{"id":17656,"date":"2026-03-13T11:19:58","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T15:19:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bsu.edu\/english\/?p=17656"},"modified":"2026-03-14T13:54:37","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T17:54:37","slug":"letter-from-the-chair-spring-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bsu.edu\/english\/blog\/2026\/03\/13\/letter-from-the-chair-spring-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Interesting Times in Higher Education"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"A

Sean Lovelace, Chair of English<\/p><\/div>\n

Variable winds, occasional dark clouds, and we all ponder what is on the horizon. However, as a creative scholar and writer, I know everything is a metaphor, and those winds could fly a colorful kite; the clouds could bring a refreshing rain; a sunrise may be on the horizon, or at least a sailing ship\u2026come to take us somewhere, on yet another voyage.<\/p>\n

In the English Department, we do not despair. Our faculty<\/a> of award-winning teachers and scholars work together and are focused on the essential task: serving our community, our alumni, and of course our students\u2014with engaging learning experiences that help them develop creativity, critical thinking, research, writing, teaching, communication, and language skills and immerse themselves in the worlds of literary editing, digital design, professional and creative writing, and so much more.<\/p>\n

We have a plethora of activities outside the classroom: nationally recognized author and scholar visits, panels, literary festivals, writer in residence programs, and, again, multiple programs and grants and writing camps that engage the Indiana community and beyond. All of these events and undertakings have a purpose: to allow students to make genuine connections that allow them to pursue their passions, guide them towards graduation, and empower their future career path.<\/p>\n

We are committed to helping these students not only find fulfilling lives by studying the Humanities, but to also find a job. Career-prep opportunities exist throughout a student\u2019s time at Ball State, including alumni and faculty mentoring, immersive learning \u201chands on\u201d classes, working in our Writing Center, a career readiness class, and a new paid internship program<\/a>.<\/p>\n

English holds over well over 100 events per academic year. (I know because I write the annual report for the department.) In the interest of brevity, I would like to highlight two, one reinforcing our dedication to the larger community and another emphasizing our alumni and their role in career readiness.<\/p>\n

\"A

A big crowd for the Christina Diaz Gonzalez writer in residence visit in November 2025.<\/p><\/div>\n

In the fall of 2025, we had our third (and counting) Writer in Residence<\/a> event, a visit by award-winning and best-selling author, Christina Diaz Gonzalez. This donor funded event (yes, we need your support to do these wonderful things!) accomplished many things but the department is most proud of these numbers:<\/p>\n