On Love, Life, and Not Asking the Important Questions: Visiting Writers S.A. Cosby and James Fujinami Moore

Written by Abi Rhee-Vanderwall, Hope College Creative Writing and Communications major On Wednesday, March 20th, students and faculty at Hope College gathered for the newest installment of the Jack Ridl Visiting Writers Series. Margaret Voetberg commenced our night, welcoming the brilliant southern noir author S.A. Cosby and the profound, sensual poet James Fujinami Moore.  Rebekah …

Changing Environments, Changing Identities: Tsering Yangzom Lama and Shane McCrae

Written by Madeline Chrome ‘26 On Tuesday, February 20th, a crowd of Hope College students and faculty gathered in the dimly lit Schaap Auditorium to hear authors Tsering Yangzom Lama and Shane McCrae share their work at the latest installment of the Jack Ridl Visiting Writers Series. As 7 o’clock drew nearer, the chattering of …

New Faculty Spotlight: Professor Liddell

Interview conducted by Piper Daleiden, Hope College English and Psychology Major, Student Managing Editor for the English Department What class(es) are you teaching this year?ENGL 113 — Expository Writing (Course theme: “Coming of Age”ENGL 110+210 — Unauthorized Migration in Contemporary World Literature (Fall)ENGL 110 — From There, From Here: Modern Arab Diaspora Literature (Spring) What …

Yes, And!: How Hope English Builds Friendships That Last a Lifetime

Hannah Jones ’21 and Aine O’Connor ’20 first met as teaching assistants for Natalie Dykstra’s English 113 class in the fall of 2018. They quickly became close friends, and that friendship transcended far beyond their respective English 113 classrooms: they traveled to Paris, became roommates, and took as many English classes together as possible. Both …

Where in the World Can Your English Degree Take You? Alumni Spotlight with Natalie Weg (’20)

Interview conducted by Piper Daleiden, Hope College English and Psychology Major, Student Managing Editor for the English Department What do you do now? And we’d love to hear a bit about how you got there as well. I recently started a new position working for the American Red Cross at their SAF (Service to the …

Rooted in Family, Rooted in History: Big Read Author Conversation with Yaa Gyasi  

Written by Piper Daleiden, Hope College English and Psychology Major, Student Managing Editor for the English Department Two chairs sat in the middle of the stage in the Jack Miller concert hall. In between them was a small table, upon which rested a simple lamp and a novel: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. This setup, although …

Winners Announced for the Hope College Academy of American Poets Prize 2024

Congratulations to this year’s winners of the Hope College Academy of American Poets (AAP) Prize! First place was awarded to AnnaLeah Lacoss, and honorable mention to Elli DiLeonardi. Thank you to all who shared their creative work with us! About the Prize The Hope College Academy of American Poets (AAP) Prize award is funded by the …

The Big Read Kickoff: Dr. Fred Johnson and Dr. Ernest Cole on Stories

By Natalie Glover, a Secondary English Education student and an intern for the Big Read The NEA Big Read Lakeshore program is dedicated to spreading love and passion for reading in Ottawa, Allegan, and Muskegon counties. On Monday, Oct 30, the program had its kickoff event! Hope Professors Dr. Ernest Cole (English) and Dr. Fred …

Navigating the Literary Landscape: Alumni Spotlight with Meaghan Minkus (’11)

Submitted by Hope Senior, Piper Daleiden “Navigating the Literary Landscape: Careers for English Majors” is an alumni panel that will be held on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. in the Boerigter Center’s Learning Lab. Meaghan Minkus ’11, Sarah McCabe ’07 and Chris O’Brien ’12 will share experiences, advice, and practical tips from their …

New Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Esther Odukomaiya

Submitted by Hope College senior, Piper Daleiden What class(es) are you teaching this year? ENGL 113, ENGL 230 (Fall): Ethnic Perspectives in American Literature, ENGL 230 (Spring): Black Women Writers, and ENGL 335 (Spring): Black Science/Speculative Fiction. What do you love about teaching? I derive great satisfaction when I see my students progress –whether it’s in …