Category Archives: Community Engagement

Community Engagement, Student Activities

English at “Educate the State” Rally

On Tuesday, April 23rd,  the Education Justice rally, “Educate the State,” took place on Millersville campus in front of the library.  Millersville students and faculty from several departments participated.  Our friends in the Art Club, led by Abigail Saurbaugh, created signage for the event and encouraged people to write about their experiences with education and education funding.

Millersville alumnus Howard Jones (MA in Psychology) began the event “speaking from the heart” about the role of education. Those of us who know and love Howard were excited to see Howard back on campus, leading off this event, and advocating for change.  Howard works as a legislative aide for Mike Sturla, who was delayed, so Howard covered some of the legislative issues, like helping students with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s) and supporting higher education, and then Howard spoke about moving theory into practice by making change through being an engaged intellectual.

English BSE and PA Student Power representative Nate Warren then gave a stirring representation of what the lack of state funding of higher education does to many undergraduates.  He roused the crowd through appeals to logos, pathos, and ethos, providing memorable images of Millersville’s hard-working students.  You can read his full speech in another post in our newsletter.

Ken Smith
Ken Smith notes “a rising tide lifts all boats”

APSCUF President and Economics professor Ken Smith provided a cogent economic analysis of the value of investment in higher education.  His statistics demonstrated a strong return on investment not only for the individuals going to college, but also to the state as a whole.  As Smith described, the overall income of people in the state rises with the education levels in the state, noting “a rising tide lifts all boats.”  The PA Promise helps not only students, but helps the whole state.

Reunisha Williams
Reunisha Williams talks to crowd

Black Student Union treasurer Reuneisha Williams followed up with a powerful talk about her experiences in the educational system.

Dr. Nicole Pfannenstiel addressed the crowd on the potential of online educational resources (OER) for reducing student costs and debt.  Dr. P is part of a working group.  She explained how, through the group’s efforts to change professors from books to free online resources, they have already saved students $150,000.  Dr. P invited students to learn more at the table where members of their group helped students to think about the possibilities they would have with the money they could save.  Following Dr. P, Susan Spicka, the head of PA Education Voters, also voiced her support for needed changes in education.

English majors Kat La Bar and Kitty Dillon presented some spoken word poems.  Dr. Miriam Witmer, who watched the performance, explained that her education class analyzes Kitty’s enthralling 4-part poem.  We look forward to seeing both Kat and Kitty get their works published!

Speaker and poet Marci Nelligan was impressed by our English students’ work, as well as the Spoken Word from the group Original Thought. She presented on her grants to bring African American Artists into School District of Lancaster classrooms.  She presented impressive statistics about the impact that art has on classroom performance and success.

English BSE alumna and SDoL teacher Sherri Castillo talked about her efforts to lead LGBTQ+ support in schools, and also discussed the issues she had being an “out” teacher in Pennsylvania, where sexual orientation isn’t a protected class for jobs.  Her careful navigation of a difficult issue was instructional for all who heard–both gay and straight.

Students from Original Thought, a poetry organization under the BSU, presented impactful viewpoints in their spoken word poetry.  They left the audience pondering privilege.  It’s one thing to be concerned about debt, and quite another about survival.

Preacher Gerald Simmons touched the moral aspects of fairness in education.  His stirring oratory touched on issues of fair funding across the 500 PA school districts.  Currently, districts that are whiter get more monetary support per student than districts that have more students of color.  PA is the most egregious in this category.

Skyler Gibbon, senior English major, read two poems by others as well as one of her own creations.

Brynn Raub, an English Education major, read out a thoughtful reminiscence about how she started as just a number in the school system, and then grew to finally understand what education really meant.

Rob Spicer ended the day’s speeches reminding us all of the power we have in free speech and assembly, and the need to protect that right.

Thanks to everyone who spoke on stage, provided information at tables, read original work, and witnessed the power of publicly calling for education justice.

–Jill Craven
Event Organizer

 

 

Community Engagement, Grad Students, Literary Events, Special Activities

A Bloody Good Time

In February, a group of English Majors attended a performance of Macbeth at the Ware Center. Andie Petrillo, graduate student, wrote a summary of her experiences. Check out the Ware Center’s Upcoming Events page for more opportunities to see shows, screen films, and hang out with English major friends!

Millersville English students were given the opportunity to attend Macbeth at the Ware Center free of charge on February 15th. The actors and director also gave a pre-show talk back session to discuss the show with students and Dr. Craven. The People’s Shakespeare Project, sponsors of the show, never fail to produce a great performance. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the costumes created a fresh take on the play. Andie Petrillo, a graduate student in the English Department, attended the show.

I’m no stranger to the People’s Shakespeare Project’s biannual shows. I’ve attended many over the years and I’m astonished every time at the quality of each production. The sets are usually pretty minimal which allows for more focus on the actors and the plot. The amount of talent in the cast of local actors always astounds me as well. What I love most though are the time periods or themes they choose to set the shows in.  This show’s post-apocalyptic theme provided for some interesting costumes that were a blend of period-specific pieces and avant-garde pieces. The actors also brought the play to life. A favorite amongst our group was definitely the drunken porter who brought some necessary comic relief to the show. All in all, I had a great time seeing the show with other English students and I’m grateful for the opportunities like this that are afforded English students!

–Andie Petrillo

Conferences, Literary Events, Publications, Special Activities, Student Activities

You are Inspiring: Over 100 English Students present at Made in Millersville

Folks, this is a banner year for English at Made in Millersville.  We have over 96 separate events (poetry readings, panel sessions, poster sessions, etc.) that Millersville English students are engaged in.  What can I say–you all are rocking scholarship, creativity, and professionalism.

Check out Skyler Gibbon in the student spotlight analyzing Beyonce, Adele, and intersectional feminism!  Congratulate Daniel Dicker, Karen layman, Sara Lipski, and Shaakirah Tate on their publication of the Made in Millersville Journal next week. If you are thinking about studying abroad, go hear about the amazing journeys of Abigail Breckbill, Thomas Joyce, and Jason Leighty.  Or take in Poetry Out Loud with Dr. Corkery and his creative crew.  And check out all of the impressive posters and panels.  It will be a super busy day.

While the English faculty is always super proud of our students, we take it to the next level when we see all of your accomplishments together on one day.  It’s just so fabulous!  We hope you will come out and support each other and let your curiosity roam free!

You can find all the English events listed here: MiM English Events 2019

We’ll have a film crew on site that day to capture some of your accomplishments.  We’re making a video for the website.  Eric Griffin, an MU Art alum who took film classes, is doing the video, so if you see him and his crew, give them a little of you for the video.  He won’t be able to capture everything, but I’ve encouraged him to try to get as much as possible so we can represent our community well.

Thanks for all the positive energy, great scholarship, and creative ideas that you all put out into the world.  You are inspiring.

Conferences, Grad Students, Literary Events, Newsletter Articles

2019 Northeast Modern Language Association Conference

Millersville Professors and graduate students traveled to Washington D.C. for the annual Northeast Modern Language Association Conference. Maria Rovito, in collaboration with the other Millersville students and professors, wrote a summary of the event and presentation topics.

Andie Petrillo, Dr. Emily Baldys, and Maria Rovito

The 50th anniversary conference of the Northeast Modern Language Association was held at the National Harbor in Washington, D.C., at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, from Thursday, March 21, 2019, to Sunday, March 24, 2019. The theme of the conference focused on transnational humanities, particularly intersections of nations and identity within language and literature. A variety of panels, roundtables, and workshops were held that focused on various kinds of aspects of English studies, particularly literature, rhetoric and composition, creative writing and publishing, critical theory, interdisciplinary humanities, and pedagogy and teaching. Several keynote speakers were included in this year’s conference; most notably featured was the postcolonial critic Homi K. Bhabha, who spoke about the politics of migration and human rights in his keynote address.

Members and presenters came from all over the world, including a few of our own students and faculty here at Millersville University. Graduate students and English faculty presented their research at the convention, including Drs. Emily Baldys and Katarzyna Jakubiak, as well as graduate students Maria Rovito and Andie Petrillo. Each of their presentations focused on different aspects of literary studies.

Dr. Emily Baldy’s presentation was titled “The Sisterhood of Disability Care in Gaskell’s Industrial Narratives,” and focused on disability care as surrogate sisterhood in Gaskell’s first published short story, “The Three Eras of Libbie Marsh.” In her work, Dr. Baldys argued that “Gaskell’s narratives self-consciously resist industrial capitalism’s devaluation of difference and dependence.” Particularly, through Gaskell’s depictions of sisterly relations and disability care, “Gaskell’s texts mount a ‘dependency critique’ similar to that proposed by modern disability theorists, modeling a respect for difference that Gaskell saw as necessary for rehabilitation of industrial system.”

Dr. Katarzyna Jakubiak presented on the politics of translation in her presentation, particularly translating African American Literature in Poland during the Cold War. Titled “We Make Our Own Negroes: James Baldwin’s Reception in Poland During the Cold War and Now,” Dr. Jakubiak’s work focused on the role of James Baldwin’s work in Poland in the 1960-70s in relation to current Polish reactions to Raoul Peck’s documentary I Am Not Your Negro.  She argued that the “past and present Polish responses to Baldwin attest to the power of his voice to impact the discourse of interracial and interethnic relations globally.” Dr. Jakubiak’s presentation also focused on the impact of Baldwin’s work on Polish political discourse: “As Poland’s current populist government manipulates the public fear of ethnic or racial ‘other’ to garner support, Baldwin’s work has again provided a platform for intellectuals and cultural activists aiming to undermine the government’s xenophobic discourse.”

Maria Rovito presented twice during the conference, in a roundtable on African American literature and trauma studies as well as on a panel on ability and identity. Her first presentation, titled “Race and Disability in Morrison’s The Bluest Eye and Wilson’s Fences,” focused on the intersections of race and disability within African American literature. Particularly, her presentation researched how race, disability, and trauma impacts disabled characters within The Bluest Eye and Fences. Her second presentation, “‘I Did This to Myself’: Disability and Non-Normative Bodies in the Manga and Anime Series One Piece,” researched representations of disabled bodies within manga and animé. Her research particularly focused on Eiichiro Oda’s series One Piece, and how disabled characters within the series disrupt Western notions and expectations of disabled bodies.

Andie Petrillo presented a poster titled, “Packing a Punch: Satirizing the ‘New Woman’ In Victorian England.” She researched visual representations of the New Woman of Victorian England, and how these images stereotyped early feminists within the later Victorian period. These representations “show a shifting attitude towards a woman’s place in the later Victorian era and are figureheads for first-wave feminism.”

This year’s conference showcased the research and skill of Millersville students and faculty, and presented an opportunity for students and faculty to learn new ideas about literature, provided networking and mentoring opportunities, and gave students and faculty an opportunity to have fun with English studies. Next year’s conference will be held in Boston, MA.

-Maria Rovito

Community Engagement, Newsletter Articles

The Promise for Change

Abigail Breckbill traveled to Harrisburg in March to advocate for education reform through the Pennsylvania Student Power Network. On April 23, Millersville University is hosting an Education Justice rally in front of the McNairy Library from 10am-3pm. If you are interested in speaking at this event, are a member of a campus club that would like to support the event, or would like more information, contact Rachel Hicks. Read more about Abigail’s experiences below!

Students and faculty from across PA stood together in Harrisburg during the Pennsylvania Promise rally. MU Students Abigail Breckbill and Nathaniel Warren appear in the bottom left corner. (Photo Credit: Kathryn Morton)

On March 27, I was among a crowd of students from across PA in the Harrisburg capitol building. I joined them in chanting as they implored: Pennsylvania, keep your promise!

That promise is one that would renew investment in Pennsylvania’s future, reprioritize education, and provide opportunity to so many who desperately need it. The Pennsylvania Promise is a proposal for affordable, accessible education and would provide funding for those who, in our current educational and economic climate, find only closed doors in the form of skyrocketing tuition prices.

I first learned about the Pennsylvania Promise when I attended the 2019 Student Power Spring Break retreat, an event which brought together people from 25 campuses across the state for the common goal of learning how to better organize, plan, and advocate for change. Hosted by Pennsylvania Student Power Network (PSPN) it was an opportunity for me to meet members of our statewide community and discuss issues which affect us all, no matter our background, identity, or beliefs. It also provided me with the invaluable experience of seeing how deeply so many students are impacted by the policies that are currently in place.

Attending this retreat with PSPN was when I began to see firsthand what it takes to bring about change. It takes compassion for one another. It takes patience, and understanding, and the ability to listen to voices that are not often heard.

And it takes courage.

I found myself surrounded by people who were brilliant, determined, and inspiring. But they were also people who have been hurt. They’ve been hurt very deeply by a system which has been against them from the start. It’s easy to be afraid when you’ve been wounded before, when you know what you’re up against and how hard you’re going to have to fight. But what these people from my own community, from our community, have taught me is that rather than back away from that challenge, we must instead face it together. We, as young people, as dedicated students, as advocates for the future, can make change happen.

So when the opportunity arose to truly commit to becoming an activist, I knew I had to be there in Harrisburg. I had to take courage and speak out for change.

At the rally, we heard from a number of speakers across the state, both students and professors alike who often heartbreakingly explained the need for accessible education. For many students, making it through higher education is the only way out of the vicious cycle of poverty. They pursue a college degree as a means of creating a better life, one in which they don’t have to fear homelessness or watch their children go hungry.

But as things are, Pennsylvania has the highest rates of student debt in the nation. College students in our own communities are going hungry every day for the sake of getting an education. Rather than being the door-opening opportunity that it should be, college is often financially devastating, saddling students with debt for decades to come.

We heard from those who were forced to drop out or were not even able to attend college at all due to the costs of tuition. We heard from students who dreamed of making a better life for themselves but have to fear that it may never come to fruition no matter how hard they work. These are the people who have been hurt by the system. They must fight for change, as they have no other option.

Depressing as these struggles are, it doesn’t have to be this way.

The Pennsylvania Promise would supply two years of tuition fees to students attending community college, and four years of tuition fees for any student who has been accepted into a PASSHE school and whose parents make less than $110,000 a year. The amount of doors this would open to struggling students across the state is astounding.

Before going to Harrisburg, I understood the struggling from which activism arose. But when I found myself in a crowd of students, facing our legislators as we cried out for fulfillment of a promise we not only needed but demanded, I began to understand empowerment. I began to understand hope.

We rally not only because things need to change, but because we believe they can change.

The promise we need is one not only to reward hard work but to give hope, to invest in our community and our future. The promise is for students, and for Pennsylvania.

–Abigail Breckbill

Community Engagement, Special Activities, Student Activities

Educate the State Rally

On Tuesday, April 23rd, Millersville University will rally for Education Justice in front of the library. 
Come join us and share your passion for education.
10am-3pm

Be part of the change you want to see by stepping up to voice your ideas and concerns, by learning about what legislation is proposed, by being an engaged citizen, and by forming an opinion on ways that–for example–Pennsylvania can move from the dead last state in the nation in high education (yeah… we are LAST) to something … better.  We owe this to our younger siblings, our children, our state, and our democracy, because without education, democracy falters.  So don’t just stand back… care about your world.

To Volunteer
Email Rachel Hicks

Some of the education advocates who will be attending include:

Education Justice is an intentionally broad term.  You can slice it however you want, to address a concern that you feel strongly about.  Here are some concerns that people have been talking about recently:

Higher Education (also called: University/College Funding, Post-Secondary Funding)

 This is a topic you all have some experience with—your tuition dollars and debt.  In recent decades, Pennsylvania has contributed less to the cost of running universities.  Whereas in the past, PA would use its tax dollars to support the state colleges, now it supports them less.

For example, PA spends 37.3% less per student in 2018 than it did in 2008 (adjusted for inflation).  What does that mean?  It means that the money the state isn’t putting in has to come from tuition dollars, which eventually becomes debt, your debt.  As taxpayers, we do have some say about how our dollars are spent—do you agree with the allocation? Do you know of some other ways that the state could fund education so that students and their families aren’t financially stressed?  Speak out then (with a speech on the 23rd, or a video, or a meme, or a social media campaign) on the issue.

Racial Bias in the Funding of PA K-12 Schools

Would it surprise you to find out that the K-12 schools that have more students of color in PA get less money from the Pennsylvania government per student than schools with more white students?  You would think someone might fix that, and they did with a Fair Funding formula (see attachment). Unfortunately, one of the conditions of the new formula is that it applies only to the new money brought in in taxes, leaving the vast majority of funds to be distributed in the old way. People are trying to change that—what do you think should be done to be fair?

See video: Racial Bias in PA Funding

Funding for Special Education

Do you believe that students with disabilities should have the resources they need to succeed?  It probably won’t surprise you that special education expenditures have also risen in the past 10 years—but state support, not so much.  From 2008/09-2016/17, expenditures in School District of Lancaster for Special education rose over $8 million, or 40%.  Where the state used to pay 41% of those costs, in 2016-17 it only paid 33%.  That forced local funds to cover 59% (see attachment), forcing local taxpayers to foot more of the bill.  What would be fair for covering the costs of special education?

Gender Issues

As aspects of gender fluidity became more prominent in the national discussion, debates about the rights of LGBTQ+ students became more prominent in both K-12 and universities.  Some of these revolved around practical issues (for example, issues of bathrooms), while others were more focused on support within the learning environments (for example, PA law did not explicitly protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, until in 2018 the Human Relations Commission stated that these categories were covered under sex discrimination in existing law).  Does PA do enough to support the LGBTQ+ students?  How could things be fairer? More supportive?

PA Promise

Do you want more financial support from the state for post-secondary education?  Would you consider new legislation? Consider the proposed PA Promise legislation (excerpt below is from the proposal, which is attached)—is it fair?

The Need for Investment

There is a pressing need for reinvestment in post‐secondary education and training in Pennsylvania.

  • Thirty‐five years of state disinvestment have left Pennsylvania ranked worst in the nation when it comes to higher education, sunk in the rankings by students’ high debt at graduation and the state’s high tuition and fees, according to U.S. News and World Report.
  • The state ranks 40th for the share of adults 25‐64 with an education beyond high school. In over half of Pennsylvania counties (35), the share of adults with more than a high‐school degree is lower than in any of the 50 states (i.e., lower than West Virginia’s 48.1%).
  • A large body of economic research shows that lagging educational attainment translates to lower wages and incomes for individuals and slower economic growth for regions.
  • The Wall Street Journal has already labeled rural America the “new inner city,” the nation’s most troubled regions. Rural Pennsylvania has so far escaped the fates of some parts of West Virginia and Kentucky.  But if Pennsylvania’s rural counties remain higher education deserts, it would guarantee their accelerating decline over the next generation.

The Pennsylvania Promise

For about a billion per year, Pennsylvania could:

  • cover two years of tuition and fees for any recent high school graduate enrolled full‐time at one of the Commonwealth’s 14 public community colleges;
  • cover four years of tuition and fees for any recent high school graduate with a family income less than or equal to $110,000 per year accepted into one of the 14 universities in the State System of Higher Education;
  • provide 4 years of grants ranging from $2,000 up to $11,000, depending on family income, for students accepted into a state‐related university.
  • Provide free college tuition and fees for adults without a college degree, with priority going to those seeking in‐demand skills and industry‐recognized credentials, as well as college credit.
  • Currently per capita funding for higher education in Pennsylvania ranks 47th out of 50 states.9 The increase in state spending required under the Pennsylvania Promise would raise Pennsylvania’s rank to 36th.

Resources:

Community Engagement

MU English, Odyssey of the Mind, and Star Wars

This workshop of Leonardo feature scenery made of painted cans.
This workshop of Leonardo features scenery made of painted cans.

On March 8th, Millersville University hosted the East Central Regional Odyssey of the Mind tournament, bringing 613 K-12 students from 55 schools to Millersville to display their creativity in a day filled with ingenuity and teamwork. I got involved in Odyssey 10+ years ago, as a coach. When I saw that the tournament didn’t have a venue that supported its size well, I contacted the regional director to see what could be done, and asked Millersville if we could hold the tournament on our campus. The folks at Millersville were super supportive in bringing the tournament to campus.  However, they had no idea the first year that this would mean thousands of people!  By the second year everyone understood the scope, and the folks at MU Student Services and I started working with the Odyssey Regional Board and Director to plan how to best support the teams on their big day. We have now hosted the tournament for 10 years. The events take place primarily in the Student Memorial Center (SMC), Stayer Hall, and Pucillo Gym, with some other venues that vary by the year.

Odyssey participants are definitely students we’d like to have at Millersville one day.  Their creativity, their team spirit, their resourcefulness, and their work ethic all say that they would be amazing community members.  Specifically, students who prefer the Classics problem seem well suited for English and students who prefer Problem 4 for AEST.  But no matter what problem students choose, they all focus on creating a narrative, which is the heart of English.

Turns out the Marauder is an excellent UNO player. Beware!

Students in Odyssey work for 4+ months to create a short (less than 8 minutes) play to “solve a problem.”  There are 5 choices of problems for grades 3-12, each with a different slant (creating a vehicle, classics, balsa wood structure, etc.), and a special problem for K-2.  Participants must work together to put various required aspects into their narratives and scenes, and they have to construct their scenery with limited resources and so that they can move it by themselves quickly into the competition space.  Working under these restrictions makes students come up with unique approaches that help them understand more through hands-on application of their ideas.  They learn by doing–together.

Students also have to work together as a team to solve a spontaneous problem that they get the day of the competition. The problem can be verbal or hands-on, or a combination of the two. The team has to decide on the best players to address the task at hand and then those players work together to try to maximize points in the fast-moving event.

Garrison Carrida with Dr. Craven

Odyssey usually occurs the first Saturday of Spring Break.  We always appreciate volunteers to help with the day.  Over the past 3 years, volunteers from Garrison Carida Troop 501 have thrilled participants by bringing the Star Wars characters to life during the awards ceremony and on campus.  Darth Vader, Chewbacca, the Storm Troopers, the Royal Guard, and other characters have made brought the world of adult creativity into Pucillo as they interacted with participants. Let’s not forget that George Lucas studied the structure of myth to give the Star Wars stories a solid foundation!

While the Star Wars characters are very visible volunteers, the whole Odyssey of the Mind competition is run completely by volunteers who value creativity, teamwork, and the importance of fostering these qualities in the next generation.  I find this aligns both with the values of the English Department and with the values of Millersville University as a state public university committed to educating citizens who can contribute to their communities–both regional and global. If you value those ideas, please think about volunteering for next year’s competition by emailing regional director Lynn Fyfe.

All the work culminates is a fabulous day at Millersville, where teams get the space, the food, and the fun to make the day both memorable and special. Many thanks to all who volunteered to make East Central PA’s Regional Tournament the success it was. And particular thanks to Millersville University for giving us the space to make it happen. Create on!

Owen J. Roberts team with Garrison Carrida at the OM Awards
Owen J. Roberts team with Garrison Carrida at the OM Awards
Excitement on stage as a team realizes it is moving on to the State Competition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

–Jill Craven

Community Engagement

DJ Spooky’s Rebirth of a Nation

On Friday, March 22nd, Millersville University will present Rebirth of a Nation, by Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky at Biemesderfer Hall in the Winter Center. Tickets for the 7pm show are on sale at the Millersville box office (tickets will be free for the first 100 Millersville students–these are available in person at the SMC box office).  Rebirth of a Nation will be presented as a film screening with musical score remixed live by DJ Spooky and an after-screening discussion. The film runs 1oo minutes.

Conceived as a reimagining of director D.W. Griffith’s infamously racist 1915 silent film The Birth of a Nation, DJ Spooky’s Rebirth of a Nation is a controversial and culturally significant project that examines how “exploitation and political corruption still haunt the world to this day, but in radically different forms.” Originally commissioned in 2004 by the Lincoln Center Festival, Spoleto Festival USA, Wiener Festwochen, and the Festival d’Automne à Paris, the project was Miller’s first large-scale multimedia performance piece, and has been performed around the world, from the Sydney Festival to the Museum of Modern Art and The Lincoln Center.

Rebirth of a Nation – Trailer

Uploaded by International Film Festival Rotterdam on 2017-01-17.

“In a certain sense what I’m doing is portraying the film as he intended it,” DJ Spooky says of his remix. “This is a film glorifying a horrible situation. And I think a modern sensibility is something where people will look at this and go like ‘Oh, I can’t believe this, I don’t relate to it, I don’t think this is right, what does he mean?’ So it’s not letting him off the hook so much as presenting the film and actually having it fall in on itself.”

Miller takes Griffith’s original work and applies a “DJ re-mix.” Using his skills as a DJ to mash music and film techniques, he recontextualizes and deconstructs Griffith’s film and places it in a moral framework, drawing striking parallels between socio-political conflicts in America during Griffith’s era, the time of the American Civil War (when Birth of a Nation is set), and today.  Using his artistry to comment on Griffith’s film’s portrayal of white supremacy and its positive portrayal of the Ku Klux Klan, Miller’s work engages audiences in themes of civil rights and freedom, seen through the lens of DJ Spooky’s unique art of remixing.

DJ Spooky’s “Rebirth of a Nation”

An excerpt from DJ Spooky’s Rebirth of a Nation

Probably most well-known under his constructed persona as DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid, Paul D. Miller aka DJ Spooky has recorded music and collaborated with a wide variety of musicians and composers, among them Iannis Xenakis, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Kronos Quartet, Pierre Boulez, Steve Reich, Yoko Ono, Thurston Moore and many others.  Miller was the first Artist in Residence at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he premiered his work “A Civil War Symphony” in 2013. In 2014, Miller was named a National Geographic Emerging Explorer, an honor recognizing visionaries at the forefront of global problem solving. Miller is the 2017-2018 recipient of The Hewlett 50 Arts Commission Award to support his new work “QUANTOPIA: The Evolution of the Internet,” a multimedia performance and an installation based on the history and evolution of the internet, which premiered at San Francisco’s YBCA in January 2019. Recent works include “Phantom Dancehall” with premier reggae label VP Records and his first blockchain album “The Invisible Hand” commissioned by SingularDTV.

Griffith’s original film features a character, Representative Stoneman (pictured above to the right of Lincoln), based on local US Representative Thaddeus Stevens, who lived and practiced law in Lancaster. Stevens was an advocate of the equality of men and the 14th Amendment, which had its 150th anniversary last year (also the 150th anniversary of Stevens’ death).  Stevens is buried downtown in the cemetery on Chestnut Street, the only place that would allow people of different skin colors to be buried together.  His epitaph reads:

I repose in this quiet and secluded spot,
Not from any natural preference for solitude
But, finding other Cemeteries limited as to Race
by Charter Rules,
I have chosen this that I might illustrate in my death
The Principles which I advocated through a long life:
EQUALITY OF MAN BEFORE HIS CREATOR.

If you are in downtown Lancaster, you should visit the cemetery to learn more about this leader in racial justice.

For more information, see https://www.sozoartists.com/djspooky

Free tickets for students are available at the box office in the Student Memorial Center.
Paid tickets are available at https://bit.ly/2H0bNeR through the MU Box Office.

This event is sponsored by the Frederick Douglass Black Culture Celebration, MIllersville University Department of English, The President’s Commission on Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, The School of Social Work’s Learning Institute, and the Robert S. & Sue Walker Center for Civic Responsibility and Leadership.

Community Engagement, Literary Events, Newsletter Articles, Publications, Special Activities, Student Activities

George Street Press Open Submissions!

George Street Press  is Millersville University’s literary magazine, open to students and faculty alike.  Submissions are open for the Spring 2019 Edition!

This year, the club will be accepting submissions until March 8th. One student/faculty/alumni university member may submit:

  • 3 poems (one poem cannot exceed two pages)
  • 2 pieces of prose (one piece should not exceed 4,000 words)
  • 2 pieces of non-fiction (one piece should not exceed 4,000 words)
  • 3 pieces of flash-fiction (each 500 words or less)
  • 5 pieces of original art (submit in .jpg format)
  • 1 experimental piece (found poems, screen-plays, the strange, genre-bending, and unknown)

To submit, please email GeorgeStreetPressSubmissions@gmail.com with your name, contact info (phone number/email), as well as any notes about your pieces for the editors. All documents must be in .docx or .doc format, and art pieces must be in .jpg format. Once a piece is printed into the magazine, the writer is officially a printed author! This is a perfect opportunity for English Majors to get ahead in the creative world.

About a week before the end of the semester, the George Street Press will host a release party for the Spring 2019 Edition! Stay tuned for more information. Here are some photos from last year’s event:

Contact Kitsey Shehan or Sara Pizzo for more information about club meetings/submission guidelines or visit their Get Involved page. Photo Credit: GSP

Community Engagement, Conferences, Dyslexia, Special Activities

Demystifying Dyslexia Day January 26th at Millersville

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On Saturday, January 26, Millersville University will share speakers on dyslexia with our community.  Depending on the definition used for dyslexia (which occurs at different levels), between 5-10% of the population is affected by this language-based learning disability. The day will feature different perspectives and discussions to further personal and professional knowledge about this disorder.

The event will commence in the morning at the Winter Center (60 West Cottage Ave) on Millersville campus, and move to Stayer Building for breakout sessions in the afternoon.  Admission is free and open to the public, excluding the lunch session with Marilyn Bartlett, which is $12.

REGISTRATION

Registration is required. A small fee ($5 per credit) will be charged for those desiring CEU or Act 48 credits.

MORNING SCHEDULE (WINTER CENTER)

  • 8:00 Coffee and Registration
  • 9:00 Welcome (Dr. Jill Craven)
  • 9:15 Dyslexia, Its Subtypes, and Testing (Dr. Margaret Kay)
  • 10:15 Break
  • 10:30 Dyslexia: A Strength, Not a Weakness (Ms. Sara Page Stinchcomb)
  • 10:45 Raising Faith (a film on dyslexia by Dr. Stacey Irwin)

LUNCH and KEYNOTE ($12, GORDINIER HALL–Free for MU Students with ID)

  • 12:00 Lunch: Gordinier Hall, Lehr room
  • 12:30 Telling Her Story: The Marilyn Bartlett Case (Dr. Marilyn Bartlett)
Marilyn J Bartlett, J.D., Ph.D._Apr12

Dr. Marilyn Bartlett, J.D., Ph.D. , former Dean and Professor at Texas A&M University, is a person who is dyslexic. She requested accommodations on the NY Bar Exam and was denied.  Dr. Bartlett argued in court that she should receive accommodations on the test based on her learning disability and slow reading speed due to dyslexia. After a ten year battle, she won the case for herself and all of those persons who are protected by the ADA-AA and need accommodations for their disabilities when studying in post-secondary institutions and taking professional exams. Her case is still good law in the Second Circuit

AFTERNOON BREAKOUT SESSIONS (STAYER HALL)

2:00 Breakout Session I (Stayer Hall)

  1.   Getting help in college (Audience: 1, 4)
    Julianne Browne
  2.    Helping with Homework (Audience: 1, 2)
    Kevin Ghaffari, Abby Rissinger, Sara Page Stinchcomb
  3.   “What is the difference among IDEA, the ADA-AA2008 and Sec 504” (Audience: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
    Dr. Marilyn J Bartlett
  4.   “How Dyslexia Presents” (Simulation Session) (Audience: 1, 2, 3, 6)
    Dr. Janet Josephson
  5.  “The International Dyslexia Association’s  (IDA) Knowledge and Practice Standards for teacher of reading”—(Audience: 3,5)
    Dr. Pamela M. Kastner

2:45 Breakout Session II (Stayer Hall)

  1. How to be a better self-advocate. (Audience: 1, 2, 4, 6)
    Kevin Ghaffari, Abby Rissinger, and Sara Page Stinchcomb
  2.  “The process of being tested”  (Audience: 1, 2, 4, 6)
    Dr. Margaret Kay
  3. “Transitioning:  Middle School to High School to College to Graduate School” (Audience: 1, 2, 4, 6)
    Dr. Marilyn J Bartlett
  4.  “Beyond Blending and Segmenting: Advanced Phonemic Awareness”
    (Audience: 6)
    Dr. Pamela M. Kastner
  5. “Psychological basis of Dyslexia and Co-morbid Conditions” (Audience: 2, 3, 4, 6)
    Kathy Halligan and Helen Mannion

3:30   Breakout Session III  (Stayer Hall)

  1.   “How to be Successful as a Student with Dyslexia” (Audience: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6)
    Kevin Ghaffari, Abigail Rissinger, Sara Page Stinchcomb
  2.    Offerings of the Childrens Dyslexia Center in Lancaster (Audience: 6)
    Heather Hinkel, Director of the Children’s Dyslexia Center
  3.  “Making a Game Plan for Raising a Child with Dyslexia” (Audience:  2)
    Dr. Marilyn Bartlett
  4.  “Beyond Blending and Segmenting: Advanced Phonemic Awareness”  PART 2
    (Audience: 6)
    Dr. Pamela M. Kastner
  5.   “Multi-Sensory Reading Programs” (Audience: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6)
    Kathy Halligan and Helen Mannion
Demystifying Dyslexia Poster

4:20-5pm Stayer Refreshments

Audience Key:

  1. Students
  2. Parents
  3. Teachers and Future Teachers
  4. Counselors
  5. Administrators, Advocates and Attorneys
  6. Everyone

INFORMATION ON PRESENTERS

Dr. Marilyn Bartlett, J.D., Ed. D.
Dr. Bartlett is a Retired Dean and Professor of Educational Administration, Law and Policy at Texas A&M University.  Currently Dr. Bartlett is an Advocate for students and parents who are requesting services from schools K-16.  As the plaintiff in Bartlett v New York Board of Law Examiners (2001), Dr. Bartlett won rights to accommodations under the ADA for dyslexics.

Ms. Julianne Browne, Learning Services, Millersville University
Retired English teacher, Cecil County Public Schools
Current Department Secretary, Office of Learning Services, Millersville University

 Dr. Jill Craven, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of English, Professor of Film Studies, Millersville University

Mr. Kevin Ghaffari, MPS
Special Education Teacher, Millersville University Education Foundations Part-time Faculty Member

Ms. Kathy Halligan
Language Arts Teacher, Delaware Valley Friends School.  Kathy trained at Teacher’s College with Judith Birsh in the Orton Gillingham Program. She is also trained in The Wilson Reading System, Just Words, Fundations, and the Read Naturally Fluency Program. 

Ms. Heather Hinkel
Center Director, Children’s Dyslexia Center of Lancaster

Dr. Stacey Irwin, Ph.D.
Professor of Communication and Theatre, Millersville University

Dr. Janet Josephson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Early, Middle, and Exceptional Education, Millersville University

Dr. Pamela M. Kastner, Ed. D.
Literacy Statewide Lead, Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network [PaTTAN]

Dr. Margaret Kay, Ed.D. NCSP, FABPS
Licensed Psychologist, Nationally Certified School Psychologist, Fellow, American Board of Psychological Specialties with Forensic Specialization in Educational & School Psychology. Dr. Kay has been in private practice since 1980 and is often relied upon by parents and schools to perform Independent Educational Evaluations (IEE’s) for school-age children and college students. Dr. Kay has a doctorate in Educational & School Psychology with a specialization in child neuropsychology and has testified as an expert in a number of Dyslexia cases. The title of her doctoral dissertation was: Cognitive Predictors of the Dyslexia Syndrome and she is a lifetime member of the International Dyslexia Association.

Ms. Helen Mannion, M. Ed., CALT,
Director of Teacher Training, and Director of Language and Literacy Remediation, Delaware Valley Friends School

Ms. Abigail Rissinger
Millersville University Student, Dyslexic Student Advocate

Ms. Sara Page Stinchcomb
Lancaster Country Day Student, Dyslexic Student Advocate

THANKS

These events were generously supported by Millersville’s Center for Public Scholarship and Social Change, the Dean of the School of Art, Humanities and Social Sciences,  the Dean of the School of Education, the Department of English, and the Office of the Provost.

INFORMATION ON RESOURCE TABLES

Resources will be presented by