Pivoting to a Professional Passion: Alumni Spotlight with Katharyn Haas (’15)

Written by Anna Stowe, Hope College Creative Writing Major and 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 am currently the lead agent at Pande Lecture Management (PLM). We assist event hosts who are looking for …

Through Reading and Writing, We Taste Enchantment

Written by Anna Stowe, Hope College Creative Writing Major and Student Managing Editor for the English Department 2024 Critical Issues Symposium The Jack H. Miller auditorium fills slowly. There’s nothing special about today’s set-up, only a lectern poised in the center of the stage. It’s unassuming, even ordinary, a design choice that soon becomes clear. …

English Course Preview – Spring 2025

Take a look at our upcoming offerings as you begin to plan. Be sure to make an appointment with your advisor if you are not sure which English classes to take in the spring.

On Writing, Fishing, and Failing: Alumni Spotlight with Taylor Rebhan (’14)

What do you do now? And we’d love to hear a bit about how you got there as well. My day job is writing advertising, marketing, and brand copy as a Senior Writer at REI Co-op. By moonlight, I write creative non-fiction with the hope of publishing a book of humorist essays. I graduated from …

English and More: Double Majors in the Department

Wondering what a double major with English looks like? Unsure of which majors can be paired with English? Seniors Carole Chee, Will Vance, and Piper Daleiden give us a glimpse into their experiences as double majors and offer insight into how an English major can complement other areas of study. Carole Chee (’24): English and …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …