News & Updates
2024 News
Dear Reader, USF’s first Taylor Swift course just wrapped a semester of puns and poetry
A trio of English professors taught the class. Jessica Cook, Michelle Taylor and Emily Jones agreed it made them feel like they’re part of a special intellectual and cultural community.
December 12, 2024English in the News
English professor featured in 'Best American Poetry'
Natalie Scenters-Zapico, an award-winning poet and assistant professor in the Department of English, is gaining global recognition. Scenters-Zapico, who shapes the local literary community as director of the Michael Kuperman Memorial Poetry Library, has a poem in the prestigious “Best American Poetry” anthology, cementing her work as essential reading at USF and for audiences across the country.
November 22, 2024Department News
USF professor’s new sci-fi novella, “Time’s Agent,” explores love, loss, time travel, and robots
With the publication of her new book, “Time’s Agent,” Department of English Assistant Professor Brenda Peynado reflects on her professional journey to this point and offers advice to other creatives looking to enter the field.
September 24, 2024Department News, Publications
Dr. Valerie Lipscomb contributes expertise on literature and aging in new book
Dr. Valerie Barnes Lipscomb served as a lead editor and contributor on the recently published “The Palgrave Handbook of Literature and Aging,” which features more than 30 contributors on three continents and 200,000 words of new scholarship.
September 16, 2024Department News, Publications
English doctoral students travel to Spain to lead panel discussion on Hemingway
Three doctoral students in the Department of English presented their research at the 2024 Hemingway Society Conference in San Sebastian and Bilbao, Spain in July.
August 27, 2024Department News
Graduate student Olajide Omojarabi’s story House No. 49 earns shortlist recognition by Commonwealth Foundation
Olajide Omojarabi, a third-year master of fine arts creative writing student in the Department of English, has been shortlisted for his short story “House No. 49” by the Commonwealth Foundation.
July 26, 2024Honors and Awards
USF English professor to co-edit Florida anthology as part of Duckwall Professorship
Julie Buckner Armstrong, known for her expertise in the civil rights movement and southern literature, has been named the Duckwall Professor of Florida Studies for the 2024-2026 academic years. As part of the Duckwall Professorship, Armstrong will begin focusing on her next book, an anthology of literary works from Florida.
June 6, 2024Department News
The Humanities Institute celebrates its growth both in a newly renovated space and for the future
The Humanities Institute welcomed the USF community to its newly renovated space through an open house.
May 29, 2024Department News, Events
From campus to careers: CAS graduates reflect on their time at USF
Among the 7,000 degrees conferred during spring commencement, the College of Arts and Sciences accounted for more than 2,500 of the total degrees awarded. Now, several students are reflecting on their unique experiences and sharing their advice for incoming students.
May 28, 2024Alumni News
English student polishes technical writing skills interning with local software development company Oyova
English student John Michael Kilgore put his professional and technical communication skills to the test in his recent internship with a Florida-based software development company.
May 20, 2024Department News
The Michael Kuperman Memorial Poetry Library: Fostering community, craft, and a sense of self
When MFA student Michael Kuperman passed away in 2006, his family donated his beloved poetry collection to the USF English Department, creating the foundation of the space located on the third floor of Cooper Hall now known as the Michael Kuperman Memorial Poetry Library. Now, the director of the space wants to see it become a haven for creatives across our campuses.
April 25, 2024Department News
English professor receives grant to integrate environmental education into K-12 language arts curriculum
Dr. Jarod Roselló, a professor in the Department of English, received a grant from The Spencer Foundation to fund a one-year program aimed at integrating environmental education into the K-12 Language Arts curriculum.
March 26, 2024Honors and Awards