As a child, Katelyn Willetts was rarely seen without a book in her hands.

Stories filled her imagination, formed her values, and eventually clarified her calling. Now a senior English major at 糖心vlog官网, Willetts is turning that lifelong love of storytelling into a profession. The Flippin, Ark., native is set to graduate with high honors in May while gaining real-world publishing experience through a remote internship with Quill & Flame Publishers.

For Willetts, the path to publishing began long before college.

“Stories have been a large part of my life from the beginning,” Willetts said. “My parents read to me and raised me on audio dramas such as Adventures in Odyssey. Learning to read came naturally to me, and soon I was hardly ever without a book. Stories provided me with comfort, escape, motivation, and inspiration, especially during some dark times in my life; they became stars of hope for me. Talking about and sharing my favorite stories with others animated me like nothing else. I had been raised with the mindset of making a difference with my life and seeking a way to connect my passions, skills, and career. Given how much I loved stories and the power I knew stories held to help others, I knew I wanted to work in storytelling. It鈥檚 been a long journey to discover what that would look like for me, but eventually I discovered that I have something of a knack for grammar and writing style as well as a love of helping others make their written work the best that it can be.”

That clarity of purpose led to a providential opportunity last fall. 

Willetts utilized initiative鈥攃ombined with divine orchestration鈥攖o secure an ideal internship while attending the American Christian Fiction Writers annual conference in Springfield, Mo.

“One of the first sessions I went to ended up being a group discussion among authors, publishers, and others interested in the speculative fiction genre,” she said. “Later at the conference鈥檚 book signing event, I spoke with E. A. Hendryx, the author who had led the speculative fiction group discussion. When she remembered that I鈥檓 working toward being an editor, she immediately introduced me to AJ Skelly, an author and founder of Quill & Flame Publishing House. AJ was so graciously eager to help me advance my career and offered me an internship.”

In her current role, Willetts is proofreading a contemporary romantic suspense novel, identifying grammatical errors before the manuscript is formatted for publication. The experience has further confirmed she is exactly where she is meant to be.聽

Last summer, Linda Fulkerson of Scrivenings Press connected Willetts with editor and author Jennifer Burrows, who mentored her one-on-one in the craft of editing.

“Jennifer’s instruction prepared me to step into my current work with Quill & Flame,” Willetts said. “I hope to also work on other manuscripts in earlier stages of editing where the content and writing style are refined,” she said. “It鈥檚 so gratifying and exciting to already be doing the type of work I plan to do in my career.”

Her academic journey at Ozarks has also played a significant role in refining her goals. Through the University鈥檚 LENS program, Willetts expanded her studies beyond English, adding minors in history, entrepreneurship, and psychology.

“I hadn鈥檛 considered studying those areas before, but I quickly realized their connection to my goals,” she said. “I enjoy history since it is the story of the world. Entrepreneurship has proved especially valuable in introducing me to business operations and giving me an opportunity for and guidance in writing a business plan. And my English senior thesis project based on The Lord of the Rings is capturing and refining my beliefs about the power of stories to offer hope to people who desperately need it.”

When asked to name her favorite class, Willetts finds it nearly impossible.

“That鈥檚 hard to answer because every single one has been valuable,” she said. “Dr. Edward Ardeneaux鈥檚 Eighteenth-Century Novel and Dr. Brian Hardman鈥檚 American Romanticism come to mind; I enjoyed many of the works we read and learned so much from the discussions Dr. Ardeneaux led and from Dr. Hardman鈥檚 lectures. I appreciate Dr. Amy Oatis鈥檚 guidance and support for my senior thesis and my internship. Dr. Karen Frank鈥檚 History Workshop and Historiography classes changed the way I see the world. And Dr. Christine McCain鈥檚 encouragement and help with my business plan in Entrepreneurship Capstone means a lot to me.”

Beyond the classroom, Willetts credits the Jones Learning Center for helping her thrive at Ozarks. Willetts has a medical condition called Turner Syndrome that involves abnormalities in the structure of her DNA, resulting in a specific profile of extreme cognitive strengths and relative weaknesses. February is Turner Syndrome Awareness Month.

“Specifically, my most prominent intellectual strength is my skill with words, and my ability to deal with non-verbal information is relatively smaller,” Willetts said. “I understand and interact with the world through words more than visual imagery: words convey meaning to me more clearly than non-verbal gestures or pictures, and I generally have to put something in words to fully grasp it. An analogy that explains how some of my abilities outpace the others is that my brain鈥檚 software is larger than its hardware. My personality makes me long to grasp and express ideas and experiences in a deep, thorough, and detailed way, and my verbal strengths enable me to do so; however, my brain sometimes physically struggles to keep up with what I want and am otherwise capable of doing. It’s like all the information can overload my servers unless I manage it. With adequate time and space, I produce nuanced and sophisticated work. I cannot do everything, but my strengths uniquely equip me to edit written works.”

Working with her JLC academic coordinator, Samantha Hoing, and her JLC social coach, Whitleigh Wilhelmi, has helped Willetts succeed both academically and personally.

“The JLC provides a place for me to use my verbal strengths to process all the thoughts in my head that otherwise can be overwhelming,” she said. “Samantha鈥檚 constant support and advice has been one of the biggest blessings of my life at Ozarks. From day one, she鈥檚 provided a safe space for me to process everything going on. She鈥檚 helped me learn how to deal with life and stay focused on what matters. I can鈥檛 thank her enough for her friendship and care; my college experience has been immeasurably better because of her. Along with Samantha, Whitleigh has been greatly instrumental in helping me prepare for life outside college. The ladies there help me pull back to see the bigger picture I otherwise tend to miss for all the details, and they provide wise counsel on navigating the various life issues I encounter. Having that support system in place reduces so much of the stress of college for me. The JLC program is making my college experience so much better and helping prepare me for life after college.”

Willetts also praised staff members Kerry and Matt Bewley for their personal influence.

“In their pastoring of Project Church, their nonprofit and social justice work, and their work at Ozarks, they have become personal and moral role models for me,” she said. “Just by being who they are and by their warmth and care as my pastors, they gave me a much-needed view of what it can look like to live out my faith in this world.”

With graduation approaching, Willetts is already looking ahead. She plans to launch her own publishing venture鈥擱efine to Shine Editing鈥攁fter college.

Her entrepreneurial vision traces back to her teenage years.

“As a young teenager, I was part of a group of volunteers working with author Brock Eastman to track story details for consistency as he wrote his middle-grade science fiction series, The Quest for Truth,” Willetts said. “That experience introduced me to the behind-the-scenes work involved in publishing books and the need for author support. One of my close friends is a freelancer working in the digital arts, and with her encouragement and some wonderful opportunities provided by Brock, I began thinking in vague terms about providing general author/storyteller support services. I took some detours, explored different areas, and came around to the more specific idea of working in the publishing industry as an editor. Those in the industry informed me that most publishing houses hire outside editors on a contract basis and that I鈥檇 be more likely to get work as a freelancer than if I sought an in-house position. So I took my original freelance idea and focused it specifically on the typical editing services that publishing houses and self-publishing authors would need. My aim is to support authors throughout the process of refining their stories to shine like stars of hope. Thus, my brand is Refine to Shine Editing.”

As she enters her final months at Ozarks, Willetts reflects with gratitude on the University that helped sharpen both her calling and her confidence.

“Solidifying and expanding are the two words that come to mind,” she said. “I have become more solid, more certain, in who I am, where I鈥檓 going, and how I am to live in this world. At the same time, my perspective has been greatly expanded as I鈥檝e learned more about the complex past and current state of the world and engaged with others who hold their own points of view.”

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Dr. Chris Hall, assistant professor of English at 糖心vlog官网, presented research in progress this summer at the Derrida Today conference held in Athens, Greece, June 10-14. The conference is a biennial gathering of scholars writing on the work of philosopher Jacques Derrida and the theory of deconstruction.

Hall鈥檚 paper, titled 鈥淥ikonomia, Geschlecht, and the Zone of Ethics,鈥� sketches out a mode of rereading the political organization of life, arguing that the terms of identity by which we make ourselves legible should be understood as aspects of a larger economy of managing life in the modern state (an 鈥渙ikonomia鈥�). Inevitably, this situation creates a hierarchy of identities, with major implications for what is assumed to be the proper governing of institutions and the practice of scholarly disciplines. Hall鈥檚 paper contends that a deconstructive approach to life enables us to reconfigure this economy and avoid the dead-ends of identarian thinking, in favor of an ethics of openness to life of all kinds.

The paper is part of Hall鈥檚 book project in progress, 鈥淟ife after Identity,鈥� which has been supported by a Fall 2023 research leave semester and builds upon work presented by Hall at Robson Library earlier this spring. The book argues that contemporary politics has become a matter of identity across the spectrum, and articulates a response to this condition through a hospitable rethinking of what counts as life and how that life comes to assume belonging within available categories of population and subjectivity. Most recently, Hall has published work on this theme in the Angelaki journal of theoretical humanities, available .

Hall, who joined the U of O faculty in 2021, earned his Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Kansas, with a focus on the study of modernist literature, postcolonial writing, and critical theory.

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As the winner of Project Poet 2023鈥攁nd with it the title of Poet Laureate of the River Valley鈥斕切膙log官网 junior Raegan Swafford earned something more valuable than even the first-place prize of $1,000.

鈥淭he entire experience has encouraged me to be more bold,鈥� Swafford said. 鈥淏efore Project Poet, I was just a person who wrote sometimes. Now, I am a poet; not because of the title, Poet Laureate, but because of the things that I wrote and shared with my community, openly.鈥�

The English and psychology major from Van Buren, Ark., bested 17 other initial contestants this year in the popular fall competition that is presented by the English program and includes weekly challenges and an elimination format. 聽聽聽

Swafford said she attended every episode of Project Poet in 2022, which was the official reboot of the event after Covid forced the competition to be canceled in 2020 and 2021.

鈥淚 loved attending and hearing the poems the contestants wrote,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his year, practically everyone I knew was telling me that I needed to enter the competition. I write a lot in my free time, but I haven鈥檛 ever openly shared my work before because I didn鈥檛 think people wanted to hear it. A few of my close friends and professors who had read some of my works before encouraged me to enter. After all, what did I have to lose?鈥�

She said hearing her named called last week as the winner was 鈥渦nreal.鈥�

鈥淚 entered this competition ready to leave it because I was so far out of my comfort zone,鈥� Swafford said. 鈥淎fter each round, the pressure just kept going up, which I think was true for all of the poets. Every person who entered this competition entered to win, and it showed. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing everyone鈥檚 poems and was honored to even be a part of the competition. So, to be given the first-place award and the title of Poet Laureate was鈥攆or lack of a better term鈥攂eyond insane.鈥�

As a voracious reader, Swafford said English seemed like a perfect major to pursue. She plans to obtain a Ph.D. in English and become a college professor.

鈥淢ost English majors will tell you they chose English because they love to read, but I chose English because I live to read,鈥� she said. 鈥淕rowing up, I was always the kid who had her nose in a book. As I have grown, I have learned to appreciate the vastness of literature. It is divine. As a child, I saw books as a way of escaping the gruesome reality of our world. As a young adult, I see now that there is no escaping reality in books because there are far too many connections, symbols, and representations of our world in every book I read. And it is divine. To be able to see these connections and make sense of a single genre of literature is merely one reason why I chose to major in English.鈥�

After just a couple of psychology classes at Ozarks, she decide to add it as a second major.

鈥淚 have always been interested in the concept of psychology and after just a few psychology classes, I was captivated,鈥� Swafford said. 鈥淪o, when people ask me why the double major, I say, 鈥榃hy not?鈥� I have been able to apply so many psychological theories in English courses, so they complement each other rather well. The same goes for sociology. The only reason sociology is still a minor and not a major is that that would be three majors, which is a lot for one brain and unfortunately, people have limits. Needless to say, I think I made good choices for myself when deciding on my major and minor.鈥�

Swafford said the poem-writing process was 鈥渘ot as complicated as some people make it out to be.鈥�

鈥淪tressful, yes, but not really complicated,鈥� she said. 鈥淓very Thursday after Project Poet, we would be provided with next week鈥檚 prompt. The moment I saw each prompt, I had in my mind what I wished to write. Most of all, though, I had in mind how I wanted to make people feel.鈥�

She said she never relied on a single point of inspiration.

鈥淚 joke that my inspiration was the deadline,鈥� Swafford said. 鈥泪苍 all seriousness, I think being pushed to write something meaningful in a short amount of time helped us poets be impulsive for once. I saw the prompts and immediately knew what to write, but because I didn鈥檛 have weeks to dwell on it, I just had to go with my gut. That said, I took inspiration from so many things. Each object of inspiration was tailored to the prompt. The first week, I was inspired by a single memory. The second week, it was my best friend. From there, it was Cinderella, Shakespeare, Louis Armstrong, and God. My primary source of inspiration comes from people. I think about a specific person and their influence on my life, other鈥檚 lives, and the world. I think about what they make me feel, why they make me feel, and I attempt to put it all into words. I don’t think a poem can ever be considered complete because there are so many layers that can鈥檛 possibly be included. They can be felt, most definitely, but putting all those feelings into words is tactically impossible. Thus, I wrote my best in the time I was given and attempted to say what I wished to express.鈥�

Swafford鈥檚 favorite poem of the competition was the one she penned for the last challenge, 鈥淧hilippians 4:6鈥� (see below). The challenge for the last event was to write a poem about healing the hurt in the brothers and sisters beside us and in our community.

鈥淚 wrote a poem about the state of America today because it needs a little healing,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 wrote it from the point of view of the country itself, but I included many things that most people deal with on a daily basis. In the poem, the U.S. is having a panic attack and is trying to calm itself down. I titled it 鈥淧hilippians 4:6鈥� after one of my favorite Bible verses, which states, 鈥淒on鈥檛 worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.鈥�

While Swafford praised all of her professors at Ozarks for their support, she said one particular professor has been especially impactful for her.

鈥淚 had Dr. Edward Ardeneaux for an English class my freshman year, and I have had him for at least one class every semester since,鈥� she said. 鈥淒r. Ardeneauex also took on the challenge of being my academic advisor, so he has helped me tremendously throughout my college career. I am very passionate about English and take all my classes seriously, and Dr. Ardeneaux is the professor who pushes me in all of the best ways. Instead of shutting his students down when they鈥檙e wrong, he pushes them to think further. He knows what his students are capable of and challenges them to think differently, or at least to think more diligently. His classes are mostly discussion-based, so students have the chance to bring their thoughts on a novel or work we鈥檝e read and give their thoughts. I love the class discussions because Dr. Ardeneaux guides the class in the discussion but rarely leads it, which is helpful because it pushes us to come to conclusions on our own. Every time I have an Dr. Ardeneaux class, I know it will not be easy, but it will always be my favorite class because I will always learn something I thought I already knew.鈥�

鈥淧hilippians 4:6鈥� by Raegan Swafford

Breathe

One.

What鈥檚 good is good, and what鈥檚 done is done.

The road to recovery has begun.

Two.

Everything you鈥檝e heard is false, untrue.

They said it was fine, but deep down, we knew.

Waiting for the words, 鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing we can do.鈥�

Sure, I鈥檒l be okay, but what about you?

Don鈥檛 you remember what they put us through?

Breathe

Three.

We can be anything that we want to be

In the home of the brave and the land of the free

Look out world! Just wait and see!

My tombstone will say 鈥淕reatness, Achieved.鈥�

Four.

A national emergency they expect you to ignore.

You fight and you fight until you can鈥檛 anymore.

Is a pandemic less than a declaration of war?

Breathe

Five.

It鈥檚 harder for the ones who made it out alive.

Don鈥檛 feel guilty just because you survived.

Walk in faith and aim to be revived

Be someone who lives, be someone who thrives.

Six.

Six.

Six.

The devil came back with his same old tricks.

To steal, to kill, and to provide conflict.

Stop going back to the problem you can鈥檛 fix!

Breathe

Seven.

That鈥檚 better.

It鈥檚 the number from heaven.

Listen to Him, it鈥檚 okay to have questions.

You find the light and make it an obsession.

Eight.

Oh, here they go in another debate.

Why are they all filled with so much hate?

Nine.

Look at this beautiful world of mine

It will all be okay, part of God鈥檚 design.

He said it鈥檚 good, He said we鈥檒l be fine.

Take what you have and make yourself shine.

Live by the rule: 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to be kind.鈥�

Fine. Fine. Fine. Fine.

Breathe

Ten.

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A trio of 糖心vlog官网 alumni from the Class of 2021 are thriving at some of the top law schools in the country and they credit their undergraduate education at Ozarks for helping them succeed.

(Pictured, from left) Haley Grace Clark, Braxton Leding and Riki Haase are completing their second years of law school this spring. Clark is in an accelerated two-year program at Southwestern Law School in Los Angles and will graduate next month. Leding is attending the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville and Haase is finishing up her second year at Baylor University School of Law in Waco, Texas.

Clark has shined in her two years at the West Coast law school. She served as the communications chair on the Trial Advocacy Honors Program Board of Governors and has also been a peer mentor and a member of Consumer Law Society, Entertainment Law Society, OUTLaw, and Intellectual Property Law Society. She has also been a teaching assistant.

Clark said she鈥檚 proud to be on track to earn her juris doctorate by age 23 and she plans to pursue a career in civil litigation, particularly plaintiff personal injury. She has already received numerous post-bar job offers from firms in the Los Angeles area, where she plans to practice.

鈥淟aw school can give many students imposter syndrome, where a student will think they aren’t good enough, smart enough, or that they don’t know enough starting out compared to all the other students around them,鈥� said Clark. 鈥淚 didn’t know it at the time, but I was well-prepared when I started law school. Looking back at my undergraduate and legal schooling as I am about to graduate, I am so thankful for my education at Ozarks.鈥�

A theatre and communications major at Ozarks, Clark said her unique academic path to law school worked to her advantage.

鈥淚 came to law school in Los Angeles thinking I wanted to do entertainment law, but I could not escape my desire to perform,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y theatre classes, taught by Bruce Brown and then subsequently Rebecca Bailey, gave me incredible public speaking skills. When I tried out for the Trial Advocacy Honors Program, in a competition between over 30 students, I placed second, right behind a student who was also a performer — an actress on Broadway in the musical 鈥楥hicago.鈥� My performance skills learned from U of O served me well in my ambitions of becoming a litigator and advocating for clients in the courtroom setting.  I also gained valuable skills in teamwork and team building while in the media production track of my communications major while learning under professors Susan Edens and Dr. Rhonda Shook. That concentration teaches you about leadership strategies and efficient ways to use a large group of individuals to complete a task. I only recently noticed that working at a law firm requires teamwork and task delegation on virtually every case. I feel confident working in group settings and offering suggestions and ideas, even when I am the only intern in a meeting full of lawyers.鈥�

Clark said she was also fortunate to be mentored by the late Dr. Stewart Dippel.

鈥淚 had the privilege of being in his pre-law classes, including classes in criminal and constitutional law,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e learned about many of the same cases that were taught in my graduate-level law classes on the same subjects. It was so rewarding to have a strong bedrock of legal analysis and familiarity that most other students in my law school didn’t have.鈥�

Leding, who plans to return to the River Valley and practice family law following graduation, said his professors at Ozarks helped him decide a career path that eventually led to law.

鈥淐oming to Ozarks, I had no plans on attending law school,鈥� Leding said. 鈥淚 initially thought about going the route of pre-med and attending medical school, but plans changed pretty drastically. I had some thinking to do in that case, and because of the professors at Ozarks, I was able to talk to a few of them, weigh my options, and see what career path would fit me best. After deep thought and consideration, I chose law school and a career in law as my path. My classes throughout my time at Ozarks let me see a lot of different areas of thought, and the professors were great in structuring to be the best undergraduate student I could be. That structure they helped me build has carried along with me into law school.鈥�

He also credits Dr. Dippel as well as the English faculty for preapring him for the rigors of law school.

鈥淔irst and foremost, Dr. Dippel was key in helping me decide that law school was a good fit for me,鈥� he said, 鈥淲e spent countless hours talking about my future, and all of his classes were so important to me. I was able to not only learn about political science from him, but I was able to learn about life from him as well. Also, the entire English faculty at Ozarks made a huge impact on me as well. As primarily an English major, I spent a lot of time with each English professor, and their classes brought me into a new way of thinking about specific works. This realm of critical thinking is important in law school because there is always a need to think critically about problems that face the real world daily. Dr. Brian Hardman was a key figure for me in the English faculty. He walked alongside me as I wrote my senior thesis. He helped me in my law school application process. And, like Dr. Dippel, he taught me a lot about life. His classes were an ever-evolving discussion in the problem-solving process, and I really did enjoy his take on the different periods of American literature.鈥�

鈥淎t Ozarks, I learned lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, and for that I will forever be grateful.鈥�

Haase recently received Baylor鈥檚 Outstanding Student Achievement in Family and Juvenile Law and Outstanding Student Organization President for her efforts with Women鈥檚 Legal Society. She is also serving as a law clerk for Ryan Law firm in Waco, where she plans to practice following graduation from law school.

A softball standout at Ozarks, Haase said her experience at Ozarks helped lead her to where she is today.  

鈥溙切膙log官网 helped in a variety of ways,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 spoke with a number of professors and President Dunsworth concerning my law school applications. All of these people provided immense guidance and encouragement as I traversed an unknown path. U of O provides a diverse group of students with diverse cultures and mindsets. In philosophy classes, I didn’t even realize I was learning the art of advocating, a vital part of the legal field. Also, the U of O softball team allowed me to play a sport I loved and provided a team that I miss every day. My time as an Eagle made me appreciate the importance of teamwork and diversity.鈥�

She found that one class at Ozarks was especially helpful when she took the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).

鈥淥ne class that greatly helped me get into law school was Logic taught by Dr. Bill Eakin,鈥� Haase said. 鈥淭he LSAT and law school are based on deductive reasoning. This class provided a leg up in my LSAT prep and law school classes. Another, and the most vital aspect of my experience at U of O, was the late, Professor Dippel. He not only pointed my eyes toward the legal field, but he also inspired me as a human. He challenged the status quo, pushed the limits, and welcomed a healthy debate. He helped me see the world, in the classroom and abroad, he pushed me academically and professionally. Professor Dippel was one of the biggest impacts on my life. Also, he required case briefs which are an important part of studying in law school.鈥�

Haase has advice for students considering law school.

鈥淟aw school is hard; it will push you mentally, emotionally, and as a result, physically,鈥� she said. 鈥淟aw school is completely different than the environment at Ozarks. U of O is a community full of people supporting one another. Law school is individualistic. The first three weeks will push you to a breaking point, but you have to keep going. Find a 鈥榳hy.鈥� Why do you want to go into the legal field? Once you have your 鈥榳hy,鈥� hold onto it, post it on your wall, and remind yourself of it. The legal field is full of potential and joy if you look for it. Also, as one of my professors said, get a hobby and get a dog.鈥�

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糖心vlog官网 English Professors Dr. Chris Hall (left) and Dr. David Strain have each been granted an academic leave of absence for the 2023-24 academic year.

Hall, assistant professor of English, will take a leave during the Fall 2023 Semester under the University鈥檚 paid leave for tenure-track faculty policy that allows for a pre-tenure faculty members to be granted a leave at the conclusion of two years of employment. Strain, professor of English and classics, will take a semester sabbatical during the Spring 2024 Semester.

Hall, who joined Ozarks in 2021, is the first Ozarks faculty member to receive the pre-tenure academic leave since it was added to the Employee Handbook in 2018.

鈥淭his leave is an opportunity to profoundly further my own professional development and research, to improve the visibility and prestige of the University, to enhance the pedagogical benefits to our students, and to leave the English program itself in a stronger long-term situation,鈥� Hall said. 鈥淢aking it possible for faculty to take research leave early in their careers is essential so that they are able to sustain a research trajectory that will carry them through promotion and future sabbaticals as tenured professors. It is my hope that by granting this leave application, the first of its kind, a precedent will be set for future early-career faculty at Ozarks to pursue similar opportunities. Meaningful, well-funded, accessible research time is of paramount importance for supporting a healthy professoriate.鈥�

Hall said he will use his leave to finalize his first book manuscript titled, 鈥淏iopolitics of Modernism: Race, Gender, and the Making and Remaking of the Modern World,鈥� as well as begin work on a second book and continue 鈥渁 series of other interconnected scholarly pursuits.鈥�

鈥泪苍 Biopolitics of Modernism, I argue that the contemporary world is unavoidably biopolitical,鈥� Hall said. 鈥淎s familiar discourses on institutional racism, animal rights, and gendered economic disparities remind us, our political capacities are shaped by the populations we make up, the kinds of life we are. Yet the role of literature in the development of this biopolitical condition remains undertheorized. I contend, therefore, that in order to respond to the continued intersection between life and politics, we must unearth the emergence of this intersection in the moment of literary modernism and trace its development through colonialism and globalization. Biopolitics of Modernism breaks new ground in the analysis of Caribbean, African American, African, and transatlantic literature by making it possible to re-see the ways that racism and sexism have shaped twentieth-century literature and politics, and to build from these insights a political ethics that makes the world a hospitable place for life of all kinds.鈥�

Strain, in his 30th year of teaching at Ozarks, said he will use his sabbatical to pursue 鈥渁 theoretical study of the prosody of free verse and to apply what he learns to the work of a range of poets writing in free verse after 1950.鈥�

Strain said the sabbatical project stands to benefit the college in three overlapping aspects, curricular and co-curricular, critical and creative. He referred to the University鈥檚 popular student competition, Project Poet, as an example of a creative and co-curricular endeavor that would benefit.

鈥淎lthough we regard this as a co-curricular event, any connection between program and programming is accidental,鈥� Strain said. 鈥淕ranted, nobody wants to take a course in order to enter Project Poet.聽 However, it’s entirely possible to create a series of instructional videos that would prepare students who genuinely want some preparation.聽 I’ve done this for the metrical tradition鈥攆ree verse, not so much.鈥�

The sabbatical project could also lead to additional stand-alone courses in lyric writing as well as verse and poetry within the English program, Strain said.

鈥淚f it does nothing else, Project Poet testifies to the interest students have in creative writing,鈥� Strain said. 鈥淪ince the demise of our creative writing and philosophy minor, we have had nothing to offer them 鈥� We can satisfy our students’ demonstrable interest in lyric writing only if one of us teaches the course.  I’ve done so once, in fall 2002.  The experience taught me that I needed to learn a lot more about free verse if I ever teach it again. With this project, that is exactly what I propose to do.鈥�

Upon their return, both Hall and Strain will offer a presentation regarding their work to the campus community.  

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This month marks the publishing debut of 糖心vlog官网 alumna Robyn (Crow) Wall 鈥�10.

Wall, who graduated with a degree in English in 2010 with Summa Cum Laude honors, has published a pair of children鈥檚 book that will be released on May 24 by Doubleday (Random House Kids): My First Book of Beards and My First Book of Tattoos.

Originally from Tennessee, Wall lives on the Upper West Side of New York City with her husband, Nathan, and two young daughters. After graduating from Ozarks, Wall taught high school and worked in communications for several years before deciding to focus on writing fiction professionally. A few years ago, she had a reading at the New York City Poetry Festival.

She called her debut books 鈥渜uirky, rhyming board books that feature bearded and tattooed parents but are truly about connectedness. Cuddles are encouraged.鈥�

Wall said she has always enjoyed writing fiction but that she didn鈥檛 get the courage to try it professionally until she moved to New York City and was surrounded by writers.

鈥淚 started writing for kids after having two daughters,鈥� she said. 鈥泪苍 those pre-school years, we went to the library weekly, and I was surrounded by great sample texts.鈥�

Wall said she decided to write in rhyme despite the fact that many editors warn aspiring children鈥檚 writers to stay away from the style because so many do it poorly.

鈥淎ll my verse submissions have been strongly considered or published, and that started with developing my craft at Ozarks,鈥� she said.

She credits her time at Ozarks and her participation in the annual competition Project Poet for helping her in her writing.

鈥淲hen I work on manuscripts, I still feel like I鈥檓 trying to finish my weekly poetry challenge on the couch of Robson Library that overlooks campus,鈥� Wall said. 鈥淚鈥檝e just had more practice and publishing industry experience since then. Also, I鈥檓 pretty sure I鈥檝e gotten better at time management. Who knows? I will always be thankful to Dr. [David] Strain for founding Project Poet. I loved the underground energy of the Black Box Theater, the acoustic performances, and the way it drew people from every study division. It gave my writer鈥檚 heart an outlet, taught me creativity on a deadline, and introduced me to new forms of poetry. 鈥�

Wall said she will always be grateful for her time at Ozarks.

鈥淧rofessors were approachable, and I learned to ask questions,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat helps in any career. Also, the English department introduced me to so much good literature. Southern Lit and Lyrical Poetry were my favorite courses.鈥�

She has many fond memories of her time at the University.

鈥淒r. Bill Eakin and his wife, Kody, were extremely hospitable and hosted a philosophy course over good meals at their home,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 also remember the time some friends and I had an epic office chair relay in an undisclosed building after hours. Security has tightened up since then.鈥�

More information on Wall’s books an be found at

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When 糖心vlog官网 senior Nicolas Dunsworth of Clarksville decided to add a second major in English to one in mathematics, even he didn鈥檛 fully understand how the two completely different disciplines would complement each other.

Dunsworth, who is spending the Spring 2022 Semester studying abroad at the University of Saint Andrews in St Andrews, Scotland, will graduate next month with a double major in English and math. He said he decided to major in the two disciplines primarily because of his interest in the fields. But he鈥檚 quickly discovered that they fit in quite nicely in his plans to pursue a career in data analytics.

鈥淭he two fields are very different systems of thought, and while I take a very analytical approach to both, the more rigid structure of mathematics and the more free-form thinking expected in English have given me a more well-rounded viewpoint than I would have had otherwise,鈥� Dunsworth said. 鈥淔rom a data analysis perspective, my education in English should help in giving me more tools, as data analysis and the study of literature have similar fundamental questions. Where in English I explore the question of what a text is saying on a deeper level, in data analysis the question becomes what data is telling me beyond a surface level. Mathematics was the career path I chose, and the English major allows me to defy stereotypes about mathematicians and our ability to communicate. I’ve found that math is what I love, but that English is a passion. 鈥�

Dunsworth (pictured above at Edinburgh Castle) has found the perfect location to complete his English degree requirements, studying British literature in the heart of the United Kingdom.

鈥淕iven that I’m studying English, and my background in English literature as opposed to American and world literature is somewhat lacking, it made a whole lot of sense,鈥� Dunsworth said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a great experience. St. Andrews places a much greater focus on poetry, drama and older British work. Overall, this experience has broadened my horizons and exposed me to new people. As I go forward into the world from Ozarks, I will do so having met people from diverse backgrounds that I wouldn’t have been able to without this experience.鈥�

The experience includes being a part of the St. Andrews swimming team and having the opportunity to travel around Europe. The travelling opportunities were enhanced when the college鈥檚 faculty went on strike for a period during the semester.

鈥淪wim has been wonderful, and we’ve had a few really enjoyable weekend travel meets,鈥� he said. 鈥淥n my own time, I spent most of Reading Week, about equivalent to spring break, in France, visiting Lyon and Paris. I had the opportunity to visit some friends and the cities and countryside were wonderful, and I had a great deal of fun. A friend and I also spent a week in Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands, as all of my faculty were either online or on strike. That was simply gorgeous. Having the opportunity to bike through volcanic landscape, visit amazing beaches, try Spanish food and improve my Spanish was invaluable.鈥�

Dunsworth credited several Ozarks faculty and staff for helping him secure the study abroad opportunity in Scotland.

鈥淒r. Danielle Young did both her master鈥檚 and her Ph.D. in the UK and she recommended me a list of schools, and had nothing but glowing praise for Saint Andrews,鈥� Dunsworth said. 鈥淣icole Justice was a great deal of help with general study abroad stuff, as I began figuring things out. Andrea Cooper was also a great deal of help with my r茅sum茅 and personal statement as I was looking to apply. Dr. Matt Myers, my advisor for math, was really helpful as a sounding board as I played around with ideas on what the study abroad might look like. And Dr. Brian Hardman, my advisor for English, was extraordinarily helpful with figuring out what it might look like for me to do my senior thesis while abroad. He helped me in discovering and exploring what courses I might take, and to ensure that the experience would help me grow as much as possible as a scholar of English.鈥�

Dunsworth, the oldest child of U of O President Richard Dunsworth and his wife Holly, began taking classes at Ozarks at age 11 and became a full-time student at age 15. He will graduate with Summa Cum Laude honors (3.85-4.0 GPA) next month at age 18.

鈥淚t’s been quite the wild ride, and I spent nearly all of my formative years at Ozarks,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s a younger college student, especially as introverted as I was, there was always a certain disconnect between myself and my peers. Even by the time I could feasibly pass for a freshman I was in upper-level classes, maintaining a similar age difference. Despite that disconnect, I wouldn’t trade my experience at Ozarks for the world. As the gap between my age and that of the younger students closed, I’ve made some wonderful friends who I hope I’ll still know decades from now.鈥�

He said he is proud to have earned a college degree at the age when most students are beginning college.

鈥淥zarks has been a part of my life for a very long time now, and it’s somewhat saddening to see that chapter of my life close,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut at the same time, I’m prepared and excited for what life has in store for me next. If there’s one thing I know about the end of this journey, it’s that the 11-year-old that started classes years ago would be proud of the man I am today.鈥�

After graduating from Ozarks, Dunsworth plans to pursue a master’s degree, concentrating in data science, while also working part-time in data analysis. He eventually hopes to secure a remote data analyst position that will allow him to pursue his new-found love for travel.

鈥淢y time at Ozarks formed most of my developmental years, and, as such, the education and community at Ozarks have helped to shape the person I am today,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s I look back at pictures of myself when I took my first class, and even later, I’ve grown a great deal both physically and mentally. I’ve definitely grown out of my shell while at Ozarks and St. Andrews. More than anything, my time at Ozarks taught me how to think.鈥�

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糖心vlog官网 alumna and author Ginny Myers Sain 鈥�95 will present an on-campus book signing and a virtual speaking event about her debut novel, Dark and Shallow Lies, on Thursday, Dec. 2.

Presented by the Office of Alumni Engagement, the book signing will be held in the Ozarks Exchange bookstore in the Robson Library from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The virtual speaking event will be held at 6 p.m. via Zoom. The speaking event can be accessed here:

Sain鈥檚 debut young adult mystery novel was released in September of 2021 from Razorbill Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House. The book received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly and was an Independent Bookstore Bestseller for the month of September.

Dark and Shallow Lies is a supernatural thriller about a teenage girl who disappears from her small town deep in the bayou, where magic festers beneath the surface of the swamp like water rot.

New York Times bestselling author Jessica Goodman said of Sain鈥檚 book, 鈥淗aunting and arresting, this is one stunning debut. Ginny Myers Sain has written a totally engrossing small-town mystery about what happens when you finally dig up long-buried secrets.鈥�

Author Diana Urban, said, 鈥淓nchanting and chilling at once, you鈥檒l instantly get sucked into this atmospheric tale of kindred spirits brimming with secrets that could tear them apart. Ginny Myers Sain鈥檚 haunting, lush, lyrical prose will keep you captivated till the end.鈥�

Sain is also working on a second book that will be out next fall.

Although she comes from a long line of writers, Sain鈥檚 first love has always been the theatre. She has a degree in theatre from U of O, and has spent most of her career teaching, acting and directing plays and musicals.

Sain spent 17 years working on the U of O campus as the director of the Stages Youth Theatre program and the head of the Walton Arts and Ideas Series. She currently lives in Tulsa, Okla., with her teenage son, Paul, and a very cowardly Doberman named Shipley. When she is not working in the theatre or writing, you are likely to find her listening to true crime podcasts, taking pictures of alligators, eating tacos, or planning a trip to Walt Disney World.

Sain鈥檚 book will be available for purchase in the Ozarks Exchange Bookstore for $12 on the day of the event.

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The arrival of the November 15 edition of The Presbyterian Outlook magazine highlighted a memorable achievement for two 糖心vlog官网 senior English majors.

Abby Asencio from Gentry, Ark., and Brian Wilken from Claremore, Okla., both had byline, full-page book reviews in the national magazine鈥檚 annual higher education edition. Based in Virginia, The Outlook is the primary national publication of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

The books reviews were the first published articles for the students, both of whom are expected to graduate in May of 2022.  

鈥淚t really didn鈥檛 register until I saw it in print,鈥� said Wilken. 鈥淚鈥檝e always wanted to get an article published, but I really didn鈥檛 think it would happen as an undergraduate. This fit right into what I want to do with my career, which is in publishing or editing, so that made it even more special. I feel like I’ve got a foot in the door now.鈥�

The students heard about the opportunity to submit the reviews from University Chaplain Rev. Jeremy Wilhelmi, who had received an email from the magazine鈥檚 new editor, Teri McDowell Ott, the former University chaplain at Monmouth College in Illinois. Wilhelmi reached out to students and professors in the English department to gauge interest and that鈥檚 when Asencio and Wilken learned of the opportunity.

鈥淚t was something that definitely interested me and just seemed like a neat opportunity,鈥� Asencio said.

Amy Pagliarella, the book editor for The Outlook, gave both students several faith-based books to choose from. Asencio chose 鈥淵ou Are Not Your Own,鈥� by Alan Noble, and Wilken picked 鈥淕od Gets Everything God Wants,鈥� by Katie Hays.

鈥淲e had a little over two weeks to read the book and submit the review,鈥� Asencio said. 鈥淔ortunately, our literature classes were not in full swing at the time and we had some free time to get it done.鈥�

Both students said the editors made very few changes to their original submissions.

鈥淚t was enjoyable to see how the whole process worked,鈥� said Wilken. 鈥淎my was great to work with and really helped provide some great insight to the publishing process.鈥�

Wilken said it was especially fun to have the opportunity to write a more 鈥渋nformal鈥� book review.

鈥淢ost of the book reviews we do in class are more structured where this was more relaxed,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his was more about how much we enjoyed the book and how we felt about what it was saying. I enjoyed that change of pace.鈥�

Asencio said the experience reaffirms her desire to pursue a career in journalism or writing.

鈥淚 really see this as an out-of-this-world God moment and it makes me even more excited to pursue this type of profession,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he editor even said for us to keep in contact and that if we had other ideas for articles, she would propose them to her editors. That鈥檚 pretty amazing.鈥�

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Dr. Chris Hall, who completed his Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Kansas in May, will join the 糖心vlog官网 faculty as an assistant professor of English, beginning the Fall 2021 Semester.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the diverse and intimate community of students, faculty, and staff at 糖心vlog官网,鈥� Hall said. 鈥淚 very much look forward to getting to know the people and the area, and to jumping into the classroom.鈥�

Hall earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in English and philosophy from KU and his master鈥檚 degree in English literature from Arizona State University. He served as a graduate teaching assistant at KU and an as an adjunct instructor at Park University and also held a four-year doctoral fellowship from the Hall Center for the Humanities at KU.

Hall鈥檚 Ph.D. dissertation, 鈥淲orlding Modernism: The Political, the Postcolonial, and the Modern Body,鈥� was nominated by the English department for an Argersinger award for outstanding dissertations. In the dissertation, Hall contends that the population one belongs to shapes their relation to the modern state.

鈥淪tate laws and power structures allow lives to flourish, or neglect people or kill them, based on classifications of race and gender that are wrongly imagined to have a definite biological basis,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his political domination over life is inscribed within global twentieth-century literature, and when read in this light, a biopolitics of modern literature emerges. The project breaks new ground in the analysis of African American, African, and transatlantic literature, reading works together for the first time and through a new theoretical lens, while also unmaking the Eurocentrism and whiteness that have long structured the field of biopolitical theory. In doing so, I make it possible to re-see the ways that racism and sexism have shaped twentieth-century literature and politics.鈥�

鈥淢y research, and the pedagogy it informs, are uniquely prepared to address ongoing social justice concerns regarding ways in which marginalized populations are rendered vulnerable or harmed by the state鈥攁s they are by police brutality and exposure to COVID-19.鈥�

Hall added that he will bring to Ozarks 鈥渁 record of scholarship, pedagogy, and funding projects that advance justice and diversity, along with a commitment to service and student advising. Through this work, I will help to foster an inclusive, hospitable learning community through research and teaching at the intersection of politics and literature.鈥�

He has also worked as a writing program instructor at Arizona State, as a writing and ESL tutor for GateWay Community College in Phoenix and as an English language and cultural instructor for Major League Baseball鈥檚 Colorado Rockies.

鈥淭he result of my years of teaching has been a pedagogy of inclusion that extends beyond class meetings, shaping my one-on-one interactions with students as I mentor them and make the university and our courses more accessible, guiding projects and discussions where students take an active role by raising and critiquing the issues that are central to them,鈥� Hall said. 鈥淭his pedagogy is influenced by the work of Black feminists like bell hooks, and the methods she outlines for valuing diverse experiences and allowing for critical conversations that expose ongoing injustices. It also grows out of my time teaching second-language learners of English and with the Colorado Rockies, settings in which care, compassion and flexibility are essential鈥攁s they have been, in different ways, in our pandemic conditions.鈥�

鈥淎t 糖心vlog官网 I will continue to pursue teaching that brings diverse perspectives, marginalized texts and equitable classroom practices to the forefront of courses on African American and world literature.鈥�

Hall and his wife, Sarah, have two cats, Arya and Cannoli. His hobbies include playing videogames, running and curling up to watch old French movies with Sarah.

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