English students present at regional conference

To present at the conference, the students – Alyssa Ermish, Stephanie Gardener, Marqui Keim, Carlie Enns, Zane Hesting, Kaitlin Macke, and Jessica Hanks – were chosen by Sigma Tau Delta High Plains Regent Dr. Lexey Bartlett, an Associate Professor at Fort Hays State. Chadron State had the most students presenting at the conference in the High Plains Region, which is comprised of colleges and universities in Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

“To present at the regional conference is a distinction for the students,” said Dr. Steve Coughlin, English and Humanities Assistant Professor, who along with Dr. Kimberly Cox accompanied the students to Fort Hays State. “The students represented themselves well, and they were wonderful advocates for the great student scholarship at Chadron State College.”

Ermish of Wall, South Dakota, and Gardener of Chadron, presented non-fiction pieces. Ermish’s is titled “A-sexual Awakening” and Gardener’s is “Voice.”

Keim, a native of Bridgeport, Nebraska, was the lone CSC student to present a critical essay, titled “It’s My Life: Portia in ‘The Merchant of Venice.’”

Enns of Torrington, Wyoming, and Hesting of Chadron, each presented poems. Enns’ poem is titled “Happy Little Trees” and Hesting’s poem is named “Love’s Bramble.”

The remaining students – Macke of Newcastle, Wyoming, and Hanks of Kimball, Nebraska, – presented fiction pieces. Macke’s is titled “Inheritance” and Hanks’ is named “Dressing Room.”

“The papers were well-written and well composed but they also produced good discussions,” Coughlin said. “Our students comported themselves so well, and their ability to talk in detail about complex issues in the world of literature and writing speaks to a special dedication these students have to the world we live in and the world they want to create.”

Cox said the students also had the opportunity to network with other students in the region to propose a roundtable on familial relations in the “Harry Potter” series for the International Convention in Cincinnati in March and a few CSC students plan to apply. In addition, students took part in an open mic and interacted with award-winning poet Chuck Carlise, who teaches at the University of California-Santa Cruz.