The Words: November 2020
Faith, Justice, Video Games, and Beta Reading: Two English Students’ Summer Research Journeys
Alice Asch ’22
Despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, English majors Teddy Holt and Carly Benusa found exciting ways to put their literary talents into practice this summer.
The Words’ very own editor Teddy Holt ’22 participated in Macalester’s Collaborative Summer Research Program, which provides stipends for students to complete ten weeks of work with a faculty member. Teddy was invited by English Professor Sally Franson to help produce an Oral History project with the elderly Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet (CSJ).
Carly Benusa ’22 helped Jim Dawes create the curriculum for his Module 2 course, Video Games: Coding, Narrative, and Life in VR and served as a beta reader for Rachel Gold’s forthcoming YA novel.
Read more about Teddy and Carly’s research…
What’s The Word On Our Former Words Editors?
Dalton Greene ’22
Here at The Words, we really cherish the connections we build within the English department. Bright-eyed first years and storied seniors, creative writers and literature connoisseurs, coffee lovers and coffee lovers in the making, all are welcome and valued here. But our close relationships don’t just include current students—we also love to stay in touch with those members of our community who have graduated and gone off into the world beyond Old Main 2. I recently had the opportunity to chat with three former English majors and The Words editors—Laura Berglund ‘20, Alex Harrington ‘19, and Sophie Hilker ‘20—about their time at Mac, what they’re up to now, and, of course, the newsletter we all know and love. Read more about our past Words editors here…
An Exciting New Manuscript from Jim Dawes
Teddy Holt ’22
In academic writing, there are two kinds of books that get published: single author books and books with one or more editors, who then create the framework for the book, solicit writing from experts, and guide the book toward completion. Professor Jim Dawes, who I spoke with this month about his newest manuscript-in-progress, likened these modes of academic writing to the ways in which one can work for a newspaper. Read more about Dawes’ manuscript here…
Staying At Home While Studying Away
Malcolm Cooke ’21
You might think that under the circumstances, all study abroad programs have been unequivocally ended, and yet there are still those out there, roughing it despite all opposition. Nora Stewart ’21, an English Literature and Art History double major, has started working again this month at Galerie Eric Dupont, a small Paris art gallery run by the titular Eric Dupont. Read more about Nora’s time abroad…
Wordplay
Kira Schukar ’22
This month, the editors at The Words are celebrating the work of Asher de Forest ’21. Asher is an English major on the Creative Writing track, and he is well on his way to completing his second major in Theater and Dance. His interest in playwriting sprung up during his sophomore year when he took Playwriting and Textual Analysis with Professor Alayna Jacqueline. After graduation next spring, he plans to pursue a graduate degree in playwriting and intends to write and perform professionally. Read an excerpt from his play…
