Tanaya Winder Poetry Reading and Book Release: Words Like Love

UNM MFA alumna Tanaya Winder will host a poetry reading and book release at Bookworks (4022 Rio Grande Blvd NW) on Tuesday, September 29th, at 7:00pm.

In her debut collection, Words Like Love, poet Tanaya Winder sings the joys, glories, and laments of love. Love is defined by familial, cultural, platonic, and romantic bonds in these passionate and thoughtfully rendered poems. Winder’s voice resonates through the dark—and the light— on a quest to learn more about the most complex of subjects.

Words Like Love is her first full length poetry collection (West End Press, 2015).

Read more writing and find events @tanayawinder.wordpress.com and find her on Twitter @a_girl_on_fire.

MFA Alumna Bonnie Arning's Book Accepted for Publication

Bonnie Arning's The Black Acres has been accepted for publication in The Center for Literary Publishing's Mountain West Poetry Series, and it will come out in June of 2016​. This book was her dissertation, which she defended in the spring of 2013.

PhD Alumna Ashley Carlson accepts Tenure Track position

Please join us in congratulating Ashley Carlson on her Tenure Track position teaching later British literature (18-21st centuries) at the University of Montana Western!

R&W graduates accept Tenure Track positions

Please join us in congratulating two R&W graduates on their Tenure Track positions:

Dan Cryer, Roosevelt University, Chicago.

Mellisa Huffman, San Angelo State University, Texas.

Erin Murrah Mandril Accepts Tenure-Track Position

American Literary Studies graduate Erin Murrah-Mandril has accepted a tenure-track position as assistant professor of English at the University of Texas at Arlington, where she will also be a Faculty Associate for the Center for Mexican American Studies. She will be teaching American and Mexican American literatures. Located in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area, UT-Arlington is the second largest university in the UT system and is classified as a Hispanic Serving Institution and as a “high research activity” institution by the Carnegie Foundation. Dr. Murrah-Mandril would like to thank Dr. Jesse Alemán for his professional guidance over the years, particularly his advice concerning her three peer-reviewed articles and her dissertation, “Out of Time: Temporal Colonization and the Writing of Mexican American Subjectivity.” She would also like to thank Dr. Jonathan Davis-Secord, who led the UNM English Job Seeker’s Workshop in Fall 2014, and the many other faculty members who participated in these workshops. Erin looks forward to working within close proximity to many excellent Texas archives, though she will miss her home state of New Mexico tremendously. Please feel free to send green chili to her new UTA address!

Poets Publishing MFA Dissertations

Nick dePascal, who graduated with an MFA in 2013 and is currently a lecturer in our department, won the first West End Press Poetry Prize.  His book, Before You Become Improbable, is now out from West End Press. Congratulations to Nick!

In addition, Natalie Scenters-Zapico, also a 2013 poetry MFA graduate, has had her manuscript, The Verging Cities, accepted by the Center for Literary Publishing through their Mountain West Poetry Series.​ Congratulations Natalie!

Alumnus Diane Schmidt Wins Writing Award

Diane Schmidt got her MA in Creative Writing from UNM, in Spring 2002. Her MA Thesis was The Collected Works of Earnestine Thebad.

Attached is an article from the Gallup Independent, June 24, 2014.

"Freelance writer wins national award for enterprise reporting"
By Kyle Chancellor, News intern

GALLUP - An Independent columnist exposed a con man working in New Mexico and won a top award from The National Federation of Press Women.

Diane Schmidt won the first place award for enterprise reporting from The National Federation of Press Women for her articles "Who you gonna call, Ghostbusters?" and "Con man who posed as Native fooled merchants, media" which both ran in the Independent.

The first of the two stories appeared in the Independent on April 20, 2013, as the spiritual perspectives column after Schmidt received an irate call from a Native community member. The individual stated that David Rendon, at the time known as David RedFeather, who had recently been featured in the Navajo Times as a Native American healer, promoter, and savior for the merchants of the Old Town business district and who had recently been elected president of the Old Town Merchants Association, was in fact not who he was claiming to be.

The individual claimed that RedFeather was not a Lakola healer as he was claiming and also had an extensive criminal record including a civil complaint in Ramah from 1998 where Rendon was accused of failure to pay rent. The first story didn't name Rendon explicitly because Schmidt could not get absolute confirmation to match the man to the police records.

Through further investigation, Schmidt uncovered an extensive criminal past for Rendon in Utah, Colorado and New Mexico and finally confirmed that it was indeed the same David Rendon. Schmidt reported that the man had conned around $50,000 from people that believed he was a successful businessman, healer, roadman and mystic. What he really was, was a crook, who would prey upon peoples vulnerabilities, taking their hard earned money and bouncing out of town before the boys in blue could catch up to him. The second of the two stories ran on the front page of the Independent on Aug. 21, 2013.

Schmidt submitted the stories to the New Mexico Press Women, where they won first place in enterprise reporting and advanced to the National Federation of Press Women where it also won first place for the same category. The judges commented on the story by saying the stories were a "Great example of enterprise reporting with impact for the community."

Diane says, "The story was a lot of work and cost ten times more time and money than I would ever get paid, as this sort of work always does, so this was sort of my 'reward.'

"The real payback was a call I got some months later from a gal who was helping Rendon where he had resurfaced in the Carolinas, and saw my stories online about him and I was able to advise her to contact the police there instead of her trying to 'save' him."

Richard Vargas' Guernica,revisited Reviewed

This review of Guernica,revisited was just published on Cultural Weekly, an ezine out of L.A. if you haven't had a chance to check it out, this gives you an idea. they also featured three poems from the book.

review
http://www.culturalweekly.com/coming-home-guernica-revisited-richard-vargas/

featured poems
http://www.culturalweekly.com/richard-vargas-three-poems/

Marisa Sikes to teach Middle English at Austin Peay

In April, Marisa Sikes, PhD in Medieval Studies, accepted a tenure-track position at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, one of the Tennessee state universities. She will be joining their faculty as the Middle English specialist with secondary responsibilities in History of the English Language and World Literature. We wish you all the best, Marisa, and a wonderful career.
~Dr. Obermeier

Erin Penner Gallegos Extending Peace Corps Service

Erin Penner Gallegos defended her MA R&W Portfolio in May 2011 and took an appointment with the Peace Corps. She is now back in the US before going back overseas and taking her next promotion appointment in Thailand.

Erin will be here for the Writing the World Symposium on Friday. Another Professional Writing MA success story for our placement records. Erin launched the first WAC Earth Day Symposium which evolved into the Wriitng the World Symposium.  She didn't just theorize about "writing the world"--she's living it.

They will extend Peace Corps service by one year (to start in May, after coming home for a month-long visit). Then back to Thailand, but a new city, and working with the College of Local Administration (COLA) at Khon Kaen University, in Khon Kaen City. Most of the time will be working with the "Youth Anti-Corruption Network" which is a project started at Khon Kaen University through COLA about two years ago with funds from the UN Development Programme. The students who go to COLA will for the most part become government administrators at the local (town / county) level.

Greg Evans Haley the new Strategic Communications Director for ACT Foundation

Greg Evans Haley has landed his dream job in Austin TX as the Strategic Communications Director for the ACT Foundation (a Bill and Melinda Gates Foudation). This is a brilliant placement and exciting news for our Professional Writing Program.

Greg's search committee was very impressed with Greg's work in rhetoric (hermeneutics of John Dewey especially) and Greg's grassroots experience working with Writing Across Communities here at UNM. In Greg's words,

I have accepted a position as Director, Strategic Communications for the ACT Foundation. The foundation was established as a public trust non-profit organization in October, 2013 with the mandate to establish a national learning economy to benefit working learners. The goal is to develop a nationally recognized certification program that allows working learners to gain mobility across industries and across companies based on their skills and training learned on the job. The foundation is working to build a network of industry associations, education, and worker training programs to collaborate in this effort. This economic plan is currently in design and development phase with organizations from all across the country, and across the political spectrum, joining in the effort. The ACT Foundation's role is to develop the strategy, provide funding for innovative solutions, and provide leadership for this nationwide effort. 

As Director, Strategic Communications, Greg's role is to develop the national communications strategy, introduction, and ongoing development of the national learning economy. This involves working with key stakeholders from government, industry, and educational organizations to develop the key messaging, communications strategy, and overall outreach effort to help make this new economy a reality. This is a senior management position at the foundation that is also responsible for managing stakeholder relations, developing the overall framing and direction of the learning economy, and providing internal leadership for the foundation's employees.

Writer's Almanac Chooses UNM MFA Alumni Richard Vargas' Poem to Share

Richard Vargas is one of our MFA alumni, and we are very proud of his work.

As of right now, Writer's Almanac is kicking off National Poetry Month with a poem from my new book, Guernica, revisited. Scheduled for Tues., April 1.

In Albuquerque, the show airs on KANW, 89.1, usually around 8:15 am. This will be the third time Garrison Keillor has read my work on the air, an honor. Hope you give it a listen, and enjoy.
http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/

Richard Vargas
Poet/Editor/Publisher
http://www.richardvargaspoet.com/
https://www.facebook.com/#!/rvargas54
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Mas-Tequila-Review/112489092101207

why i feed the birds

by Richard Vargas

once
i saw my grandmother hold out
her hand cupping a small offering
of seed to one of the wild sparrows
that frequented the bird bath she
filled with fresh water every day

she stood still
maybe stopped breathing
while the sparrow looked
at her, then the seed
then back as if he was
judging her character

he jumped into her hand
began to eat
she smiled

a woman holding
a small god

"why i feed the birds" by Richard Vargas from Guernica, revisited. © Press 53, 2014. Reprinted with permission. (buy now) 

http://writersalmanac.publicradio.org/index.php?date=2014/04/01

The book launch for Richard's new book will be April 26 at the Peace and Justice Center.

Leigh Johnson returns to talk about the Academic Job Search this Friday, Dec. 6 at noon.

Please join us this Friday, December sixth, in the Frank Waters Room at Zimmerman library for Dr. Leigh Johnson's talk and roundtable discussion on navigating job searches in the Humanities. 

 Dr. Johnson received her PhD from UNM's English Department in May of 2011 and attained a tenure-track position at Marymount University in Virginia. Dr. Johnson is now sitting on a search committee that has received hundreds of applicants. She will bring her expertise and insight from both sides of the search process.

This talk will be  a part of Dr. Worden's English 500 Symposium. The symposium will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Dr. Johnson's talk and roundtable will go from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m, and EGSA will provide a light lunch. Please come support your colleagues as they present their original work and absorb the wisdom of a successful UNM alum!

Justin Brock speaks on "The Critical Voices From the Joyous Gard: the Homosocial and the Feminine in the Stanzaic Morte Arthure" Friday, Nov. 1, 12:00 noon

The Feminist Research Institute is proud to host the FRI Research Lecture Series:

"The Critical Voices From the Joyous Gard: the Homosocial and the Feminine in the Stanzaic Morte Arthure"

Justin Brock, PhD Student at the Univ. of Oregon and UNM Alumnus

Friday, November 1, 2013 from 12:00 - 1:00 PM

Mesa Vista 1104 (History Common Room)

http://femresin.unm.edu/events/2013/11/brock/

Justin, as many of you know, was the FRI Graduate Assistant last year and is returning to UNM for this special presentation after graduating with his MA in English with a focus on Medieval Studies.  We are thrilled to welcome him back and we invite you to join us for this event.  We look forward to learning a great deal from his discussion.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at femresin@unm.edu or visit us on the web at http://femresin.unm.edu.

Molly Beer, MFA alumni in CNF, has many triumphs

A newer, faster stronger version of Molly Beer's MFA manuscript, Nightswimming, was a finalist for this year's Graywolf Nonfiction Book Prize.  Her essay “Under the Fifth Sun” has been named the runner-up for this year’s Annie Dillard Prize in Creative Nonfiction by the Bellingham Review.   Her essay “Lifecycle of the Butterflies” is the winner of the Pinch Journal essay prize.  And her essay “Who Made This Grave,” originally published in Vela, is included in Best Women’s Travel Writing.  This is Molly’s second appearance in this prestigious end-of-year anthology.  Molly is currently teaching a writing course in eco-criticism at Scripps College. Bravo, Molly.

Jana Giles receives Professorship at University of Louisiana-Monroe

Alum Jana Giles has recently applied for and received the University of Louisiana-Monroe McKneeley Professorship in English Literature for 2013-16. It provides $5,400 for three years from the university foundation to support her research.

Andrew Mara wins Peltier Award

R&W PhD Alumnus Andrew Mara, associate professor of English, was acknowledged with the Peltier Award at North Dakota State University.
http://www.ndsu.edu/news/view/article/17242/

The Peltier Award was established by Joseph and Norma Peltier to recognize outstanding innovation in teaching. Mara was nominated by Kevin Brooks, professor and head of the English department.

Brooks noted that Mara gives new media assignments that “challenge, engage and prepare students for 21st century citizenship and workplaces.” He also said Mara practices “public, practice-based pedagogies that result in students engaging with the community” and he provides support and innovation for the department’s online courses.

Mara, who came to NDSU in 2006, earned his doctorate in Rhetoric and Writing at the University of New Mexico.

Nicolas Hundley's book, The Revolver in the Hive, has been published by Fordham University Press, and won the “editor’s prize”

Nicolas Hundley, a UNM English alumnus (B.A.,’01), studied literature and creative writing here. He is now Director of Communications at the College of Communication at The University of Texas at Austin.

This year, his book, The Revolver in the Hive, has been published by Fordham University Press. It won the “editor’s prize” as part of the Poets Out Loud competition, and is distributed by Oxford University Press:

http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/general/subject/LiteratureEnglish/Poetry/American/?view=usa&ci=9780823250882

Genesea Carter to teach Rhetoric and Composition at University of Wisconsin

Genesea Carter will be taking a tenure track job at the University of Wisconsin-Stout where she will be teaching rhetoric and composition courses.

Erika Sanchez wins "Discovery/Boston Review Poetry Contest" & Natalie Scenters-Zapico is runner up

Good news from former and current poetry MFA students! MFA grad Erika Sanchez won the "Discovery/Boston Review Poetry Contest" and Natalie Scenters-Zapico, who is defending this spring, won an honorable mention in the same contest!

The prize is a pretty prestigious one:

"Now in its sixth decade, the "Discovery" Poetry Contest is designed to attract large audiences to poets who have not yet published a book. For this sixth year, the 92Y Unterberg Poetry Center is proud to partner with Boston Review.

Many winners of this contest have gone on to distinguished careers as poets, among them John Ashbery, Lucille Clifton, Nick Flynn, David St. John and Rosanna Warren."

Here's the link to the announcement and more information! http://www.92y.org/discovery