Sunday, October 26, 2014

2015 EGSO Conference - Call for Papers



Virginia Tech’s English Graduate Student Organization Presents:

A Conference on Language/Knowledge/Power
Saturday, March 28th, 2015
Shanks Hall, Blacksburg, VA

The English Graduate Student Organization of Virginia Tech welcomes papers and presentations related to this year’s conference theme: Language/Knowledge/Power.

The relationship between language, knowledge, and power is evident in a variety of contexts. For example, a dominant social group in a community can perpetuate its power through language/discourse conventions. Through such conventions, dominant groups can exercise control over knowledge, making it difficult for other marginalized groups to acquire knowledge. Thus, while language may seem neutral, it can actually function to reinforce social hierarchies and inhibit knowledge acquisition. This power dynamic isn’t restricted to one sphere; rather, it permeates throughout literature, theatre, textbooks, media, technical documents, etc.

We invite scholarly and creative submissions that explore the interplay of language, knowledge and/or power in society. Language manifests in many different media, so projects may encompass verbal, literary, visual, or multimodal subjects. Proposals may consider, but are not limited to, the following questions:

1)    How does language resist or submit to structures of power?
2)    What relationships exist between knowledge and power? 
3)    How do language and knowledge enable the performance of power?
4)    How might classroom instructors consider literacies of power in their instruction?
5)    What kinds of knowledges are built in everyday language exchanges?
6)    How does the relationship between language, knowledge, and/or power manifest itself in literature?
7)    How does the relationship between language, knowledge, and/or power in literature address thoughts, anxieties, concerns, etc. of a particular time period?

Proposals for individual papers should not exceed 250 words. Multi-paper panel proposals are welcome and should include separate abstracts for each individual paper. Please submit abstracts to vt.egso@gmail.com by January 15th, 2015. Please include your name, institutional affiliation, field of study, and any technology requests.

Those selected will be notified via e-mail by February 15, 2015.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

2014 Welcome Picnic!

Since the new semester will be starting in a little under two weeks, I want to introduce everyone (new and old) to the Virginia Tech English Graduate Student Organization (EGSO) blog! This blog was created about three years ago to provide information for a graduate conference hosted by our department. We didn't have a conference last year, but I'm hoping we'll be able to have one during the spring semester this coming year. I want to have an interest meeting sometime at the beginning of this semester, so I'll provide more details once I know more.

To kick off the new year and to allow everyone to start getting to know each other better, EGSO will host a welcome picnic on Thursday, August 21st. The details for the picnic are below:

Where: Blacksburg Municipal Park, Shelter #1 (The address given for the shelter is 920 Turner Street NE.)
Date and time: Thursday, August 21st, 4:30 p.m. to dark
Who's invited: New and returning graduate students, faculty, and staff; you can also bring friends/significant others if you'd like!
Food: I'm still planning out the details, but I know for sure that we will have hamburgers/cheeseburgers, hot dogs, black bean burgers, chips with Katie Garahan's awesome homemade guacamole, and a few different pies for dessert. And of course various beverages. You can bring a dish of your own if you'd like, but don't feel like you have to.

Directions:
Head towards the traffic circle on North Main Street. Once you get onto the traffic circle, exit towards the office buildings on the right and continue down North Main Street for about a mile until you get to Patrick Henry Drive. There will be a light with a 7-Eleven on the corner. Turn right at this light and then take your first right onto Giles Road. Then, take your first left onto Turner Street NE. You will then see a parking lot to your left. Park here, and walk across the street to the shelter.

I hope that you all can make it!


Friday, January 13, 2012

CFP Reminder + Keynote Speaker


The English Graduate Student Conference "Re-envision, Re-formation, Re-creation" is rapidly approaching on February 25th. The deadline for paper and creative works proposals is January 15th.

We are proud to announce that Dr. Jasbir Puar from Rutgers University will be providing this year’s keynote address.

Please revisit the CFP here and consider presenting at this great professional development opportunity!

Monday, December 12, 2011

EGSO Announces Travel Scholarships


The English Graduate Student Organization is pleased to sponsor two travel scholarships for graduate students this year. One award will be for the 2012 Association of Writers & Writing Programs conference (AWP), and the other is for the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCCs).

Both awards will be approximately $290 to cover hotel and transportation expenses. To apply for the scholarships, please fill out the attached application and submit the completed form and supplementary information to EGSO's gmail account (VT dot EGSO) by January 15th, 2012. Please direct any questions to the same email.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

VT MFA Poetry Winners Announced


Congratulations to Rob Kenagy, whose poem “End Notes” has won the Virginia Tech/Poetry Society of Virginia Award, sponsored by the Academy of American Poets. MFA writers Michael Roche and James Stolen placed, respectively, as first and second runners-up. 

Rob’s poem will earn him a small cash award, the amount of which will be determined by the Academy of American Poets.

Rob and Michael both will be nominated for the 2012 Best New Poets anthology from the University of Virginia Press. Nominated poets get to submit two poems each to Best New Poets, which showcases the work of 50 emerging writers each year.

Virginia Tech will also nominate all three poems for the 2012 Intro Journals Project, an annual competition from the Associated Writing Programs. Eventual winners of the Intro competition will receive an award letter, publication, and a $100 honorarium.

The judge for this year's competition was Susan B. A. Somers-Willett (who visits Virginia Tech next spring for a reading). All poems entered in the competition were submitted to her in standard format, without any information to identify the author. 

Congratulations again to Rob, Michael, and James.  We know you’ll do a great job representing Tech!

VT MFA Fiction Winner Announced


Congratulations to Kedon Willis, who has won the Virginia Tech Fiction Prize for his short story “Sat’day.”  Mark Derks and Sandra M. Yee placed, respectively, as first and second runners-up. 

Kedon’s story will earn him a small cash award, and Virginia Tech will also nominate his story for the 2012 Intro Journals Project, an annual competition from the Associated Writing Programs. Eventual winners of the Intro competition will receive an award letter, publication, and a $100 honorarium.

The judge for this year's competition was John Dufresne (who visits Virginia Tech next spring for a reading).  All stories entered in the competition were submitted to him in standard format, without any information to identify the author. 

Congratulations again to Kedon.  We know you’ll do a great job representing Tech!

Monday, November 7, 2011

EGSO Conference - Call for Papers


The Virginia Tech English Graduate Student Organization is now accepting proposals for the 2012 conference "Re-envision, Re-formation, Re-creation" on February 25, 2012. EGSO welcomes proposals for paper, panels, and creative works that challenge preconceptions, explore neglected or newly discovered areas, rethink assumptions, and ultimately create new knowledge.

Please submit your 250-500 word abstract for a 20-minute paper in .doc, .docx, or .rtf format as an email attachment through EGSO's gmail account (VT dot EGSO) by January 15th, 2012. Creative works should include a short, descriptive abstract and a sample of the work to be considered. In your email, please include your name, affiliation, email address, phone number, title of paper, and a brief biographical statement. However, do not include your name on the abstract itself.

For more information, please look through the conference pages to the right or contact EGSO President Kaitlin Clinnon through EGSO's gmail account (VT dot EGSO). This is a great professional opportunity for graduate students, so we hope to have many submissions!