Presenters Needed! 2025 Grad English Symposium, Live Online Saturday April 26, Noon Eastern.

We’re still hoping for more grad students to step forward to present at this year’s “Writing / Image / Text” Graduate English Symposium, so please consider sharing something of your work (e.g. scholarly or creative writing) at the event on Zoom, at noon eastern, April 26. Also consider that the thematic title of the symposium, Writing / Image / Text, invites work that goes beyond just literary scholarship or creative writing. We’ve had students present visual-storytelling, have had students present analysis of video games, have had students present studies of visual and studio arts, and more. Anything in the world that can be analyzed and that involves, invites, or even requires interpretation to understand is a text, and so practically any sort of study of any sort of text is welcome and encouraged.

Presenting at events like this is an important step for anyone hoping to step into the profession of higher education in any way, including those who aspire to a PhD program. Beyond that, it’s also a community event, a collegial event, an event where people who appreciate ideas, literature, creativity, media, and the arts in general, can get together for a few hours and enjoy a thoughtful exchange of ideas. So, please consider stepping forward and presenting something of your work alongside your fellow grad-students.

Please write to cloots@mercy.edu asap if you will step forward to present something of your work, or if you have any questions. Those who want to attend but not present are certainly welcome and encouraged to do so too; and again, just write to cloots@mercy.edu to let me know if so. Thank you.

Question Concerning the Summer 2025 MA Course Schedule

Currently we have one summer offering on the schedule, ENGL 517 Advanced Creative Writing. Despite that word “Advanced” this course is open to anyone, no matter if you’re just beginning your journey this summer as a creative writer, or if you’re well experienced in creative writing. In recent years we haven’t had too much demand for summer offerings. Last year we ran two summer courses and while one filled up, the second one only had a couple of students in it. So, the MA program is looking to hear from our students about whether or not a second summer course is wanted. Those who want or perhaps need two summer courses, please send feedback to cloots@mercy.edu to say so.