NATCHITOCHES – The Northwestern State University Department of English, Languages and Cultural Studies held their annual Senior Symposium and Honors Convocation April 29.
Five seniors presented work during the opening session. They included Tyrenisha James of Brusly reading an excerpt from “Moriah & the Malfunction,” Haley Summerlin of Natchitoches reading an excerpt from the graphic novel “Bloom,” Hosue Ray Rodriguez of Franklin presenting an excerpt from “The Son of the Americans,” Haley Crosby of Benton presenting “In the Frozen” and Kimtang Eung of Buras with “Cambodian Cuisine.”
Department Head Dr. Thomas Reynolds presented winners of departmental awards for the 2022-2023 school year. Each student received a certificate and cash prize.
The Excellence in First-Year Writing Award recognizes student essays submitted in English 1010 or 1020 during the academic year. Student essays are nominated by instructors and judged by a small committee of English faculty members. Winners were Lainie Marceaux of Kaplan for “A Compromise on Gun Control to Reduce Mass Shootings” and Anthony Knight Winnfield of for “Cybersecurity and How It Can Be Better.” Their instructors, Heather Salter Dromm and Sadeem El Nahhas, recognized the students.
Laila Salas of Leesville won the award for Outstanding Foreign Language Student. The honor is given to a non-native speaker of Spanish who is minoring in Spanish and who has demonstrated outstanding work in the study of the Spanish language and Hispanic culture. Salas demonstrated dedication to the learning of the Spanish language in the classroom and has sought opportunities outside of the classroom to further her understanding of the Spanish language and Hispanic culture.
The Dr. Ellis Melder Award for Excellence in Literature is given to a student in recognition of their outstanding work in British or American literature. This year the honor went to Ange Saldivar of Brownsville, Texas.
The Larry Monk Young Poet’s Prize is given to an undergraduate student who has demonstrated both skill as a creative writer and passion for the creative writing community. Originally created with a poet in mind, the award may also be given to writers who excel in other genres of creative writing. Hosue Rodriguez earned this honor.
Marko Bones of Cotton Valley was presented The Dr. and Mrs. Randall J. Webb Award for Outstanding Undergraduate English Major. The award is given to a senior English or English Education major chosen by the faculty on the basis of scholarship and contributions to the department and discipline.
The Dempsy Perkins Award for Outstanding Folklife-Southern Culture Graduate Student recognizes the achievements of the student in this track who has actively worked to document oral narrative, folklife and/or produce publications in the aforementioned fields or in the literature of the southern United States. Regina Brossett of Natchitoches received the award.
Juliet Ellinger of Stockton, California, won The Dr. and Mrs. Donald W. Hatley Award for Outstanding Graduate Student in English award given to the graduate student who demonstrates a commitment to professionalism in the discipline through scholarship, work within the Department, and/or participation at conferences or publications.
The standing room only ceremony also honored graduating seniors in both the undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Information on NSU’s Department of English, Languages and Cultural Studies is available at https://www.nsula.edu/english/.
Pictured:
Students honored during the Department of English, Foreign Languages and Cultural Studies Senior Symposium and Honors Convocation were, front row from left, Ange Saldivar, Regina Brossett, Lanie Marceaux and Laila Salas. On back row from left are Haley Crosby, Haley Summerlin, Tyrenisha James, Hosue Rodriguez, Marko Bones and Anthony Night. Not shown are Kimtang Eung and Juliet Ellinger.
