Student Activities

The Department of English sponsors a number of activities for majors.

English Student Groups:

• Writers' Ring is a club that meets once a month in the English Department Reading room (127 Fenton) to experiment with new and exciting creative writing exercises and help plan area open-mic poetry nights and other writing activities for the campus community. 

 President for 2012-13: Deborah Balicki

For more information, contact faculty advisor Sarah Gerkensmeyer.

• Sigma Tau Delta is the International English Honors Society. The SUNY Fredonia chapter sponsors activities for English students, faculty, and the broader community. Recent and ongoing events include "Coffee Talks" with departmental faculty and students, and community literacy programming. Applications are available in the spring semester. 

President for 2012-13: Jill Durland

For more information, contact faculty co-advisors Professor Aimee Nezhukumatathil or Emily VanDette.

Writing opportunities:

• Writing for Fredonia's award-winning newspaper, The Leader.
• Participating on Fredonia's creative writing blog: Writing at SUNY Fredonia.
• Regularly scheduled Poetry Readings offer students an opportunity to enjoy the camaraderie of sharing work from creative writing classes in an informal and supportive setting. The department also sponsors readings from "professional" authors, poets and lecturers each semester to the benefit and delight of our students.

  2010 Student Research Expo.

• The Trident is the campus literary magazine affiliated with ENGL 261:Introduction to Literary Publishing. The Trident takes submissions of fiction (under five double-spaced pages) and poetry. All students are welcome to submit their work as an attachment with the title and author name in the subject heading to thetridentstaff@yahoo.com. Submissions are read in the early spring of each year.

    Faculty advisor for The Trident: Prof. Dustin Parsons.

A variety of other opportunities exist as well:

• The London Program provides students with the opportunity to study in London with two faculty members. The program involves two separate courses, one on Women's Literature in London and a second on Virginia Woolf. The two-week course involves daily discussion sections and outings to study archival materials and related art and design exhibits in London museums. Students will also take day trips to various locations, such as Oxford, and have a chance to live and study in the heart of Bloomsbury. Faculty advisors: Prof. Adrienne McCormick and Prof. Jan McVicker.
  
  
• The English Education Club provides a way for English Adolescent Education majors to further their education outside the classroom. Each semester members plan and organize professional development activities. Some past examples include Writer's Workshop, Grammar Mini-lessons and Sustained Silent Reading in the high school. The club has also planned charity fund-raisers and social events. Faculty advisor: Prof. KimMarie Cole
  
  
• The Learning Center hires student tutors from various fields of study to assist peers including Writing Tutors.
  
  
• The department also maintains a list of advertisements for students interested in submitting papers for conferences and for competitions across the country.
  
  
• Students and faculty often become involved in community events and assist in a variety of elementary, middle school and high school projects.

Further information:

Student Clubs and Groups | Career Development Office