Grad School Workshop held as part of English 489

Dr. Lutz's English 489 Capstone class in TH 229 was the venue for a graduate school workshop held last Tuesday morning, though all students were invited to the event, and many took advantage of the opportunity.

Dr. Kevin Kehrwald, Associate English Professor, opened the graduate school workshop held Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 8 a.m. in TH229 by talking about how to go about getting letters of recommendation for graduate school. Most graduate programs require 2 to 3 letters from past professors as part of their admissions process. Kehrwald's advice included giving professors ample time by letting them know as soon as students know they're ready to apply. He advised students to ask for letters in person, rather than via e-mail, and to make sure professors know what you intend to apply for and where. He also implied that it's a good idea to give the professor an addressed envelope with stamp to make the process easier for him or her. "We've all gotten where we are because of letters, so don't be afraid to ask us for them. It's part of what we do." Kehrwald told students.

Dr. Ralph Brewer, Associate Professor of English Education, talked about the Master of Arts in Teaching, or MAT, program. He handed out packets of admissions information, as well as what the course consists of. He told students that the program accepts only approximately 7 to 10 students per year, and that to get in, students will need to submit a writing sample and be prepared to teach an English lesson as they would teach when certified. On becoming teachers, Brewer told students, "Don't expect to go in and be given the best students."

Dr. Jill Morris, Assistant Professor of English, talked about other graduate programs, including that of Rhetoric Composition, in which students study a lot of critical theory. She also advised students thinking about teaching at the college level: "Don't go to grad school where you'd like to teach. It's considered in-breeding for colleges to hire their own PhD's." Morris talked about assistanceships and how they enable students to persue graduate degrees with less debt and more teaching experience.

Dr. Gerry LaFemina, Associate Professor of English and Director of the Frostburg Center for Creative Writing, spoke about studying creative writing at the graduate level. He advised students to never submit anything that hasn't been critiqued by several different creative writers or editors, and that when applying to grad school, students should submit their very best creative pieces as their writing samples and not be afraid to ask creative writing professors for letters of recommendation. "We're all here because people took the time and energy to talk about us." LaFemina said.

During the question and answer part of the workshop, Dr. Morris told students to first apply to the graduate program they're interested in, then send everything required to the department. "Sell yourself," she said, in regards to the personal statement that many programs require. Dr. Kehrwald chimed in by advising applicants to call the schools and follow up to ensure they received everything. Dr. Mary Anne Lutz, Professor of English, and the teacher of English 489 this semester, closed the workshop by advising students planning to go to graduate school next fall to get started recruiting professors for letters of recommendation now. "It's really important to give professors time to write letters," she said.