Jane Mai-Ling Maas (BA English with a minor in Business Administration 2017) was valedictorian for the English Department’s Class of 2017. This is the text of her commencement speech delivered to her English peers at the 2017 English Department Commencing on June 19, 2017.

“Decide what your story is” (more…)

Christine Senavsky (BA English, BMus Music Performance 2016) was valedictorian for the English Department’s class of 2016. This is the text of her commencement speech delivered to her English peers at the 2016 English Department Commencement on the 13th of June 2016.

“Studying English is no mere jaunt through the classics’ corridors.” (more…)

Joel Ekdahl (BA 2015) was valedictorian for the English Department’s class of 2015. This is the text of his commencement speech delivered to his English peers at the 2015 English Department Commencement on the 15th of June 2015.

I would like to start by doing something that we as English majors so often do and that is to challenge an assumption. (more…)

Cameron Lambright (BA 2003) has just published a new novel, The Young Garden Manifesto (Incandescence Press, 2014). An English major, graduating from Robert D. Clark Honors College, he attended law school in New York, but soon opted to return home to the Pacific Northwest and pursue his calling as a writer. (more…)

Since earning his Ph.D. in English at the University of Oregon in 1998, Luchen Li has had a rich and varied career as an administrator and scholar of John Steinbeck and American literature and cultural studies. He recently accepted the title of Associate Provost for International Programs at the University of New Hampshire, where he will oversee all international efforts on UNH’s three campuses, Durham, Manchester, and Concord Law School. (more…)

Karelia Stetz-Waters (MA ’03) is English department chair at Linn-Benton Community College. She is also author of two thrillers, The Admirer and The Purveyor (both from Sapphire Books), a young adult novel titled Forgive Me If I’ve Told You This Before (Ooligan Press, coming Oct. 2014), and a romance titled Something True (Grand Central Publishing, coming Winter 2015.) (more…)

Laird Christensen (Ph.D. 99) was appointed to design and direct the newest graduate program at Green Mountain College, a Master of Science degree in Resilient and Sustainable Communities. He was previously the founding director of the Master of Science degree in Environmental Studies, which is the largest graduate program at Green Mountain College, where he has taught since 2000. (more…)

Dan Tannacito (DA ’70; PhD ’72) retired recently (2012) as Emeritus Professor of English from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) after 35 years of teaching and research. He was a Distinguished Professor of Teaching at IUP, a Senior Fulbright Scholar in Turkey, Director of Graduate Studies in Composition & TESOL, and Director of the American Language Institute for 30 years.  (more…)

On March 4, UO professor of English Gordon Sayre delivered the Spring 2014 Presidential Research Lecture: “Lines and Voices: Maps and Narratives in 18th Century Middle America.”

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Jerami chose to be an English major because of her love of the written word and her desire to incorporate literature and art into her future career. After graduation in June 2014, she will be moving to New York City to pursue a teaching assistant position before applying to graduate school.

She is also the founder of Thurston Middle School’s Homework Club. (more…)