Category: Students

The Place I Know – An Exploration of the Music of Arthur Russell

The current pandemic may be keeping us from attending live events, but that doesn’t prohibit us from listening to and writing about the music and lyrics that move us. What follows is an exploration of Arthur Russell’s work, along with a consideration of the tangible effect music can have on our lives, written by contributing…

Professor Cheri Buck-Perry: What’s in a Metaphor?

Way back in mid-February–before toilet paper started flying off the shelves, we all started mask-wearing, and graduating students tuned in to a virtual commencement ceremony–15 new members were inducted into UP’s Sigma Tau Delta Honor Society. Though it’s hard to imagine now, students and faculty from the English Department gathered to share a meal and…

Spring 2020 Course Preview

While spring semester often comes with rainy walks to campus, wet jeans, and damp textbooks, English majors have an exciting course selection to look forward to despite the changing seasons. Find out the specifics about the interesting course offerings so that you can make careful selections as you register for classes this fall. Here we…

Valedictorian Caroline Holyoak Encourages Class of 2019 to Seek Uncertainty

When now-alumna Caroline Holyoak addressed her class in a valedictory speech during Commencement last May, she recounted the lessons learned in her English 112 class before 3,000 UP graduates, faculty, staff, and family. With an English and Spanish double major and Psychology minor, Holyoak managed to find time to work as a Writing Assistant in…

The English Major: Embracing Wonder and “Why?”

As our resident medievalist,  Dr. Cara Hersh  helps animate older texts for newer audiences, persuading contemporary students to take a closer look at the simultaneously age-old and currently relevant insights distilled in some of her favorite works. She enables thought expansion and rhetorical rabbit holes through her job, and opts for an English department mindset…

Favorite Reads of 2018

The turbulent year of 2018 is finally coming to a close! As we journey into winter break, the English Department wants to offer a few book recommendations for you to peruse on the plane and curl up with on the couch. Get ready to update your Goodreads page! The Incendiaries by R.O. Kwon The Education…

Spring 2019 Course Preview

By Tayler Bradley Happy Fall Bibliophiles! While I hope you’re spending your time admiring autumnal leaves and cozying up with a good book and warm beverage, registration season is upon us. Spring course registration begins November 5th and, if you’re new to registering for classes at UP, the rolling registration schedule can be found here….

?INTERNSHIP ALERT? Apply to Tin House!

Portland’s very own independent publishing house is looking for interns for all departments in the upcoming year! Whether you’re interested in editorial work, design, marketing/publicity, or magazine publishing, Tin House has a PAID internship for you! Follow the link for more information about the internships available: https://tinhouse.com/internships/…

Pursuing Social Work with an English Degree

By Laura Eager ’12 “Social Work? What’s that?” Like many people, I did not know what social work was as an undergraduate. This lack of knowledge lasted until I had my first long-term substitute teaching position in 2013 at a Title I public school in Washington, DC and I interacted with the school social worker. After…

Spring 2018 Course Preview

 by Laura Misch  Percy Bysshe Shelley once wrote, “If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?” Well, English majors, winter will soon be upon us, and registration for the spring semester has officially begun. The race is on to sign up for courses, and here’s hoping you get the schedule you want. But what exactly are you signing up for? I corresponded with each of our lovely professors…