| What do English majors do
@ Drew? |
You'll find English majors, English minors, and writing minors everywhere
on campus, from tutoring in the Writing Center or working as research assistants,
to working for the Drew Magazine and editing the Acorn.
Below we have listed some activities that seem to be especially popular
with our majors and minors. Let us know if we've missed anything!
If you have pictures of any of these events that you'd like to see on the
page, contact Prof. Jamieson.
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Academic
Internship Program (Formerly Known as "Fieldwork")
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Academic Internships
are approved, supervised, off-campus work experiences that can relate to
any major. The office (in UC 101, by the Snack Bar) provides a regularly
updated list of opportunities by major, and although there are 400 projects
already developed students are encouraged to create their own projects.
An Academic Internship can earn either two or four credits (as INTR 50), and may be applied to both the major and the writing minor. Some
projects are paid, and some are unpaid. In recent years, English majors
and writing minors have completed internships at a teen magazine; for various
television shows; in a number of large and small publishing houses, working
on everything from marketing to editing and on texts ranging from children's
literature to poetry; and in a variety of volunteer organizations where
they used their writing skills to produce brochures, newsletters, and general
mailing. Several of these internships have provided leads for employment
after graduation or opportunities for full-time employment in the company
the student interned with. For more information, contact Flore Dorcely in
UC 101, x3566 Or check out the website.
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The Acorn
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The Acorn, established in 1928, is the independent student newspaper
of the College of Liberal Arts (with contributions from both GS and TS
students). Published on Fridays, The Acorn is available free of
charge at several locations on campus, including the UC and the Commons.
As the most significant forum for University news and student opinions,
The
Acorn features campus news, sports, and entertainment, as well as opinions
on local, state, national, and international issues. While you don't have
to be an English major or a writing minor to work for The Acorn,
many previous Editor-in-Chiefs have been, as have many writers.
The Acorn always welcomes letters to the editor. See Daniel's
Dictionary or the paper for information about submitting letters.
No prior journalism experience is needed to join The Acorn staff,
and they are always looking for new staff members. Editors and managers
provide training in all areas: Writing, photography, layout, paste-up,
advertising, business, and distribution. For more information, visit the
office (behind the UC desk), or send e-mail to acorn@drew.edu.
You can read the Acorn on
line, at www.users.drew.edu/acorn/
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Fieldtrips (a.k.a. "Experiential
Learning")
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In addition to study abroad programs, the department offers the opportunity
for experiential learning a little closer to home. Several different courses
run field trips as part of the course, and the department also sponsors
occasional trips to related events, such as the biannual Dodge Poetry Festival.
Class related fieldtrips include trips to New York theatres, local theatres,
New York, Ellis Island, and The New Jersey Science Center.
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insanity's horse
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The student literary publication, insanity's horse, began as an
alternative literary publication in 1986. No longer just another apolitical
publication, insanity's horse today includes a wide variety of social
commentaries and opinions whispered by the lithe tongues of poets. The
magazine is published once a semester, and is free. Though poetry comprises
the bulk of the magazine, anything that can be put on the printed page
may be included.
All members of the College are encouraged to submit their creative
work. If something is ravaging your mortal soul, or rapture fills your
quaking bones, the editors of insanity's horse want to know. There
are no restrictions. Check Daniel's
Dictionary for more information.
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Inside I
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Inside I, Drew University's poetry magazine, is a student-run publication
dedicated to liberating the poet inside us all. Talk to your muse and then
talk to us. Anyone is invited to submit his/her poetry. Let your voice
be heard.
Inside I is distributed campus-wide in both fall and spring
semesters. The spring issue is devoted to women's poetry and is published
to celebrate Women's History Month.
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Poetry Readings at The Other
End
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On selected Thursdays at The Other End (TOE),
Drew University's own cabaret-style coffee house in the basement of Sitterly
House, poets are encouraged to participate in student organized poetry
slams. Open-mic nights are designed so that students who have imaginative
inner landscapes can unearth the colors, sounds, and smells of their worlds
for others to share. And if you are one of those others, who simply enjoys
being tickled by onomatopoeia or jarred by percussive pentameters, come
down and listen--and wash it down with a mocha cappuccino!
The English department also sponsors an open-mic night once a year
for students in all sections of the poetry workshop (Engl. 108) to share
the product of that course with their peers. Sometimes the faculty share
their work, too.
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revisions
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The publication of the English department writing minor, revisions
is published once or twice a year and includes the essays and articles
written by students enrolled in English 103/The Personal Essay and English
104/ Articles. At the end of the semester, students are invited to submit
their best essays, and the English department then proudly shares these
fine pieces of writing with the rest of the university. revisions
is free.
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Student Representatives to the
Department
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Every year the department invites majors and minors to elect one or two
student representatives to the department. These students attend the monthly
department meetings and report back to the student body. They also bring
student concerns to the faculty, and help to plan department events and
participate in policy decisions. The representatives for 2007-2008 are Gretchen Schulthes and Amanda Brennen.
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Volunteer Work
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Many English majors at Drew share what they have learned and earn valuable
experience by volunteering their time and services to programs both on
and off campus. Some common volunteer positions include tutoring (on- and
off- campus); being a mentor to young, inner-city kid (through the "Ten
Thousand Mentors" Program); and being a conversation partner with
students and the families of students who are just learning the English
language. Check out the newsgroup at for listings of many local opportunities,
and contact Kristin Bruno in UC 106 (next to the snack bar), x 5888, for
more opportunities or just to learn more about how you can share what you've
learned and learn more in the process.
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Work Study
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English majors eligible for work study have a range of ways to earn their
wages in jobs related to their major. Positions include assistants to the
English department, tutoring, working in the library, and tutoring in the
University Writing Center. Every year several English majors are selected
by the department to serve as student assistants who work in close contact
with two or three professors. These students are given tasks that range
from locating sources of information to writing descriptions for the homepage!
This program gives participating students a chance to build up valuable
connections with English professors and to earn their work study wages
while they do it. (Contact the Office
of Financial Aid in Tilghman House for more information about available
positions.) Another possibility for work study students is participation
in the Federal Community Service Program, an opportunity to work off-campus
in a non-profit organization, many of which are highly applicable to English
majors. This program also allows students to earn academic credit. For
more information, contact Flore Dorcely in UC 101, x3566.
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The
Writing Center
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You don't have to be an English major or minor to be a Writing Center tutor.
You just need to know how to write--and know the agony that goes along
with that! Many of the Writing Center tutors are major or minors, though--as
you'll see if you check out the tutor
profiles If you'd like to know more, contact the acting director,
Erec Smith by email
or call her at x 3280.
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Writing Contests
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In addition to the Goin
Prize for Writing awarded to a Senior for his or her fiction or
non-fiction writing or poetry, the department also sponsors occasional
writing contests judged by visiting writers. The winning pieces are
often published in the Drew Magazine (depending on length) and in future
may be published on line. Watch your email and the department website
for announcements of contests and winners. In Fall 2001, a short
story competition was judged by Bill
Norris C'94 and author of Snapshots and Christina Baker
Kline, instructor of creative writing.
[English
Department] [College
of Liberal Arts] [Caspersen
School of Graduate Studies] [Drew University]
Last updated November 15,
2001
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