Four students present at regional Sigma Tau Delta conference
CHADRON – Four Chadron State College students presented during the virtual High Plains Regional English honorary Sigma Tau Delta conference Oct. 23. They are Ashtyn Blacksheep of Fort Collins, Colo., Johnny Gill of Auburn, Neb., Julissa Gomez of Alliance, Neb., and Abigail Swanson of Grand Island, Neb. Dr. Karen Enos and Dr. Mary Clai Jones also attended the video conference.
Blacksheep presented a critical essay, “The Marriage of Understanding and Miracles: An Analysis of (Henrik) Ibsen’s ‘A Doll's House,’” that attempts to define healthy and unhealthy communication between couples in the play.
Blacksheep said the video conference facilitated an atmosphere conducive to professional development. Although she presented critical work, her favorite sessions were the poetry panels.
“As a poet myself, there’s little better than hearing what other poets are doing with their poetry in addition to being exposed to new poetry in general,” Blacksheep said
Gill presented “The Perspective of a Yellow Balloon,” a fictional story told from the perspectives of persons and objects.
“It was quite the experimental piece and I had a lot of fun writing it. Being that it was my first ever presentation on something I had written, I was pleasantly surprised how well they received my story,” Gill said.
He plans to submit the piece for consideration to be included in the upcoming national Sigma Tau Delta conference.
Gomez presented “You Know Me,” a nonfictional piece about sexual assault on a college campus. She said her first year attending and presenting at the conference was a positive experience.
“The round table at this conference, filled with my biggest supporters, Dr. Enos and Dr. Jones, really made me feel at home and comfortable with sharing my piece,” Gomez said. “The people at this conference and their ability to emotionally connect with others made this experience great.”
Swanson presented “"Green House,” a creative non-fiction essay about student life, transitions, and bold living.
“For a week I hiked up C-Hill and wrote about what I observed and mused on. For the presentation, I read my piece and answered any questions from sessions participants about the themes running through the piece, the inspiration for the piece, and my techniques as a writer,” Swanson said.
Swanson said she enjoyed the creative non-fiction/fiction session since it included her fellow CSC students.
Category: Campus Events, Campus News