Spotlighting the English Department
The South Atlantic Modern Language Association (SAMLA) is leading the nation in showcasing undergraduate research, and Queens students are at the podium.
Although it gets lumped in with twelve-point font, double-spacing, and the particularities of citation formatting, the MLA stars in far bigger roles than your typical English class cameo. It is the number one professional organization for teachers and students of language and literature. Regional affiliates like SAMLA also host events and publish scholarly journals. This year, two students, one professor, and a lot of literary analysis traveled to Birmingham, Alabama for the 2018 SAMLA conference.
For Queens students, it all started in the classroom. English Literature and Music double major, Emma Freas, said her presentation began as “an original interpretation essay on Raymond Carver’s short story ‘Cathedral’ for Dr. Hull’s . . . Literary Studies class.” Her research identified the theme of “agape love” in the story.
Mikayla Marlow, a senior majoring in English Literature, focused on American playwright Susan Glaspell’s one-act, “Trifles.” She explored the “use of stage directions to portray the same interiority as [the author’s] short story ‘A Jury of Her Peers,’” suggesting that Glaspell’s creativity provided new avenues for empowering women.
After submitting proposals to the conference and being accepted, Freas and Marlow spent a substantial amount of time revising their original essays.
Preparing their work for the conference was no small feat. Dr. Bonnie Shishko also worked with the students, encouraging them to “provide more engaged research” by “delving into the scholarly conversation,” further developing their interpretations.
In order to deliver their research effectively, students had to think about engaging their audience. Freas used linguistic tools to “draw [listeners] in rather than separate [herself] from them.”
For her part, “I was getting out of breath,” said Marlow, guilty of long sentences in her prose. “I ended up changing a lot of it … so it was better as a listening piece.” Marlow noted that “reading my paper out loud to Emma actually made me realize how different reading is from listening.”
Students put in a lot of work individually, but the conference also facilitated exciting mentorship opportunities. According to Shishko, “[students] develop[ed] relationships with faculty” and were able to receive “sentence-by-sentence, minute attention.”
Shishko and Dr. Helen Hull were supportive every step of the way. “It felt like I met with them 7 million times between classes to read and reread,” said Marlow.
Both students were deeply appreciative of this learning dynamic. “I’m extremely thankful for professors Dr. Shishko and Dr. Hull, who helped me turn my paper into a presentation. I couldn’t have done it without their support,” said Freas.
After applying to the conference, submitting a proposal, and revising their papers, students presented their research to a room full of scholars, professors, and contemporaries. They also entertained questions from the audience, receiving very positive responses to their thought-provoking arguments.
SAMLA gave Freas and Marlow personal experience working with professionals and introduced them to even more. Students had first-hand interactions with career options and specializations within their discipline. Freas said she was “very encouraged” and “realize[d] how many people are actually out there working and pursuing English.”
Shishko summarized the importance of this event as “a professionalization process for students,” “a huge CV builder,” and “an opportunity to contribute to the body of knowledge in the field of English study.” SAMLA is a great opening line to a vibrant career. Marlow and Freas are two names that we might one day be citing in MLA format!
CAS Success Blog 