General, Recommendations

A Summary of Summer Reads – Fall 2024

Here are the top recommendations from books faculty read this summer! Faculty caught up on some classic Sci-Fi, explored mind-bending Non-Fiction, found useful perspectives on managing stress through mindfulness, and more. Check out the list below and let us know what you read this summer in the comments!

Title: The Mindful Twenty-Something: life skills to handle stress…& everything else

Author: Holly Rogers

Recommended by: Dr. Nicole Pfannenstiel

“This book breaks down meditation and mindfulness to show college students where to integrate the practice to their real life.

This book offers a very real perspective on the lived experiences of college students – and how meditation can help. The book is not about fixing the lives of college students, but providing real ways to reconnect with themselves to work through the stresses of life.”

The full PDF is available to read through the McNairy Library: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=f0d7d0b5-03bf-3ad4-904e-fa3cbb78b670

Title: Parable of the Sower

Author: Octavia Butler

Recommended by: Dr. Justin Mando

“This work of dystopian fiction published in the ’90s just so happens to begin in July, 2024. What a time to encounter this startling vision of the present to shake us into seeing that there is still hope for the future

This is a foundational book of climate fiction that I’d been meaning to read for years.”

Check it out through McNairy as a book, ebook: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=44eccbe2-c2fc-375f-b4c8-685aa165e347

Or a graphic novel adaptation: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=a3e2cebc-7b14-39fd-b3d0-04c193e26f43

Title: Poisoner in Chief: Sidney Gottlieb and the CIA Search for Mind Control

Author: Stephen Kinzer

Recommended by: Dr. Timothy Mayer

“A journalistic account of how a secret project of the CIA in the 1950s experimented with LSD on willing and unwilling subjects in an ultimately failed attempt to win the Cold War through ‘brainwashing’ and ‘mind control.’

If you like speculative fiction, you will probably enjoy this book, and you will keep having to remind yourself that it is *not* fiction.”

The audiobook is available for free with a Lancaster County Libraries card through Hoopla:

https://www.hoopladigital.com/audiobook/poisoner-in-chief-stephen-kinzer/12693167

Title: The Archer’s Tale

Author: Bernard Cornwell

Recommended by: Dr. Josh Rea

“An English archer begins a quest for the Holy Grail during the War of the Roses.

I found it interesting because it paired thorough and detailed historical research and events with a fantasy-style quest.”

The McNairy Library has a hard copy available to borrow here: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=5312ca87-07c7-389f-b7c4-0d3c01bfe1b8

Title: Dune

Author: Frank Herbert

Recommended by: Dr. Emily Baldys

“Dune is set in a distant future in which noble houses fight for control of the desert planet Arrakis, the only source of the valuable intoxicant known as ‘spice.’ The story follows Lady Jessica, a ‘Bene Gesserit witch,’ and her son Paul Atreides, a young noble who becomes the leader of a desert-dwelling people called the Fremen after his family is betrayed. Along the way, there are sand worms, spectacular fights, cackling villains, love stories, and lots of drugs and mysticism.

I’d never read this SFF classic and enjoyed it more than I expected! The story of Paul Atreides’ rise to status of prophet on a planet that’s not his home has so many interesting connections to issues of colonialism, gender, ecology, religion, and more. It was also fascinating to see how the book influenced later Sci Fi epics, like Star Wars and more.”

Check out the ebook from McNairy here: https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=da868631-395f-3b23-96f5-1cddfb1f4894

 

General

Fall 2024 Welcome and Upcoming Events

Welcome back! We are so excited to kick-off another academic year with you and want to share some of the awesome events and conferences planned for this semester. Plus, don’t forget to check out our last blog post on clubs and student organizations associated with the Department of English and World Languages. There are so many great ways to get involved on campus and beyond and we hope this list gives you a chance to find a way to gain some extraordinary experiences this semester!

 

General Information

For the most up-to date information on events and other opportunities, follow our Instagram (@ville.englishworldlanguage ) or Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/VilleEnglish/ ) and if you haven’t had the chance yet, take a look at our Spring 2024 Newsletter to see highlights of our student and faculty achievements from this past year.

 

September Events

We’re starting off strong with games, book club, and our ongoing lecture series Faculty Focus: Research Talk.

 

9/4 – ENWL Game Night from 5 – 6:30 PM in MCC 266. Come play literature and language-themed games with students and faculty of the English and World Languages Department. Hosted by Creative Writers Guild and George Street Press, this event has free food and good vibes to start your semester off right!

9/10 – Gay Trivia with WGSS at 4pm with Professor Liam Lair from West Chester. Location TBD.

9/12 – Book Club – The League of Women Voters of Lancaster County will host a book club on Thursday, 9/12 to discuss Sarah Sobieraj’s Credible Threat: Attacks Against Women Online and the Future of Democracy at Pocket Books, 903 Wheatland Avenue. Discussion starts at 6pm. The event is free, and there will be refreshments. Registration required: https://www.millersville.edu/universitycollege/kenderdine-lecture/

9/20-21 – Homecoming 

9/26 – Faculty Focus: Research Talk at 11 AM in McComsey 248 (Student Lounge). Dr. Pfannenstiel and Michele Santamaría are our first guests this semester for our ongoing “tiny office” lecture series. They will be sharing highlights from their new book Information Literacy and Social Media: Empowered Student Engagement with the ACRL Framework. Cookies and apple cider will be provided.

 

 

Guest Speakers

Looking for an easy way to get expert advice and insight on reading, writing, and so much more right on campus? Check out these speakers who are bringing their wealth of knowledge and experience to us this Fall!

 

Kenderdine Lecture – Guest Speaker: Sarah Sobieraj

Millersville University and the League of Women Voters of Lancaster County Present The Harriet Kenderdine Lecture featuring Dr. Sarah Sobieraj

The Body Politic: Women, Digital Harassment, and Democratic Life
Tuesday, October 8th @7pm
Biemesderfer Auditorium, The Winter Center (free parking)
60 West Cottage Avenue, Millersville PA 17551

Free and Open to the Public

https://www.millersville.edu/universitycollege/kenderdine-lecture/

EAPSU 2024 Conference – Keynote Speaker: Kate Baer

American writer Kate Baer is the 3x New York Times bestselling author of What Kind Of Woman, I Hope This Finds You Well, & And Yet.

Friday, October 4th @ 4pm

McComesy Hall

Hazel I. Jackson Lecture – Guest Speaker: Amina Gautier

Thursday, November 7th @7 PM

SMC – 114 MPR, Reighard Multi Purpose Room

Free and Open to the Public

https://www.millersville.edu/calendar/events/f3b99c34-fb32-11ee-9624-0d163128cd08

 

Conferences

Presenting or attending a conference can give you the chance to be a part of something special beyond the classroom. Many of these conferences occur annually and provide an opportunity to both give and receive valuable feedback with your peers and the general public while building unique skills in networking and presenting.

 

EAPSU 2024 Conference

October 18th and 19th

Millersville University

This is a friendly inter-institutional conference for undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty to discuss a broad array of topics related to literature, writing studies/rhetoric, linguistics, English education, film studies, cultural studies, creative writing, and digital humanities. Presenters and panelists may share analytical or creative projects that explore themes of writing, social justice, narratives, voices, inclusion, and diversity.

PROPOSALS FOR EAPSU ARE DUE FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 6TH

EAPSU.ORG

Harrisburg Book Festival

October 9th – 13th

Harrisburg, PA

Presented by Midtown Scholar Bookstore, this festival boasts events, panels, author visits, a massive book sale and more! While not strictly a conference, this is a low-key way to engage with the larger community of scholars and book lovers all around us!

2024 PASSHE Summit

October 28th and 29th

Millersville University

PASSHE Offices of Academic Affairs, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Student Affairs present this year’s Summit theme of “Uniting for Inclusive Student Success” to explore the myriad policies, practices, research, and related matters that impact inclusive student success.  The 2024 Summit will be a hybrid conference. In-person sessions will be held at Millersville University and virtual/hybrid sessions will be on Zoom.

PROPOSALS FOR PASSHE SUMMIT DUE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12th

2024 PASSHE Summit

MAPACA 2024 Conference

November 7th – 9th

Atlantic City, NJ

The Mid-Atlantic Popular & American Culture Association (MAPACA) annual conference has grown into one of the largest regional branches of the national Popular Culture and American Culture Association (PCA/ACA). Welcoming presentations and panels from a wide array of research on Pop and American Culture, this diverse conference has something for everyone. Submissions for this year’s conference are already closed but keep an eye out for next year which will be hosted in Philadelphia, PA!

MAPACA.NET

 

Have an ENWL related event you would like us to promote! Let us know! Email Dr. Emily Baldys at Emily.Baldys@millersville.edu . Best of luck with your new semester!

General

Clubs and Student Organizations 2024

Being a part of a club or student organization can be an awesome opportunity to make friends, build skills, and commiserate about the ups and downs of student life. Here is a list of English and World Languages related groups that can help you find your people, expand your mind, and have fun.

Check out these clubs and more on Millersville’s Get Involved page (https://getinvolved.millersville.edu/ ) for upcoming events and campus-wide opportunities.

​

AAUW

The American Association of University Women at Millersville University helps   prepare students for leadership in the civic realm, particularly in the realm of social justice and offers students an opportunity to exchange ideas on social justice and   plan social justice-related activities. As part of a larger AAUW community, members can network and gain insight for both personal and career growth.

Get Involved: Ville AAUW

Insta:  @villeaauw

ADAPT

The MU chapter of ADAPT (American Disabled for Attendant Programs) seeks to create a more diverse community by upholding our school inclusion policy and advocating for persons with disabilities throughout our school community and surrounding communities; this will be done through social actions that our civil, democratic, and nonviolent. All are welcome no matter if you have a visible disability, invisible disability, or no disability at all!

Get Involved: ADAPT

Insta: @muadapt

Creative Writer’s Guild

The Creative Writers’ Guild is for individuals looking to write in a supportive environment and expand their skills. Our goal is to provide students with an outlet and an audience for their writing (poetry, prose, short stories, etc.). We give weekly  prompts followed by a voluntary sharing session and a discussion. Writers of all skill levels and concentration are invited.

Get Involved: CWG

Insta: @ cwg_mu

English Club

The English Club provides a welcome environment where lovers of verse and manipulators of language can come together to participate in literary activities, field trips, discussions, and more. Open to majors and nonmajors, English Club is ready for you!

Get Involved: English Club

Insta: @mu_englishclub

Film Club​

Screening films and discussing the topics presented in them and correlating them to larger societal issues. All are welcome! Feel free to bring snacks, PJs, blankets, pillows, and friends! Please see your email or Instagram for further screening times and special events!

Get Involved: Film Club

Insta: @ millersvillefilm

George Street Press

The purpose of this organization shall be to organize, design, compile, and edit an annual, professional publication (literary journal) of Millersville University student/faculty writings and visual art. This includes poetry, short prose fiction, drama, stylistic nonfiction, painting, drawing, digital designs, etc. You can check out  new and old editions of the GSP in our Student Lounge!

Get Involved: GSP

Insta: @ mu_georgestreetpress

Her Campus ​

Her Campus Millersville is a chapter of Her Campus (HerCampus.com), the #1 media site for college women, written entirely by the world’s top college journalists. In 2009, three female Harvard undergraduates launched a plan to fill a hole in the media marketplace: an online magazine dedicated to, written by, and focused on empowering college women. Now, Her Campus has over 420   chapters worldwide in 11 countries. If you love to write, voice your passions, and lift up other women, Her Campus may be the perfect fit for you!

Get Involved: Her Campus

Insta: @ hercampusmillersville

Sigma Tau Delta

The Millersville University Iota Phi chapter of Sigma Tau Delta National English Honor Society gives qualifying students the opportunity to connect with the larger STD community with opportunities for scholarships and internships as well as              eligibility to submit proposals to the annual conference. Ask your advisor for more information.

Spanish Club

The Spanish Club’s main purpose is to create an outlet for Millersville University students to practice and to enhance their speaking and listening skills of the Spanish language and to learn about Hispanic culture through the sharing of music,  movies, news, Hispanic pop-culture, and more. Meetings are conducted in English  and Spanish and include games and activities driven to help students become comfortable expressing their levels of fluency. Students of any level of Spanish proficiency are encouraged to join.

Get Involved: Spanish Club

Insta @mu.spanishclub

TAG

The Transgender Action Group at Millersville University uses activism to improve the quality of life of trans and gender expansive peoples at Millersville University and in the surrounding communities. This group provides a unique space to meet the      specific needs of trans and gender expansive peoples through club meetings and events.

Insta: @ville_tag

 

Grad Students, Thesis Defense

MA English Thesis Defense Announcement- “Audio Description and Silent Film: Using visual rhetoric and principles of disability studies to create an AD track”

The Department of English and World Languages is pleased to announce Mary Miller successfully defended her MA English thesis. Her creative work, titled “Audio Description and Silent Film: Using visual rhetoric and principles of disability studies to create an AD track”.

Her work was chaired by Dr. Emily Baldys with committee members Dr. Jill Craven and Dr. A Nicole Pfannenstiel. Her work was successfully defended June 4th, 2024.

Congratulations Mary!

Taylor Swift

ENWL in our Midnights Era

Taylor’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department, has officially dropped and we are in our Midnights era because we stayed up till midnight to get our first listen.

In Midnights (2022) Taylor returns to her pop roots featuring upbeat songs with sharp, honest lyrics. You and your friends can party all night long with the top songs from this album including “Bejeweled,” “Lavender Haze,” and “Karma.” This album captures sleepless nights and the wish to just have some fun.

You may be in your Midnights ENWL era to if you:

  • Are a bit of an insomniac
  • Are a dedicated journal-keeper who loves keeping track of the little things
  • Gets tested but always bounces back
  • Will “go to sleep” but posts on socials until 2 AM
  • Are a member of Her Campus
  • Are looking forward to taking ENGL 221 – Intro to Linguistics next semester

 

Faculty and staff in their Midnights era:

Graduate Assistant Becca Betty is in their Midnights era because they “laid the groundwork and then just like clockwork” all the amazing ENWL events came to be! Becca is a “mastermind” at organizing at creating events and content for all to enjoy, and we celebrate them for all of their hard work.

Dr. Kim McCollum-Clark is in her Midnights era because you best believe she is still “bejeweled!” Her knowledge in various fields and disciplines shines through all of her work, making the department “shimmer” with various potential pathways for ENWL majors.

ENWL Connections in Midnights

One of the biggest connections Taylor makes is to Jane Eyre in her song “Dear Reader.” Jane Eyre is a novel by English author and poet Charlotte Brontë. It is a work of fiction that follows the childhood and early adulthood of the namesake of the novel, Jane Eyre.

The full line in the novel that Taylor references is “Dear reader, I married him.” This sentence breaks the fourth wall and directly addresses the audience, drawing them into the protagonist’s decision to marry the man at the center of Jane’s whirlwind romance. Swift’s use of the phrase has a similar effect as she encourages her audience to be cautious in risk-taking but to take a chance anyways at one point saying, “Dear reader// When you aim at the devil make sure you don’t miss.”

Thank you for joining us on our Taylor Swift journey—we will have one more week of bonus content because we can’t resist talking about the new album:)

Research Corner: Time Invested vs Goal Payoff

One of the important aspects to consider when setting up a research project is finding the delicate balance of time invested versus goal payoff. Setting achievable goals for content creation that will have the best expected payoffs, whether it’s a certain level of interaction on a post or connecting students with valuable information, can be difficult. One way to mitigate these challenges is to have a discussion at the outset of the project to be reasonable about what your team can achieve and what will meet the needs of your intended audience to the best of your ability. It is also helpful to have a voice of reason who will help reign in wild ideas that may not have the payoff the project needs (Dr. Pfannenstiel is very good at this:) ). Finally, acknowledging that your project will need to be adaptable to meet the unexpected needs that come up in either the logistics of carrying out a project or the ever-shifting goals of your target audience is key to success.

Taylor Swift

ENWL is in their Folklore and Evermore Eras

With only a week left until the release of The Tortured Poets Department, the department of English and World Languages has transitioned into its Folklore and Evermore eras.

Folklore (2020) is a drastic shift from its predecessor Lover, as the album (which was written, produced, and released during the Covid-19 pandemic) uses a folk-pop sound to create an escape from reality and into a world in woods. Folklore follows the love triangle between Betty, August, and James, and takes listeners through a journey of shared memories, myths, and personal legends. Other themes off this album include empathy, nostalgia, and romanticism. Some key songs from this record include “Cardigan,” “Exile,” “Mirrorball,” and “August.”

Evermore (2020) follows in its sister album’s footsteps by transcending users to another reality, one that is both warm with memories and cold from current reflections of them. Themes from this album include forbidden love, romantic neglect, forgiveness, marriage, and infidelity. Notable songs from this album include “Willow,” “Champagne Problems,” “Tolerate It,” and “Ivy.”

You may be in your Folklore era too if you:

  • Love the dark academia aesthetic
  • Are learning how to manage burnout
  • Every other post on your Instagram is a tree
  • Are a major multi-tasker
  • Turn darkness from the past into soft sunshine
  • Are a member of George Street Press

You may be in your Evermore era too if you:

  • Are a yearly Ren-Faire attendee that loves to bring a character to life
  • Shoulder a lot of responsibilities but are finding ways to make your magic grow
  • Building your new normal, learning what you can do to recognize and accommodate your needs as a member of ADAPT
  • Cunning eye for detail and a love for nature

Dr. Baldys is in her Folklore era because this album is one of Taylor’s most lyrically detailed with many connections to Dr. Baldys’ area of study: Victorian Literature!

Dr. Farkas is in her Folklore era because even though she can’t teach you to read minds, she can definitely help you turn your writing around!

Dr. Mondello is in her Evermore era because she incorporates themes of the supernatural, whimsical, and magical within her each of her literature courses. Since Dr. Mondello started during Covid, we have seen how much she has grown into her position, just as Taylor did as an artist during this album, and she comes back as a stronger professor each semester!

Dr. Mando is in his Evermore era because he recognizes the connections between nature and literature, as seen in songs like “Ivy” and “No Body, No Crime” on the album.

There are many literature connections off of Folklore and Evermore, but a few highlights include:

Folklore:

“Cardigan” and Peter Pan

“Mirrorball” and “Lady Lazarus” by Sylvia Plath

“Invisible String” and The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway and Jane Eyre

“Mad Woman” and Wide Sargasso

“The Lakes” and The Laker Poets and the Romantic Era

Evermore:

“Tolerate It” and Rebecca

“Happiness” and The Great Gatsby

“Ivy” and Jane Eyre

“Evermore” and Emily Dickinson’s poem “One Sister Have I in the House”

Community Engagement, Taylor Swift

ENWL Reputation and Lover Eras

The department of English and World Languages has shifted from into its Reputation and Lover eras in continuation with the countdown to Taylor Swift’s newest album The Tortured Poets Department.

Reputation (2017) is Swift’s first album with an edgy and rock and roll sound that sends off the message of confidence within herself that is powerful enough to gain revenge against her enemies. Other themes off of this album include identity, transformation, growth, resilience, and commentary on media criticism. Some key songs from Reputation include “Look What You Made Me Do,” “Getaway Car,” “Delicate,” and “Don’t Blame Me.”

Lover (2019) takes on a completely opposite tone, as it pulls from her personal life by focusing on romantic, long-term love, as well as facing adult issues such as change and loneliness. The album is a bubble gum pop collection of experiences that make listeners reflect on life as a whole, as it tells us that our past does not define our future. Key songs from this album include “Lover,” “Cruel Summer,” “The Man,” “The Archer,” and “False God.”

You may be in your Reputation era too if you:

  • Are Not afraid to take a risk
  • Love making multimodal media projects
  • Have an unbroken streak on Wordle
  • Know the power of peer-review
  • Always grabs the latest issue of The Snapper

You may be in your Lover era too if you:

  • Speaks your ideas into existence
  • Like to reenact scenes in Shakespeare class
  • Are a hopeless romantic (but expects a little tragedy)
  • Practice self love
  • Are a member of GSA

Faculty and Staff in their Reputation and 1989 Eras:

Dr. Craven is in her Reputation era because she loves to challenge students to make bold decisions – so that no matter what her students do they’ll be “ready for it.”

GA Heather is in her Lover era because she has loved every moment being a GA for the ENWL department! Working with Dr. P and Becca everyday has been a “golden” and sparkling experience.

Reputation is filled with unexpected literary connections. Some included are:

  • The song “Delicate” can be connected to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel This Side of Paradise with the quote of “we’re all delicate here, you know.”
  • “So It Goes” connects to Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughter House Five, as the phrase is used 106 times in the novel, as it is associated with death and mortality
  • Fan favorite “Getaway Car” references Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities with the first line of “it was the best of times the worst of crimes.”

Although not a direct connection, fans have associated the song “I Think He Knows” to Anne and Gilbert’s relationship from the 1908 novel Anne of Green Gables, which has been adapted into a tv series on Netflix. 

Taylor Swift

ENWL RED and 1989 Era

The Department of ENWL is continuing our Taylor Swift era this week with Taylor’s fourth album RED and fifth album 1989.

RED (2012; Taylor’s Version 2021) leans into an aesthetic that has become known as “sad girl Autumn,” evoking tumultuous reckonings with breaking up, growing up, and moving on. Top tracks from RED include “I Knew You Were Trouble When You Walked In,” “22,” and “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” Some of these more vibrant tracks tend to outshine some of the gentler tracks that reveal the hidden artistry of Taylor’s lyricism, including the track “All Too Well,” that draws heavy influence from Chilean poet Pablo Neruda.

1989 (2014; Taylor’s Version 2021) on the other hand is a beachy album crafted for late summer listening featuring vibes that are equal part wistfully nostalgic and longingly dreamy. Top tracks from 1989 include “Blank Space,” “Bad Blood,” and “Wildest Dreams” from the Deluxe version which went viral on TikTok in 2021.

You may be in your RED era too if you:

  • Are always ready to analyze
  • Enjoy movies that re longer than 2 hours
  • Favorite movie is one most people have never heard of
  • Are a member of Film Club
  • Constantly change your Letterboxd top four favorites

You may be in your 1989 era too if you:

  • Are always on the go
  • Take crazy detailed notes
  • Stay out too late
  • Love to be transported by what you read
  • Are a member of Ville AAUW

Faculty In Their RED and 1989 Eras

Dr. Antolin is in his RED era because of his extensive work with the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, who Taylor draws great inspiration from for this album. Taylor’s songs “Red” and “All Too Well” reflect his influence particularly from the poem “Tonight I Can Write (The Saddest Lines).” You can read a translation of the poem here.

Fun fact: Dr. Antolin is also a musician! He plays the classical guitar.

Dr. Corkery is in his 1989 era because of the unexpected connection between hip-hop and Taylor Swift on 1989. Artist Kendrick Lamar is featured on the song “Bad Blood,” and in Dr. Corkery’s literature and hip-hop course, students are able to learn more about the history of rap music and why it is an important part of our culture.

Both RED and 1989 have some unexpected ENWL connections. Red features Taylor’s first mini-film for the song “All Too Well” following the tale of jilted lovers. The fall aesthetics and whirlwind affair has a similar vibe to the classic romcom When Harry Met Sally. At one point, Harry even wears a red scarf – maybe he also stole it from an ex;) On 1989, Taylor features references to Lewis Carroll’s 1865 novel Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland within her song “Wonderland.” Some lyrics that pay direct homage include “fell down a rabbit hole” and “with a Cheshire Cat smile.” She also references the classic 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter in her song “New Romantics” with the lyric “we show off, our different scarlet letters, trust me mine is better.”

You don’t have to wait to see us in your “Wildest Dreams,” follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay up to date with all our Taylor Swift content:)

Research Corner (Taylor’s Version): Revisiting and Reflecting on Content

While Taylor’s reason for rerecording her albums is to reclaim ownership and divest from her previous record label, her actions speak to a powerful practice in ENWL research and content strategies. Revisiting and reflecting on content is a valuable skill that both reiterates and transforms knowledge. For Taylor, not only do her “Versions” allow her to rectify possession of her voice and content, but they allow her to build on her past creations and even add tracks from her vault. In our research, each week we have new data and content to generate, but taking a moment to revisit our existing content reminds us to share important updates and events to our story. Creating intentional spaces for reflection also gives us the chance to celebrate accomplishments and recognize our growing community. With this in mind, we can fashion achievable goals –including our goal of growing our follower account on Instagram to 200 by the end of the semester (we are currently at 179). While this metric is not a be all end all evaluation of engagement, in our ongoing efforts to understand how the current digital landscape can create opportunities for connection, follower counts represent an aggregate web of accounts we’ve reached  and curious individuals who want to interact with us. We hope that increasing our followers will help us share our information and ENWL values with a wider audience, allowing for the formation of meaningful connection.

General

English and World Languages is in Their “Fearless” and “Speak Now” Eras

Leading up to Taylor Swift’s release of her newest album The Tortured Poets Department, the department of English and World Languages is highlighting each of her albums in preparation for the event. This week, the department has entered its Fearless and Speak Now eras! The album Fearless was originally released in 2008, with her rerecording or “Taylor’s Version” rereleased in April of 2021. Fearless incorporates themes of romance, aspirations, fairytale elements, heartache, and resilience through its 26 song track list. Some key songs off of this album include “Love Story,” “White Horse,” “Fearless,” and “Forever and Always.” Her third studio album Speak Now was originally released in 2010, with Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) released in July of 2023. This album transitions from adolescence into adulthood by incorporating themes of coming into your own and gaining confidence through whimsical and theatrical elements. Some key songs off of this album include “Long Live,” “Enchanted,” “Dear John,” “Mine,” “Sparks Fly,” and “Better Than Revenge.”

You may be in your ENWL Fearless era too if you are:

  • Registered for the Spanish Literature in English (CRN 14628) for next fall
  • Write 8 pages for a 4 page paper
  • Romanticize the little things
  • Love a late night study session with friends
  • Daydream about a bright future
  • A member of Spanish club

You may be in your ENWL Speak Now era too if you are:

  • Someone who takes creative risks
  • Grew up reading fairytales
  • Is a multifaceted and multimodal writer
  • Defies stereotypes
  • Is a member of the Creative Writers Guild
  • Have a Goodreads account
  • Secretly loves rock music

Dr. Jakubiak is in her Fearless era, as she travels across the world to showcase not only her writing and poetry talents, but also brings back this international knowledge to her courses and students. The song “Fearless” has the lyrics “and I don’t know how it gets better than this, you take my hand and drag me headfirst, fearless.” These lyrics showcase her bravery in going to different places and events to show her work and highlights how putting yourself out there “fearlessly” can lead to a successful outcome. Dr. Jakubiak’s adventure with the English languages started with translating lyrics of Pop and Rock songs by artists like George Michael, Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Cyndi Lauper!

Dr. Pfannenstiel is in her Speak Now era, as although she may appear to be soft like the album cover, she creates a blend of deep knowledge and student centered teaching that evokes the same spirit as Speak Now. She includes elements of lighthearted joy alongside rock and roll that encapsulate the theme of being honest to oneself, as heard on the album. Dr. P connects to the song “Enchanted,” as she is always so kind, helpful, and thoughtful to be both her undergrad and gradate students. It is always enchanting to get to grow with her as a learner!

Both Fearless and Speak Now have unexpected literature connections. Swift draws inspiration from William Shakespeare’s classic Romeo and Juliet for her hit song “Love Story,” narrating a modern and happier retelling of the classic fated lovers on her Fearless album. The song “Speak Now” has a connection to the 1967 film The Graduate, as the song features the lyrics “don’t say yes, run away now, I’ll meet you when you’re out of the church at the back door.” These lyrics recall an experience of crashing a wedding and running away with one member of the couple, which was mist famously done in the move, as Benjamin crashes the wedding of his lover Elaine and whisks her away onto a bus.

Stay tuned for next week’s post on our Instagram @ville.englishworldlanguage to see why the humanities will “never go out of style.”

Research Corner: Faces take us places

This week, through our data tracking, it was evident that we received a boost in engagement with posts that included faces of our faculty rather than those without. For example, on our ENWL trope posts, we had a total of 20 likes over 48 hours with zero saves, zero shares, and zero comments. However, on the Faculty Feature post, we had a total of 35 likes over 48 hours, with 4 saves and eight shares. It is interesting to see this boost because of this one change, and makes us wonder if this is because the posts with faces fit the expectations set for social media rather than those with just text or images.

 

Taylor Swift

ENWL Debut Era

We’re kicking off our Taylor Swift Era by highlighting ENWL connections to her first album! Taylor’s first album shares her name but has become known to Swifties as simply Debut. Released in 2006, this album is heavily connected to Taylor’s roots in the country music genre with her top hit from the album named after Country singer/songwriter Tim McGraw. The aesthetics from the album capture light-hearted simplicity featuring butterflies, flowers, and her acoustic guitar in shades of baby blue.

You may be in your Debut ENWL era too if you are:

  • In ENGL 110 – English Composition
  • Always over prepared
  • Just starting off in your writing journey
  • Will skip a class to go home early for break
  • Makes at least 3 drafts before submitting a paper
  • Will most likely visit the Writing Center
  • A member of the English Club

Dr. Rea is also in his Debut era because this is his first year as a professor at Millersville. “The Outside,” one of the tracks from this album, starts with the lyrics “I didn’t know what I would find” and we hope that Dr. Rea has found lots of great things in our department! This song also features a connection to Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken,” with the lyrics “I tried to take the road less traveled by” echoing Frost’s famous lines. Click on this link to read “The Road Not Taken” or check out another poem by Frost that shares Debut’s aesthetic: “Blue-Butterfly Day.”

Have you noticed any other unexpected connections to this album? Comment below to let us in on what you catch! Also, stay up to date with all our Taylor Swift content on Instagram and Facebook where we’ll see you next week with more “enchanting” fun;)

 

Research Corner – Data Logging

Week one logistics of our social media research project involved setting up data tracking log sheets and guidelines for collection. To set up our log sheet (see image below) we had to answer two primary questions a) what data is available and b) when should we collect data to make sure we are capturing meaningful information (without overloading our team with work). For our first week, we’ve settled into collecting information that is publicly available through each platform’s built in data analytic software. For data we expect to have slower growth (follower/subscriber/event attendance counts) we’ve decided to collect weekly numbers and for data we expect to change more rapidly (likes/shares/comments) we’ve decided to collect numbers at 24-hrs, 48-hrs, and at 1 week intervals until the conclusion of the study (with a total of 6-weeks for each data point). We hope that this range of data will be able to be used to determine if there is a significant impact (represented by an increase in these various metrics) from using Taylor Swift influenced content. We’ve separated our sheet into 6 sections (one for each week) with additional tabs for method notes and screenshots with sections on each tab for user added notes to document who is posting what when.

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