English Department Events 2023-2024

2024 Nu Sigma Induction

Nu Sigma, the Andrews University Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta (English Honor Society) inducted its new members on Friday, April 19, 2024. New and existing members of Nu Sigma (along with their friends and/or family) enjoyed an evening of fellowship and food. Nu Sigma sponsor, Kylene Cave oversaw the festivities at the end of the meal. Welcome new members!

New Inductees Pictured (left to right): Alyssa Caruthers, Jenae Rogers, and Melissa Moore
Not Pictured: Jinu Kim

2023 English Department Christmas Assembly

During the lead-up to Finals, its hard for students to find time and opportunity to sit back, relax, and have fun, but on December 5, a few of our English majors took the time out of their busy schedules to do just that! Students and professors had fun decorating "ugly sweater" and Shakespeare shaped sugar cookies, designing their own bookmarks, and creating large three-dimensional snowflakes. Hot drinks, festive holiday music, and lots of conversation made this event one to remember.

Pictured in bottom three pictures (left to right): Corinna Bevier, Vanessa Corredera, Monique Pittman, Kristin Denslow, Carrie Hess, Maddi Vath-Taylor, Kylene Cave. Not pictured: Lily Burke.

Michigan Poet Laureate Gives Poetry Reading for English Department Assembly

On November 14, 2023, Nandi Comer was the guest presenter at the English Department Assemly. She read selections from her books Tapping Out (2020) and American Family: A Syndrom (2018). The reading was followed by a Q&A from students and guests and moderated by our very own Lily Burke (senior). Thank you Nandi Comer for sharing your words with us!

2023 Waller Lecture Series Features
Superior Court Judge and Poet

Craig van Rooyen is a poet and a judge in San Luis Obispo, California. He graduated from Andrews University with a BA in Journalism in 1990, then worked as a newspaper reporter before attending law school. He graduated from UCLA School of Law in 1996 and worked as a prosecutor and civil litigator before being appointed to the bench by Governor Jerry Brown in 2016--the same year he graduated with an MFA in poetry from Pacific University. His poems have appeared in Alaska Quarterly Review, Best New Poets, The Cincinnati Review, Narrative, New Ohio Review, Ploughshares, and elsewhere. He is a past winner of the Rattle Poetry Prize and the Neil Postman Award, and is currently Presiding Judge of the Superior Court of California, San Luis Obispo County.

We were honored to have Justice Van Rooyen talk with our students at several events throughout the day on October 12, 2023, which culminated in his lecture entitled "Shame Healing: Poetry and Incarnation" in Newbold Auditorium.

Welcome Back Beach Vespers 2023

On Friday, September 22, the English Department welcomed new English majors and minors into the department family. The venue and view was beautiful, the Silver Beach pizza and salad were delicious, and  the apple cide and pumpkin donuts helped to bridge the gap between summer and fall. And best of all, the company was wonderful!

One of the activities of the evening involved sharing the story of how the students and professors became English majors.

The faculty ended the evening by sharing scripture and poetry that have inspired them along their English and spiritiul journies.