News and Events

Ashley Bender, PhD, featured in National Humanities Alliance report

We're proud to announce that TWU ESFL Assistant Professor Ashley Bender, PhD, is featured in the new National Humanities Alliance report, "Strategies for Recruiting Students to the Humanities: A Comprehensive Resource." Check out her unique approach on page 48.

TWU ESFL remembers former chair Dr. Lavon Fulwiler

Professor Emeritus Dr. Lavon Fulwiler, a former chair of ESFL at TWU, passed away at the age of 92 on Feb. 23. Fulwiler was a Chaucer and medieval English literature scholar, and she implemented the department's PhD program in rhetoric. She began teaching at TWU in 1961, and served as chair from 1971 until her retirement in 1992.

Her family has asked that "in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Lavon B. Fulwiler Endowed Scholarship for TWU students whose majors are within the Department of English, Speech and Foreign Languages; the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research; Planned Parenthood Federation of America; or the Center for Biological Diversity."

TWU ESFL student Amber Gaudet awarded Mayborn Graduate Scholarship

In addition to her recent acceptance into the UNT's Mayborn Graduate Institute of Journalism, undergraduate ESFL student Amber Gaudet has received the highly competitive Mayborn Graduate Scholarship to support her first year of full-time study. The institute awards "$10,000 scholarships to exceptionally qualified graduate students each year."

BCALA names Genevieve West's 'Hitting a Straight Lick' among 2021 Literary Award winners

The Black Caucus of the American Library Association, Inc. (BCALA) announced the winners of the 2021 BCALA Literary Awards during the virtual Midwinter Meeting of the American Library Association. The awards recognize excellence in adult fiction and nonfiction by African American authors published in 2020.

"Hitting a Straight Lick with a Crooked Stick: Stories," written by Zora Neale Hurston and edited by TWU ESFL professor and chair Genevieve West, PhD, was named an Honor Book for Fiction. Recipients will receive awards recognition during the 2021 virtual National Conference of African American Librarians.

TWU alumna Jordan Dokupil to teach English in South Korea

TWU alumna Jordan Dokupil has accepted a position teaching English at a private school in Namyangju City, South Korea. Following a mandatory two-week quarantine, Dokupil will begin teaching kindergarten and elementary students March 2. Dokupil earned a bachelor's degree in English literature in 2020 and was a member of the National Society for Leadership and Success.