News

Recent news from the Department of English

2023 Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award Recipients

Congratulations to CLA's Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award recipients Eric Daigre (English) and Matthew Hadley (Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature).

International Women's Day. Collage of female faculty, staff, and students

International Women's Day 2023

We are #UMNproud of all of the ways in which women have positively shaped our CLA community. To celebrate, we've gathered a collection of recent stories featuring women who…

Head and shoulders, long brown hair, white with blue eyes, large grin, blue sweater and small gold loop earrings, in front of a green background

English Major Spotlight: Morgan Hamernik

This senior explores their love of medicine and English with their public health minor and Certificate in Editing and Publishing

Riverbank with green trees, buildings, above still dark water and white riverboat; blue sky with white clouds above; section of fence in left foreground

Apply for the Edelstein-Keller Writer in Residence Fellowship!

Creative nonfiction writers, submit your application by April 3.

2022 Alumni of Notable Achievement Award and Emerging Alumni Award winners

Announcement of the winners of the Alumni of Notable Achievement Award as well as the Emerging Alumni Award.

Person behind lectern, short greying hair, light skin, wearing dark suit and tie and white shirt, gesturing with left hand.

Brian Goldberg recognized by U for teaching

Professor wins Morse-Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education!

On left, person with dark hair to shoulders, light brown skin, wearing blue shirt; on right, illustration of woman in white dress in front of ruins, with yellow text at top and bottom: Brotherless Night, V. V. Ganeshananthan

V. V. Ganeshananthan awarded CLA research support

The professor will work on a multi-genre project related to the Sri Lankan civil war.

person standing by short stone pillars in autumn forest, person's hand is placed a pillar, person is tall, has straight black hair, tan skin, wears a thick blue coat, black gloves, auburn pants, white crocks, and striped scarf

English Major Spotlight: Derek Wong

Double majoring in English and Computer Science, this junior envisions a career path combining those interests.

Head of person with dark curly hair to shoulders and light brown skin; large green leaves at left and bottom right

Prof Megan Giddings Named McKnight Land-Grant Professor

The assistant professor, one of only ten University of Minnesota awardees, receives support in writing her third novel.

Alumnus Tobias Wray Named 2023 NEA Creative Writing Fellow

Congratulations to Tobias Wray (BA '05, English, French) who was named a 2023 National Endowment of the Arts Creative Writing Fellow.

Minnesota Alumni's quarterly books roundup image

Idioms, Mysteries, and Minnesota Athletes

Idioms, Mysteries, and Minnesota Athletes: Several CLA authors are featured in Minnesota Alumni magazine's quarterly books roundup.

Young woman with dark brown hair and light skin smiles in front of a dark blurred background wearing a grey sweater.

English Major Spotlight: Katelyn Strother

Interested in education, this major is pursuing a minor in Teaching English as a Second Language.

Head and shoulders of person with dark curly hair to shoulders, light brown skin, wearing rust and gold scarf, in front of white wall

Meet Assistant Professor Jessica Horvath Williams

The scholar of nineteenth-century culture and disability studies is helping to create a TV show featuring disabled artists in Minnesota.

On left, person with dark hair to shoulders, light brow skin, wearing striped shirt; on right, book cover abstract color background and large white letters: The Women Could Fly, Megan Giddings

Meet Assistant Professor Megan Giddings

The novelist talked about her latest book on Late Night with Seth Meyers in September!

On left, person with dark hair to shoulders, light skin, wearing blue shirt; on right, book cover abstract color background and large white letters: The Return of Faraz Ali, Aamina Ahmad

Meet Assistant Professor Aamina Ahmad

The novelist made the New York Times' "100 Notable Books of 2022" with her debut.

Square book cover with five yellow dabs over peach and white abstract image; black text Optic Subwoof, Douglas Kearney

New Pages: Winter 2022

All about new publications from department professors and alums!

Head and torso of person standing in snow field with distant trees; hair to chin, earing green coat

English Major Spotlight: Emily Judd

This major just returned from studying Jane Austen and women writers at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford University.

Group of over 20 people holding book cover over their faces in blue and white walled room

First Annual High School Literary Festival!

A new collaboration of Creative Writing, College in the Schools, and the Walter Nathan Literary Initiatives brings together a prominent author and high school students.

Graphic of blue-green plant fronds on cream background, with circle photo of person with short grey hair, light skin, wearing dark rimmed glasses and dark suit with maroon/gold tie.

Remembering Thomas A. Keller III

The attorney became a crucial advocate for the Department of English and the renovation of Pillsbury Hall.

Alumni of Notable Achievement awardee Emily Baxter

Emily Baxter: Advocacy through Storytelling

Emily Baxter (BA ‘02, English), 2022 Alumni of Notable Achievement Award winner, puts her “hunger…to hear someone’s story” to use in her advocacy work.