Tag Archives: wmu

Jaimy Gordon’s “Lord of Misrule” in the spotlight again

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Deb| Leave a comment

By Katy TerBerg

Prize-winning author and WMU Professor of English Jaimy Gordon.

WMU has been fortunate enough to have great authors in its faculty and  students, and Professor of English, Jaimy Gordon, is setting the bar a little higher. Gordon published her third novel, “Lord of Misrule,” in 2010 to critical acclaim. Gordon’s novel won the National Book Award for Fiction in 2010 and was voted one of Amazon’s Best Books of the Month in November of 2010.

Most recently, Gordon has been selected as one of the longlist finalists for The Orange Prize for Fiction, the UK’s only annual book award for fiction written by a woman. According to the official website for the award, The Orange Prize, which is celebrating its 17th year, celebrates “excellence, originality, and accessibility in women’s writing throughout the world.”

The announcement coincides with International Women’s Day. The Orange Prize for Fiction shortlist will be announced on April 17, with readings occuring on May 29 and an awards ceremony on May 30.

“Lord of Misrule” is about “trying to figure out what the shape of your luck on Earth is and, one way or another, come to terms with that. It’s very much about courting that message from the gods that you were destined for something special, and most of the characters of the book have to settle for what they get,” said Gordon in an interview.

It is difficult to determine whether Gordon was destined for the award or if her hard work and dedication led her to the achievement, but it is clear that Gordon’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. As Gordon herself said, “You certainly expect your family, the future generations, to remember you or have some impression of you.”

We believe Gordon will continue to leave a lasting impression.

Links:

Department of English
About Jaimy Gordon
The Orange Prize for Fiction

 

Posted in Faculty News, Learner Centered

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German professor publishes second work of fiction

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Deb| Leave a comment

German professor Peter Blickle publishes his second novel, "Von einer Lieve zur andern".

WMU’s Dr. Peter Blickle, professor of foreign languages, is once again being recognized for his way with words. Blickle has received much acclaim for his second work of fiction, “Von einer Liebe zur andern” (“From Love to Love”).

Blickle, who teaches German at WMU and serves as an advisor for the German program, is the author of two scholarly books, “Heimat: A Critical Theory of the German Idea of Homeland” and “Maria Beig und die Kunst der scheinbarnen Kunstlosigkeit” (“Maria Berg and the Arts of Appearing Primitive)” as well as the novel “Blaulicht im Nebel” (“Ambulance in Fog”). He also translated Rosina Lippi’s novel, “Homestead,” into German.

The novel creates an unlikely relationship between a literature professor from Germany’s upper Swabia and an American-Jewish violinist. The relationship serves as a counterbalance to German history and gives his story “scenic images and rich metaphors of language often purposefully and eloquently mysterious in their tension and struggle.”

This novel has already received acclaim in Germany – most notably through a reading invitation, shortly after the novel was published. Dr. Blickle read from his novel on October 18, 2011 to a full house, a mesmerized audience in the medieval city of Pfullendorf in southern Germany.

The reading was organized by the Forum of the Sigmaringen Cultural Circle as part of its series on modern literature in the region. Several newspapers reviewed the presentation, reporting that Blickle “cast a spell over the audience” and that available copies of Dr. Blickle’s novel sold out quickly.

The author explains that his latest novel is about love and its various qualities. Soon, the reader also realizes it is a novel deeply rooted in German history and in the human soul, written in sentence fragments, prompting more questions than answers, in, as one reviewer notes, a sort of Hemingway approach.

Links:
Department of Foreign Languages
About Peter Blickle

 

 

 

Posted in Faculty News, Globally Engaged

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Meet the Students-Part I

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Deb| Leave a comment

In this first of a series of videos, meet geosciences students who are crazy about their programs.

What is it about rocks and Ann Gilchrist?

Allie Wyman is headed for her master’s degree at WMU.

Links:

Department of Geosciences

 

Posted in Discovery Driven, Meet the Students

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Alumnae Melinda Moustakis named Hodder Fellow

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Deb| Leave a comment

Melinda Moustakis, WMU alum and award-winning author.

The Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University has announced the selection of Western Michigan University alumnae and award-winning author Melinda Moustakis as one of four writers named a Mary MacKall Gwinn Hodder Fellow for the 2012-13 academic year.

“The Hodder Fellowships are awarded to artists during that crucial period when they have demonstrated exceptional promise, but not yet received widespread recognition,” notes Lewis Center Acting Chair Michael Cadden in making the announcement. “We have a very strong and diverse group of artists joining us next year, and we look forward to what this opportunity for what Mrs. Hodder termed ‘studious leisure’ will enable them to accomplish.”

Moustakis plans to work on her first novel during her fellowship, a full-length book that captures the Alaskan fishing community and its many complicated relationships between fishermen, fisherwomen, guides, locals, tourist, scientists and the wilderness and wildlife.

“I am very excited and honored to be a Hodder Fellow next year,” Moustakis says. “What a dream–to be given time and resources to devote myself to writing the next book, to be part of an arts center that houses creative writing, dance, visual art and other media, where writers such as Chang-rae Lee, Joyce Carol Oates and Jeffrey Eugenides are members of the creative writing faculty.”

Moustakis cites WMU as a major player in her success. “One thing about Western’s program is, it’s not interested in making every student be a certain type of writer,” said Moustakis in a press release.

Links:

Melinda Moustakis’ official website
WMU Spotlight on Melinda Moustakis

 

Posted in Alumni Activity, Learner Centered

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Maarten Vonhof awarded $180,000 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Grant

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Deb| Leave a comment

By Katy TerBerg

Dr. Maarten Vonhof, associate professor of biological sciences wants to know what’s causing “the worst wildlife health crisis in memory.” According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, it’s White Nose Syndrome (WNS) in North American bats, and Vonhof recently was awarded $180,000 to further his research on WNS.

WNS is a fungal disease which has killed millions of bats in eastern North America. Vonhof and his research team plan to test a new, biocompatible and inexpensive compound to aid in slowing the growth of the fungal infection. The compound, said Vonhof, is shown to “not have any harmful effects on the bats.”

Dr. Maarten VonHof associate professor of biological sciences.

So far, Arcadia National Park, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the states of Alaska and Kentucky have confirmed the existence of WNS, and additional reports in Liberty Park, Ohio, and the states of Delaware, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont and New Hampshire point to the need for a solution.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, White Nose Syndrome is “the worst wildlife health crisis in memory.”

Vonhof comes to the project with a long history of work focused on temperate and tropical bats and birds. He relates his findings on habitat use, dispersal, and social behavior to patterns of population differentiation at multiple spatial scales, ranging from local genetic variation to range-wide patterns of phylogeography.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is an organization dedicated to “conserving the nature of America,” and the conservation of wildlife animals, including bats, is included in their mission statement advocating conservation.
Links:
Dr. Vonhof’s profile.
WMU Department of Biological Sciences
U.S. Fish & Wildlife’s overview of White Nose Syndrome.

 

Posted in Discovery Driven, Faculty News

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WMU plans expanded pedestrian mall

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Deb| Leave a comment

By Katy TerBerg

WMU is known for its innovate practices in attracting both students and non-students to its campus. Soon, WMU will have an addition to its already impressive offerings with a new pedestrian mall on main campus near the new Sangren Hall.

Artist's rendition of the walkway with the new Sangren Hall pictured in the background.

The  pedestrian mall will connect with or expand the Bronco Mall to the west of the Flagpoles area. The new construction proposes new vehicle access routes, new and relocated utilities, systems to handle stormwater, and walkways and landscaping around the building’s perimeter.

Construction of the pedestrian mall project will begin in late August 26, 2012, with construction broken into six phases, depending on weather conditions.

  • Phase 1: August 26- March 1
  • Phase 2: March 2- March 11
  • Phase 3: March 12- April 29
  • Phase 4: April 30- May 13
  • Phase 5: May 14- August 24
  • Phase 6: September 4- May 1

Several of the usual paths of transit will be affected by the ongoing changes in construction, visitors to campus may want to seek alternate routes. At the project’s end, more vehicle parking will be  available around the limits of campus, which has long been the goal of campus planners. Moving traffic away from the center of campus and encouraging foot traffic is a way to plan for a more sustainable, more active campus community.

The new pedestrian mall is predicted to be a draw for faculty, staff, students and will encourage less vehicle use,  heighten safety standards of campus traffic, and create a more attractive student-centered atmosphere.

Links:
Watch an ongoing live video stream of the construction.
Follow updates of the mall design.

 

 

 

Posted in Learner Centered

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Ph.D. Candidate Earns Poetry Society Place

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Deb| Leave a comment

Glenn Shaheen, Ph.D. poetry student and award-winning writer.

By Katy TerBerg

The Poetry Society of America recently announced that Ph.D. poetry student, author and editor Glenn Shaheen has been chosen as a finalist for the Norma Farber First Book Award for his book of poems, “Predatory.”

This award was established by the family and friends of Norma Farber, poet and author of children’s books, for a first book of original poetry written by an American and published in either a hard or soft cover in a standard edition in 2011. Translations are ineligible, as are chapbooks.

Originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Shaheen’s life as a scholar has been nomadic. He received his MFA in creative writing from the University of Houston and moved to Michigan to co-edit NanoFiction, a literary journal of flash fiction, or stories with 300 words or fewer. He also serves on the board of directors for the Radius of Arab-American Writers, Inc.

The University of Pittsburgh Press published “Predatory” in August 2011. The book  won the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize and was given glowing reviews by critics and fellow authors Ed Ochester, Quan Barry, Tony Hoagland and Nick Flynn. Flynn described “Predatory” as “a phenomenal first book—who knew a complete guide to catastrophe and mayhem could be so engaging?”

Shaheen has published 27 poems, 12 pieces of fiction and two reviews. He’s also a talented musician, having written, sung, and played the guitar for several songs found on Youtube. He frequently posts on Twitter about upcoming reading events as well as personal quips.

Links:

Poetry Society website
Glenn Shaheen’s official website
Glenn Shaheen’s Twitter
 Shaheen’s interview with WMUK

 

 

 

 

Posted in Discovery Driven, Learner Centered

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WMU’s “Grand Tour” Provided Taste of Europe for Alumna

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Deb| Leave a comment

Ashley Fitzgerald, WMU alum and past Study Abroad participant.

By Katy TerBerg

If you had the chance, would you rather travel abroad in France, Italy or Switzerland? What about Spain—or England? Thanks to the 2009 Grand Tour of Europe, a WMU study abroad program, making that choice was a cinch.

Ashley Fitzgerald, CAS alum (B.A. Public Relations ’10), and past participant in the program, is enthusiastic about the opportunities available for students to study abroad.

“I took part in the Grand Tour of Europe a couple of summers ago and it was the most amazing, beneficial thing I’ve ever done for myself,” said Fitzgerald.

“I was able to see the world and learn about various cultures all at the same time,” said Fitzgerald. The pace of the trip may be quick, but students are able to experience many sides of Europe.”

Fitzgerald is currently the communications/web coordinator for Career and Student Employment Services at WMU. Previously, Fitzgerald served as an intern for the Comstock Community Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kalamazoo, and WMU’s Parent and Family Programs Department.

To date there are 25 summer semester, short-term, study abroad programs offered through Western Michigan University’s Diether H. Haenicke Institute for Global Education. Fitzgerald, who graduated from WMU in 2010 with dual degrees in public relations and fashion merchandising, had a taste for cultural communication as well as the high fashions of the European scene. From Hoorn, Amsterdam and Paris to Rome and Vienna, the trip offered a real taste of European art and culture.

Fitzgerald is passionate about utilizing creativity, closing communication gaps, and building relationships. The study abroad program has enabled her to do just that, she said. By becoming exposed to several different countries, Fitzgerald was able to observe the differing styles but common links of communication.

On the whole, Fitzgerald lauds the experience as rewarding and life-changing. “Participating in any study abroad is definitely recommended!” she said.

Links:
WMU Study Abroad
WMU School of Communication
WMU Career and Student Employment Services

Posted in Globally Engaged, Study Abroad

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Alums are Focus of WMU Leadership Colloqium Panel

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Deb| Leave a comment

by Helena Witzke

Communal and personal improvement through making better leaders is the focus of the Leadership Colloquium, an annual event held this past January at WMU. Two College of Arts and Sciences alumni, who were panelists in the event, helped to show their  peers how to take the lead with their WMU degrees.

During the colloquium, participants shared their experiences and perspectives on the qualities of leadership with students, faculty and staff of WMU, as well as the greater Kalamazoo community. Dr. Timothy Greene, WMU provost and vice president for academic affairs, led the panel of discussants.

CAS alumus Dr. Dale Nesbary

Dr. Dale Nesbary and Brenda L. Hunt, both CAS alumni, were two of the four featured panelists at the colloquium Jan. 19. Nesbary, president of Muskegon Community College, earned his master’s degree from WMU in public administration. Hunt, who earned her bachelor’s degree from WMU, also has a master’s in public administration (’86) from Western. She currently serves as the president of the Battle Creek Community Foundation.

CAS alumna Brenda Hunt

Kathy B. Beauregard, WMU director of athletics, and Brad Black, president, CEO and founder of HUMANeX Ventures, were also panelists for the event, which was the best-attended session in memory.

Sponsored by the Office of Faculty Development, the colloquium was created to keep the tradition of continuous improvement in leadership alive. It is held every year, and centers on the sharing of ideas related to leadership on campus, in the larger community and the State of Michigan.

Dr. Andrea Beach, WMU associate professor in the Department of Educational Leadership, Research, and Technology and the director of the Office of Faculty Development, noted a highlight of the colloquium.

“It showcases leaders that have come out of Western,” she says. Panelists such as Hunt and Nesbary provide a “great opportunity for students to take a look at the people they will be in the future.”

Beach emphasized the importance of the colloquium as a way for students to learn how to take firmer hand not only in their academic, but personal education. The colloquium is also a way to recruit for the Academic Leadership Academy—an academic-year-long WMU program which offers faculty and staff an opportunity to hone crucial leadership skills. Members of the ALA showcased their special projects during the reception which followed the panel discussion.

The Fetzer Center Auditorium

Attendants of the colloquium responded warmly as to its impact. In an anonymous feedback survey, one participant wrote this piece of advice: “Follow your passions or ‘talents.’ Just because you have knowledge doesn’t mean you’re meant to do or use that for the rest of your life.”

Another noted changes to be made in everyday professional life: “Based upon today I plan to search for and be challenged rather than intimidated by risks and changes. I have also learned to continually ‘graduate’ and keep learning to fuel my talents and passion.”

This year had a landmark number of attendees; members of the campus and larger Kalamazoo communities came, and several WMU classes were required to attend as part of their curriculum in order to expose them to possibilities of life beyond the university setting. Next year’s colloquium will be held Oct. 7, 2012.
Links:
WMU Office of Faculty Development

Posted in Alumni Activity, Discovery Driven

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Grad Student Granted Fellowship to Study Diversity in Physics Education

Posted on March 23, 2012 by Deb| Leave a comment

by Helena Witzke

Ramón Barthelemy, Physics and MISE graduate student.

Gender studies in the sciences is the focus of WMU physics Ph.D. student Ramón Barthelemy, who recently was awarded not only a graduate assistantship from the WMU Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate, but also a fellowship from the Michigan Space Grant Consortium.

Barthelemy, who is pursuing a doctorate in physics education, is focusing his study on the low gender diversity in physics. Barthelemy notes that “although women [are] very poorly represented in physics overall, they [have] high numbers in certain sub-fields of physics”—areas such as physics education and astronomy tend to be more diverse.

“Though physics does attract many talented scholars from around the world, very few American women, Hispanics, African Americans and LGBT students seek degrees in physics,” he adds.

In order to discover why this might be the case, Barthelemy will be using the MSGC fellowship to travel to large universities and interview women studying astronomy and physics education. He will try to understand why these particular fields attract—and retain—more female students.

Barthelemy gives credit for the advancement of his studies to several WMU faculty, including Drs. Nora Berrah (physics), Charles Henderson (MISE, physics), Bill Cobern (MISE, biological sciences) and Megan Grunert (MISE, chemistry). His course of studies is unique, given that he is simultaneously earning his M.A. in Physics and a Ph.D. in Science Education: Physics through the Department of Physics and MISE, respectively.

Barthelemy has made the most of his time at WMU. He as been invited to teach a gender and women’s studies course; speak at an invited talk on LGBT issues at the American Physical Society March conference; and has founded a chapter of oSTEM (Out in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) at WMU.

 

Links:

Ramón Barthelemy
Michigan Space Grant Consortium
WMU Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate

Posted in Discovery Driven, Learner Centered

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