Platinum Series Book Club Discussion:  Adrienne Rich’s Poetry and Prose (Norton Critical Edition)
Wednesday, September 24, 1-2 pm
Location TBA

Presenters
Professor Ellen Ross (History & Women's Studies)
Associate Professor Maya Poran (Psychology and Women's Studies)
Associate Professor Monika Giacoppe (Literature)

This event will introduce students to the work of Adrienne Rich, an acclaimed author who will be visiting Ramapo on October 2.  Our text, The Norton Edition of Adrienne Rich’s Poetry and Prose, will give students a sense of the sweep of her historic career, and of the changes in style and substance that have shaped her writing since her first book publication in 1953.  Copies of the book and a list of suggested readings from it will be available in advance.  (We’re guessing there might not be time to discuss the whole book in one hour!)  Students will have the opportunity to ask questions about Adrienne Rich and her work in advance of her visit, so they will be better prepared to enjoy and appreciate the experience of her reading.  We will discuss Rich’s poetry and her prose from a range of perspectives, including Literature, Psychology, History, and Women’s Studies, as we examine her contribution to the arts, and to our understanding of issues including women’s identity, sexuality, Jewish identity, and race relations in the United States. 

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS & NEWS--
On Oct. 2, we will be welcoming poet Adrienne Rich to campus (sponsored by the OSS Office).  All Literature Majors should try to attend this exciting event.  Ms. Rich is one of most highly regarded American poets.  To have her on campus is a rare treat.

To prepare for Ms. Rich's visit, Prof. Ellen Ross (History & Women's Studies),  Prof. Maya Poran (Psychology and Women's Studies), and our own  Prof. Monika Giacoppe (Literature) will host a Platinum Series book group  (Wednesday, September 24, 1-2 pm, room TBA).  The book (_Adrienne Rich's Poetry and Prose_ Norton Critical Edition) should be available free to participants soon.  For more information, contact Prof. Giacoppe (mgiacopp@ramapo.edu) (see above)!

Later this month, the Literature Club and the Platinum series will sponsor a trip to the Dodge Poetry Festival.  Get details from Prof. Yvette Kisor (ykisor@ramapo.edu)

You can pick up a copy of 2008's edition of TRILLIUM, Ramapo's literary magazine.  It looks terrific & can be found in racks upstairs in B-wing or near Roadrunner Central! 

LITERARY EVENTS UPDATE: SPRING 2008

Dr. Patricia Ard's Fall 2007 Major Authors: Jane Austin class display their reading--an effort at literary Persuasion!

At our Literature Luncheon on Wednesday, April 16, , Literature Faculty and Students had a chance to meet & greet.
The luncheon will took place in The Lobby of the Bradley Center. Lunch will be served at 11:30.

Our guest speaker were Michael Clark and Ted McLoof, two graduating Literature Majors. They will be sharing their experiences working in Co-ops as part of fulfilling their majors. Michael interned at The Margaret Sanger Papers Project at NYU and at The Feminist Press. Ted McLoof spent a summer in Seattle and interned at 826 Valencia, the charity outreach program created by author Dave Eggers.

Michael Clark and Ted McLoof address the guests at the luncheon.

SIGMA TAU DELTA 200

The Literature Convening Group congratulates our Majors who have been honored at this year’s Convocation.  Following each student’s name are comments solicited by the Literature Faculty

Outstanding graduating senior or January graduate: Patrick Stickles
From the
Patrick is an exemplary student whose academic writing is passionate and rigorous. He does not write safe papers or make safe arguments in class.  One of his professors happily recalls being surprised that Patrick was one of the last students to complete the final exam, as his professor did not think it would be much of a challenge for him.  It turns out that the exam was not a challenge.  Patrick had finished early and spent the rest of the time writing an additional essay regarding a minor difference of opinion from earlier in the semester.  What a pleasure to encounter a student who mulls over issues of poetry and beauty and who can write about them as well.

Patrick’s literary insights, his skills as a writer, his wry humor, and his ability to communicate have led not just to his exemplary GPA, but to his winning several merit scholarships. 

Patrick Stickles is a talented, driven young man.  He will be do excellent graduate level work at one of the several excellent schools he’s been accepted (including Harvard, Columbia, and NYU!). One day he will be an excellent teacher and scholar.  His professors balance their pride in his accomplishments with their sadness at seeing him go!

2. Ramapo Book Prize for Academic Excellence: Kathy Pandise
Kathy Pandise is an exuberant reader of literature, one who shares her intelligence and enthusiasm with her fellow classmates and professors. She has been a joy to have in a class, and in the literature program.

Kathy Pandise is a “pace-setter” student.  She rouses the class to her, and raises the level of discussion.  She makes it clear that literature is something to value, to cherish, that it is not just a degree to be earned.

3. Lee Sennish AWARD: Moriah Cohen
Moriah Cohen excels in Creative Writing and Poetry here at Ramapo. She is a full
time student and a full time single mother of a three year old. While she does excel
here, she will excel next year when she joins the MFA program in Creative Writing
at Rutgers Newark, She was one of three to receive fellowship funding in support of
her graduate work there. In short, she is a model student that makes the model
students envious.

4. ERNEST SIMON AWARD.  Please divide the award between Laura Beth Izzo and Katie Knarr
Laura Beth Izzo
Laura Izzo is a dedicated student with a strong work ethic, a powerful intellect and an intuitive sense of how to communicate her ideas. She is a class leader

Laura Izzo is one of the students every Literature professor knows and is overjoyed to see on their rosters.  She writes sophisticated, intelligent essays, the kind one puts at the bottom of the pile to savor at the end of a night of grading!

Laura’s strengths include her intellect, her willingness to participate in and lead class discussion.  She is able to generate bold, original ideas rather than simply recycle tired paper topics.

Katie Knarr
   Katie Knarr has impressed her professors with with her academic abilities and her abilities to relate to others.  She is an intelligent, hard-working, and extremely pleasant person.

Despite her outstanding knowledge and ability, Katie is humble and good-humored, always open to others’ ideas in the classroom, and supportive of her fellow students.  She comments typically only to share her most insightful observations, which are well worth hearing.  She is curious, and when interested in a topic, takes time on her own to pursue more information about it:  a delightful quality, indeed. Truly, she is a model student in every way one can imagine.