Rowan Writing Arts Weekly Updates: Week of December 2nd, 2019

TONIGHT: Writing Arts Colleague Delivers ‘Last Lecture’
Grayson Morley, one of our department’s adjunct professors, will deliver Rowan University’s 10th annual “Last Lecture” at 7 p.m. this evening – Monday, December 2 – in the Eynon Ballroom of the Chamberlain Student Center. Grayson, who was selected in a four-way vote conducted on ProfLink, will be following in the tradition of professors who are ceremoniously asked to pass along wisdom to students as if it was their final lecture. The concept received nationwide attention in 2007 when former Carnegie Mellon computer science professor Randy Pausch was selected to deliver a last lecture at his university and soon thereafter received a what would be fatal diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. . . . Congratulations, Grayson; we’ll see you there!

Colleague to Highlight Reading at Philadelphia Book Store
Lecturer Jade Jones will be the featured reader this coming Thursday, December 5 at the final 2019 presentation in the Emerging Writers Series sponsored by the Rutgers University-Camden Master of Fine Arts in Writing program. The reading will be held from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Wooden Shoes Books and Records, 704 South Street, in Philadelphia (19147). Jade, who also is Managing Editor of Glassworks magazine, received her B.A. from Princeton University, her M.F.A. from the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and was the 2019 recipient of the PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers. Click here for more details.

Glassworks Nominates Three Students for Award Consideration
Glassworks, the literary journal of our Master of Arts in Writing program, has nominated three student staff members for recognition in the Intro Journals Project, a contest run by the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP). The three students are Joe Gramigna (4+1 M.A. student) for creative nonfiction, Eric Avedissian (M.A. student) for fiction, and Dina Folgia (dual B.A. major in Writing Arts and RTF) for poetry. The contest is designed to recognize the best new work by students in AWP member programs. It’s considered an honor to be nominated and these selections are impressive additions to a student’s resume. This is the first time Glassworks has made such nominations. You can learn more about the Project by clicking here

Colleague Essay Published in Cultural Studies Book on Trump
Lecturer Jackie Partyka is one of 17 writers and educators to have their work included in a new contemporary cultural studies book, Trump Fiction: Essays on Donald Trump in Literature, Film, and Television. Debuting on Amazon this past weekend, the book is – its promotional flyer says – “filled with smart observations and juicy tidbits” about how cultural artifacts from such authors as Thomas Pynchon and Salman Rushdie as well as Sesame Street and Sex and the City both presage and detail Trump’s journey from real estate to realty TV to his current position. Trump Fiction is available in both hardcover and as an eBook. Contact Jackie for more details.
 
For Your Calendar:

• Wednesday, December 4: The Writing Arts Interns, Avant, and the Writing Arts Community are holding a holiday faculty-student meet and greet from 3:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. in the Rowan Art Gallery, across the street from The Vic. There will be student readings and light refreshments will be served. Contact colleague Amanda Haruch for details.
• Tuesday, December 10: The annual Writing Arts Holiday Gathering will be held at Chickie’s and Pete’s on Rowan Boulevard starting at 5 p.m. Note: C&P’s weekly Trivia Night will begin at 8 p.m. that evening. Contact me for more information on both events.

. . . And Finally:

• Speaking of January 2020 events, don’t forget our inaugural Winter Writing Retreat for Writing Arts students is being held at the Pendle Hill Resort in Wallingford, Delaware County, PA from Friday evening, January 10, through Sunday morning, January 12. Please contact Megan Atwood for more information.

 
Do you have a new publication, a reading, or any other event of interest coming up? Please let me know so I can let all our colleagues know in the weekly Rowan Writing Arts Events Update newsletter. Stop by Victoria 521 or email me at royek@rowan.edu to give me the 4-1-1.
 
Access Events Update online by clicking here.
 
​Stephen A. Royek M.A.
Lecturer, Writing Arts
Rowan University
Chair, Faculty Senate Awards Committee
Lecturer Representative, Faculty Center Advisory Board
     Victoria Hall, Room 521
     Phone: 856-906-4755
     Email: royek@rowan.edu