English Department – English

Uncovering the Written Hand: Emily Walker Completes McNeil Paleography Workshop

morinm — Thu, 28 May 2026 16:00:47 +0000

English undergraduate student Emily Walker recently completed The Lost World of Handwriting: A Workshop in English Paleography, 1500–1850, offered through the (MCEAS).

Selected from a competitive pool of applicants across MCEAS Consortium institutions, Walker joined the workshop led by Heather Wolfe, Curator of Manuscripts at the Folger Shakespeare Library and leading English paleographer. Through virtual sessions and an in-person day in Philadelphia, Walker developed literacy in reading historic handwriting styles, examined manuscript collections, and practiced writing with ink and quills.

It’s harder than it sounds. To the untrained eye, historic English handwriting, particularly “secretary hand,” the dominant script from the late 15th through the mid-17th century, can look like little more than chicken scratch. But even once you learn to recognize the letterforms, the challenge isn’t over: the alphabet was slightly different, spelling was inconsistent, and words were abbreviated in ways that can turn even a short sentence into a puzzle.

Walker’s completion of the workshop means she can now read what others can’t and bring those voices from the past back to let them speak to us.

Montclair students interested in future MCEAS opportunities are encouraged to contact Montclair State MCEAS mentor Steffi Dippold at dippolds@montclair.edu

Announcing the 2026 English Department Scholarship and Award Recipients

morinm — Fri, 01 May 2026 15:07:30 +0000

The English Department is excited to announce the 2026 recipients of the Department’s various scholarships and awards. You can view descriptions and qualifications on the Awards and Scholarships page.

Department Scholarships and Awards

Frank G. and Nicole McGuire Scholarship: Madelyn McDevitt

Bessie Saslaw Solomon Memorial Scholarship: Samantha Shalongo and Lena Stein

Shari Kandell Scholarship: Robert Moore

Marie Frazee-Baldassarre Award for Excellence in Writing about Film: Gabrielle Williams

Bernard Fleischmann Memorial Award: Ashley Harkcom

Janet Holt Scholarship: Amina Odinaeva
Elizabeth Dean Eler Memorial Award: Malak Bayoumy

English Department Teacher Education Award: Mariam Kamladze

Anthony Lovasco Shakespeare Award: Avery Maglies

Murray Prosky Prize in Irish Literature: Amina Odinaeva

Vivien L. Kwiatek Scholarship: Victony Garcia, Rylee Garrett, Paula Milian, Hailey Read, Althea Shatsky, Leila Vinnik, Tianna Willie

Graduate Scholarships and Awards

Mary Bondon Graduate Scholarship: Chris Recio

Lawrence H. Conrad Memorial Scholarship: Hailey Read

English professor Jeffrey Gonzalez publishes an article on 9/11 representations in fiction

miethk — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 19:47:57 +0000

Jeffrey Gonzalez, an associate professor of English, has published an article in the peer-reviewed journal “Studies in American Fiction.” His essay, “,” analyzes the unusual decision made by each author to feature 9/11 content on their very last page while otherwise not addressing the tragedy. The article places these three works within the broader history of 9/11 representation in fiction and covers debates about the ethics of covering the terror attacks.

Patricia Matthew Featured in Britannica and Smithsonian for Jane Austen Scholarship

miethk — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 14:37:07 +0000

Patricia Matthew, associate professor in the English Department, is a specialist in nineteenth-century British literature and culture, particularly the works of Jane Austen. Her expertise has been recognized beyond the university, and she was recently featured in celebrating Austen’s birthday. Matthew was also included in a . Her work highlights Austen’s enduring relevance and the continued cultural significance of classic literature.

Pulitzer Prize–Winning Author Junot Díaz to Headline VOCES Latino Thought Leaders Series at Montclair

morinm — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 20:45:19 +0000

, in partnership with ��vlog’s , is proud to announce that Pulitzer Prize–winning author Junot Díaz will appear in Montclair on Thursday, December 4, at 6:30 p.m. as part of .

VOCES, created by Latinos of Montclair, is a Latino thought leaders series dedicated to creating an open space to uplift the voices and perspectives of Latino/e authors, artists, elected officials, community advocates, business leaders, and culture makers. Each gathering is designed to create space to reflect on Latinidad at this moment – its complexities, its beauty, and its future.

The event will take place at ��vlog’s Conference Center and is expected to draw an audience from across New Jersey of community members, students, and literature enthusiasts.

Díaz, best known for his celebrated works The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao and Drown, has long been recognized for his groundbreaking exploration of identity, diaspora, and belonging. His writing, deeply rooted in the Dominican American experience, has reshaped contemporary literature and inspired a generation of readers and writers to examine the intersections of culture, history, and imagination. In recent years, Díaz has extended his voice beyond fiction, contributing powerful op-eds that confront the realities facing American Latinos amid an increasingly polarized political climate.

At this special VOCES event, Díaz will discuss “the intersections of culture, history, and imagination in the context of the current political climate,” engaging in a candid fireside conversation followed by an audience Q&A and book signing.

. ��vlog students, faculty and staff can attend for free, but must reserve a ticket and show their University ID at the door. Books will be available for purchase on-site.

�ٲ��ٱ�:��Thursday, December 4
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: University Hall Conference Center

About the VOCES Latino Thought Leaders Series

The VOCES Series, created by Latinos of Montclair, is dedicated to uplifting the voices and perspectives of Latine authors, artists, elected officials, community advocates, business leaders, and culture makers. Each gathering creates an open space to reflect on Latinidad at this moment – its complexities, its beauty, and its future. Through intimate fireside conversations, VOCES celebrates literature, identity, community building, and the power of storytelling to inspire social and cultural transformation.

About Latinos of Montclair

Latinos of Montclair is a New Jersey–based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering community, celebrating culture, and amplifying the diverse voices of the Latino community through arts, education, and civic engagement. The organization produces signature cultural programs such as the Latino Heritage Celebration, Día de los Muertos Festival, and the VOCES Thought Leaders Series.

Announcing the 2025 English Department Scholarship and Award Recipients

morinm — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 16:16:13 +0000

The English Department is excited to announce the 2025 recipients of the Department’s various scholarships and awards. You can view descriptions and qualifications on the Awards and Scholarships page.

Department Scholarships and Awards

The Frank G. and Nicole McGuire Scholarship:��James Diamond

The Bessie Saslaw Solomon Memorial Scholarship:��Victony Garcia

The Shari Kandell Scholarship: Jordan Newbury

The W. Leonard Newman Award:��Julia Abata

The Bernard Fleischmann Memorial Award:��Faith Monesteri

The Elizabeth Dean Eler Memorial Award: Miranda Kawiecki

The English Department Teacher Education Award:��Menen Gowdie

The Anthony Lovasco Shakespeare Award: Jenny Both

The Murray Prosky Prize in Irish Literature: Cailin Carragher

The Janet Holt scholarship:��Miranda Kawiecki

The Vivien L. Kwiatek Scholarship: Jacob Kaczorowski, Andres Lopez, Annette Torres Moya, Ptissem Assou, Natalie Mignanelli, Samantha Granados, Debbie Martinez

Graduate Scholarships and Awards

The Mary Bondon Graduate Scholarship: Faith Monesteri

The Lawrence H. Conrad Memorial Scholarship: Briana Tolbert-Fitzgerald

Creative Writing Awards

Johnny Muller Memorial Scholarship in Fiction

First place: Kate McKeever – “Wax Fruit”
Second Place: Kaitlyn McCarthy – “Palm to Palm”

Tom Benediktsson Award for Poetry

Winner: Josephine Estes – “Eponym Driving,” “Laps,” and “Diary,”
Runner-up: Sophie LeManquais – “Predispositional,” “Road Thoughts,” and “What I Have Now”

English Department Award for Flash Fiction

Winner: Abigail Makovoz – “Grisha’s Dream”
Runner-up: Katelyn McKeever – “BlackDog, Running”

Minnie Max Award for Creative Nonfiction

Winner: Oluwaferanmi Fadayomi – “Call Me by My Name”
Runner-up: Josephine Estes – “In a Field”

View past winners here

University-Wide Creative Writing Contests

morinm — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 15:45:46 +0000

The English Department is pleased to announce that the submission period is open for the 2025 Creative Writing Awards. All current Montclair State undergraduate students, regardless of major, can enter the awards listed below. For a full list of all awards offered by the English Department, please visit the Awards & Scholarships website.

Deadline for all submissions: 11:59 p.m. on Monday, April 7. Decisions by late April.

Four Creative Writing Awards (open to all Montclair State undergraduate students):

�� submit one story or excerpt from a longer piece (must be labeled as such), limited to 20 pages total, double-spaced. $1000
�� submit a maximum of three poems. If you are submitting more than one poem, the limit is 60 lines per poem. If one long poem, the limit is 150 lines. $300
�� submit a single piece of fiction under 1,000 words, not including the title. It must be self-contained, not part of a larger work. $300
�� submit one piece of nonfiction writing, limited to 20 pages total, double-spaced. $300

For any clarification about details, please email Lee Behlman,�� Adam Rzepka, or David Galef.

Professor Furr’s Book Translated in Greek

morinm — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 15:35:38 +0000

Professor Grover Furr’s book, Khrushchev Lied, has been translated and published in . The original book, first published in 2011, is available on Amazon.

Creative Writing Instructor, Jill Rosenberg, wins St. Lawrence Book Award

miethk — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 22:38:34 +0000

Creative Writing instructor, Jill Rosenberg, won the Her short story collection, Now I’m Photogenic and Other Stories I Tell Myself, will be published by Black Lawrence Press in the Summer of 2026.

English Club Recruitment

miethk — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 15:26:34 +0000

The is looking for new members! We produce one season of The and publish one issue of the Alumni Newsletter every semester. If you’d like to get involved in a podcast or journalism, check out what we do!