SILCS Blog » silcs 2009

Weeks Two, Three and Four

Lindsay Davignon — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:46:25 +0000

The month has flown by here at SILCS. It’s been rainy and cool most of the month, which we like to refer to as “good studying weather”. For those students who have never been to New England before, we would like to point out that this is unusual June weather, even for us.

On June 8th, Dr. Sujata Iyengar from the University of Georgia came to talk about her work in English Renaissance Literature. She was followed on Tuesday by Dr. Betty Neal Crutcher from Wheaton College, who talked with the students about their goals for the future.

On Thursday, June 11th, Drs. Lena and Michael Hill from the University of Iowa came to talk to the students about their individual graduate school experiences and their experience of searching for a job together. They accompanied the students on Friday to Yale University to the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, where Lena showed the students the materials she had worked with as a graduate student there.

That following Monday, June 15th, Dr. Valerie Lee from The Ohio State University spoke about why she became an English professor. On Wednesday, the students went into Boston to watch an exhilarating performance of The Color Purple. They next day, they listened to Dr. Patricia Chu from the SUNY University at Albany.

Friday was a trip to Boston College and Harvard University, and the weekend was spent working on their papers. This week has been GRE prep classes with Kaplan, as well as preparing for their final symposium on Saturday.

Everyone will be heading back home on Sunday, but there are still more events to come: this Friday, a number of graduate programs will be coming to our graduate recruitment fair, and last year’s SILCS graduates will be coming back for a reunion. We’re excited to see everyone again!

Week One

Lindsay Davignon — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:53:43 +0000

It’s been a very busy first week here at SILCS. Last Sunday, May 31, all of the students arrived on campus for a welcome dinner with President Ronald Crutcher and his wife, Dr. Betty Neal Crutcher. The food was delicious and the conversation engrossing, as the President regaled us with stories of how he first became a cellist and everyone shared details about themselves. Several of the students discovered a mutual interest in playing the guitar (badly).

Monday was the start of classes. Dr. Robyn Warhol-Down joined SILCS once again as an instructor. The students read Barthes, Foucault, Benjamin, and Fish, and began to do research for their final project. Dr. Herman Beavers from the University of Pennsylvania spoke to the students Monday night about the idea of risk and how it relates to African American Studies. On Wednesday, the students heard Dr. Lisa Lebduska from Wheaton College speak about rhetoric and composition, and on Thursday Dr. Dagmawi Woubshet from Cornell University spoke about his work in comparative literature.

The Brown University English Department and John Carter Brown Library welcomed the students for a visit on Friday. The day was unfortunately rainy, but the rain cleared on Saturday in time for a relaxing trip out on Narragansett Bay with Save the Bay.

There are many more events scheduled for this month so keep watching this space for more updates!

Welcome SILCS class of 2009

Lindsay Davignon — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 20:23:03 +0000

Congratulations to our 12 students in the SILCS class of 2009. We are looking forward to seeing all of you in June. By now, everyone should have been contacted as to the status of their applications. If you have not received notice, please let us know. Watch this space in June for news of Institute events!

Applications update

Lindsay Davignon — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:37:46 +0000

The decision for the students accepted into the 2009 institute has been delayed until the beginning of April. All applicants will be notified of the status of their applications at that time.

Applications due Feb 20

Lindsay Davignon — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:40:58 +0000

Applications for SILCS 2009 are due Friday, February 20. Remember, the program is open to anyone in their junior year of college with one year of schooling ahead of them. If you are attempting to fax your application and having trouble, please be patient: due to the high volume of applications, the line may be busy. Please wait and try again.

Best of luck to those applying!