The Words, November 2019

Meet the Amazing Dana Schwartz!

Ash Ma ’21

On October 29 and 30, Dana Schwartz, the author of three books, a journalist at the New York Observer, and a renowned podcaster, visited and connected with the Macalester community. Schwartz has written on subjects ranging from book and theater reviews to political issues. Because of her wide spectrum of interests, readers can explore her multifaceted writing style — you could find humor in her sharp review of Game of Thrones and be surprised by her fresh and insightful opinions on Trump’s campaigning. Learn more about Schwartz’s visit to the Department…

Speak Your Truth Storytelling Event and Anthology

Harrison Runnels ’20

On December 6, a Disability Services and Mac @ Night event, Speak Your Truth, will aim to create a space of engagement for those living with disability. The Words sat down with English major, Jackson Ullmann ’20, the event’s creator and Director of Disability Services, Melissa Fletcher, to discuss the project. Speak Your Truth originally started as a Radical MacACCESS event in the spring of last year. Radical MacACCESS was Disabilities Services’ way of showing students, faculty, and staff that they are here and displaying their many programs and resources. Speak Your Truth didn’t fit into the event at the time but Fletcher and Ullmann decided that it would be worthwhile to make a separate event in the fall semester. Learn more about the Speak Your Truth Event…

Critchett Fun-d Opportunities

Sophie Hilker ’20

The Critchett Fund, which honors the memory of Macalester English alum Thomas E. Critchett ’79, has continuously bolstered the literary community at Macalester by funding student projects, activities, and guest speakers in the English Department. In addition to the two existing resources the department provides through the Critchett Fund — reimbursement for Graduate School Applications for alumni and funding for materials relating to Honors Projects — three new funding opportunities have been announced this year: the Critchett Summer Research Award; funding for the creation of Writing Workshops for Honors, Independent Study, and Capstone Students; and the establishment of Student-Run Reading Groups. Read more about the new funding opportunities…

Behind the Scenes: a Reflection on IRT 2019

Amy Vandervelde ’21

When it’s early October, the leaves are changing, everyone is busy studying, and over at the Kofi Annan Institute for Global Citizenship (KAIGC) both staff and student staff members are finalizing the details for the year’s International Roundtable (IRT). IRT 2019 occurred on October 9-12. The theme was Incarceration (Un)Interrupted: Reclaiming Bodies, Lands, and Communities. Macalester community members had the chance to attend several different scheduled events throughout the weekend, but there was a whole lot more that happened behind the scenes in preparing for these events. Read more about Amy’s experience…

Alumni Spotlight: Zeena Yasmine Fuleihan ’18

Laura Berglund ’20

English majors have taken diverse and exciting paths after graduating from Macalester, including creative writer and former Words Senior Editor Zeena Yasmine Fuleihan ’18. Fuleihan recently began graduate school across the pond at King’s College London, where she is pursuing a Master of Arts degree in Contemporary Literature, Culture & Theory. We caught up with Fuleihan to hear about this new chapter of her life as well as her other post-Mac adventures. Read more about Fuleihan’s post-graduation adventures…