get someone who is willing to pay for you to go,” Rappoport says. 

She went on to inform me that The University of Kentucky has a MFA program that invests in all of their students’ education. I was surprised to learn that there were programs that are willing to invest in graduate students because I was under the impression that all of the scholarship money in college was concentrated in undergraduate programs.

            I was intrigued to learn of all of the possible careers that I could explore after I graduated. “A lot of our students go on to become teachers, do editorial work, presses, digital initiatives, public activism, and of course become writers,” Rappoport says. I was surprised to hear the wide variants within the different careers because I always think of something writing related when I imagine jobs within the humanities.

            I also learned more about what graduate programs look for in their application processes. Many colleges require you to take the GRE General Test, but in the humanities it does not have a large impact in the decision to deny or admit you into their programs. For those who do not know the GRE General Test is a $205 test that is given to test undergraduate students on their ability to do verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing.  Rapport emphasized the fact that more weight is placed upon personal statements and your transcript grades in the humanities.

            I was very happy with the information that I received from the faculty of the University of Kentucky. Thanks to Dr. Jill Rappoport, I will be applying to the University of Kentucky’s MFA Program, and I have a much clearer understanding of the graduate application process.

To learn more about UK’s MFA program, click here: UK Master's of Fine Arts

African American Read In Wonderful Salute to Black History Month

by Barbara Olivis

            The annual African American Read In at TSU has come and gone. It was held on February 8th in room 113 of the Humanities Building, and it seemed that the whole English department came out to participate. Every seat in the room was filled, and various students and staff read selections by the African American authors, poets, and the screen writers that inspire them. In short, the event was only an hour, but it was an empowering one.

             Dr. Jennifer Hayes got the event started with a foreword that described the origin of African American Read Ins. She continued with the first reading of the day; Alice Walker’s poem “Outcast.” There was a variation of literature that was read at the read in ranging from monologues, poems, letters, and even children’s literature that was written by TSU alumni. Some students even recited their own poems, or

poems of a friend. Someone even recited a poem that their child had written for a class in school. Other recitations of poems or stories included artists Maya Angelou, Sojourner Truth, Margaret Walker, Gwendolyn Brooks, Mari Evans, Langston Hughes, Nikki Giovanni, Lucille Clifton, Claude Mckay, Kai Davis, Paul Lawrence Dunbar and more.

            The African American Read In is not done without reason. “I think the significance of it is the fact that it exposes African American students and faculty to African American writers.” English major Joshua Bolden says. It is extremely important to honor the memory of African American writers, and it is very fitting for the readings to take place during the month of February.

            The African American Read in did exactly what Bolden said it would for me. I now have knowledge of several different authors that I had never heard works from. I also was informed that African American Read Ins happen all throughout that nation. I had not heard of the Read In before I went to TSU’s Read In. It was an enjoyable experience that was filled with community, knowledge and finger snapping.

P.R.I.D.E Training. What’s it About?

by Barbara Olivis

            If you are a person who is looking to bridge the gap between the straight and the LGBTQ+ community you should look out for the P.R.I.D.E Training event this coming Friday. The event will be led by the Genders and Sexuality Alliance organization in search of their goal of “Pursing Respect, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity.” The three-hour event will be used to build relationships, learn new and correct terminology in regard to the LGBTQ+ community, and to highlight issues in the LGBTQ+ community.

The main goal of the training is to encourage better allyship for the LGBTQ+ community. “In terms of the LGBTQ+, an ally is someone who has identified themselves as someone who has committed to advocating, helping, and learning as much as they can, as well as using their privilege to help the community” Dr. Jill Anderson says. She is the event organizer and an advisor for GSA.

            Attendance of the event is not limited to any gender or sexuality. It is completely inclusive, giving people from different backgrounds and identities the opportunity to engage in the learning environment.

“The program is for everyone. I think that everyone can learn more about advocacy.” Anderson says. “Hopefully, people will come away with some new vocabulary words and a better understanding of some of the issues that people face in the community. They will learn about how gender and sexuality do not exist in a binary.”

            

Mark Your Calendar:

P.R.I.D.E. Training:  9:00am-12:00 p.m., February 8th, Humanities Building in room 113.

African American Read In: 12:30pm-1:30 p.m., February 8th, Humanities Building in room 113.

Nashville Visionaries Art Exhibit Features TSU Poets and Artists

by Barbara Olivis                                                                                          

            As some may know, Nashville Visionaries debuted their new exhibit January 31st, and I highly encourage everyone to check it out! The opening featured a DJ, various forms of artistry, as well as an opening speech by the director of the event Curtis Pope.

            The exhibit features a huge array of different art forms. The room is completely filled with color and personality, with each different artist bringing a different message to the table. Curtis Pope revealed to the audience that there was 73 artists in the show with contributions from TSU's Art and English majors, and local artists in general. He estimated that there were over 300 pieces of art in the exhibit total. 

            Art forms in the exhibit include: paintings, line drawings, photography, signs, sculptures, poetry and more! One of the main things stood out at the showcase is a pool that is filled with clear balls and a sign that asks everyone to write what they envision for Nashville's future. Though, this art piece was creative, I also enjoyed the different messages that adorned the room centering on feminism, sustainability, racial pride, and politics within the art.

            Even though an influx of people came into the exhibit about thirty minutes early, Pope did not hesitate to introduce the idea behind the exhibit. “This show is a conceptual art project. In conceptual art there are two major characteristics, one characteristic is the use of text; the second characteristic is the characteristic of art as instructions. So this particular show is the result of me giving instruction to local artists to make artworks about what they envision for themselves, the world, or the community of Nashville.”

            

           The “Spirit of the South” art exhibit is exquisite! The art there is so multidimensional, and so inclusive, that it allows for people like myself, that aren’t art connoisseurs, to see the beauty, significance, and the messages behind the art clearly.
            The exhibit runs through March 25 in the Hiram Van Gordon Gallery in Elliot Hall. 

Other Events in LLP  this Week:
African American Read In, 12:30-1:30p, Friday, Feb. 8, Room 113, Humanities Building
GSA Pride Training Friday, 9a - 12p, Feb. 8, Room 113, Humanities Building