English Department

Nebraska Wesleyan University senior Luke Gregerson admits he’s watched his share of the Travel Channel.

“From music to television to food, I spent a lot of time in awe watching the Travel Channel and getting as much Asian media as I could,” said the English and music major from Omaha. “Later on in school, I was able to learn more about Japan in a historical sense, often focusing around music and poetry, and my interest in the country only continued to grow from there.”

“The moment I walked into my first Chinese class, I knew that it was a language I wanted to stick with,” recalled Nebraska Wesleyan University sophomore Terri Seier.

Now Seier is stepping into a Chinese class in Taiwan, thanks to a Freeman-ASIA Award she received in December.

The Freeman-ASIA Award is a national award that provides scholarships for U.S. undergraduates who want to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia.

Nebraska Wesleyan University professor Gerise Herndon has conducted extensive research on Rwandan genocide survivors and through that research she’s learned the role of art in their healing.

Herndon will share her research and experiences during the Faculty Scholarship Presentation on Wednesday, January 24 at 6 p.m. The annual presentation highlights the scholarship of NWU faculty.

Two long-time NWU professors will return to campus on Thursday, November 2, to deliver the annual William C. Kloefkorn Nebraska Writers Series lecture.

The free lecture begins at 7:30 p.m. in Prairie Wolf A&B, located on the lower level of Story Student Center.

The president and CEO of the Center for Media Literacy will deliver this year's Kenneth R. Holder Lecture.

Tessa Jolls will deliver the lecture on Thursday, April 20 at 4 p.m. in the learning commons area, located on the first floor of Cochrane-Woods Library.

Jolls has served as president and CEO of the Center for Media Literacy (CML) since 1999. She also founded the Consortium for Media Literacy. During her tenure at CML, her primary focus has been working in partnership to demonstrate how media literacy works through school and community-based implemention programs. 

Nebraska Wesleyan University’s Spring Visiting Writers Series will feature two poets.

Poet Brenda Shaughnessy, associate professor of English and creative writing at Rutgers University-Newark, will give a reading on Thursday, March 30. Poet and essayist Brian Blanchfield, visiting faculty at The Iowa Writers’ Workshop, will give a reading on Thursday, April 13.

"The pen is mightier than the sword."

Though a common proverb in the writers' world, following this mantra is much more difficult to do when attempting without a pen, or, more appropriately, without a voice.

English and gender studies major Abby Feden thought she had a strong writer's voice when she left for the Juniper Summer Writing Institute last summer. However, the young writer was pleasantly surprised when, upon arrival to the program, she uncovered a voice that was much stronger.

A former surgical assistant and current Nebraska Wesleyan University English professor who found herself more interested in writing about surgery than performing it, will deliver the university’s annual Faculty Scholarship Presentation on Wednesday, January 25.

Mary Hickman, visiting professor of English, will present, “Rayfish, Writing Across the Disciplines.” The free lecture begins at 7 p.m. in Olin B Lecture Hall, located one block east of 50th Street and St. Paul Ave.

Renowned poet Claudia Rankine will headline Nebraska Wesleyan University’s Visiting Writers Series.

The award-winning author will give a free reading of her poetry on Tuesday, October 11 at 6:30 p.m. in O’Donnell Auditorium, located at 50th Street and Huntington Ave.

Nebraska poet Marjorie Saiser will deliver the William C. Kloefkorn Nebraska Writers Series lecture on Thursday, April 28 at Nebraska Wesleyan University.