For the first time, MTSU’s brightest English graduate students will compete for the honor of presenting their research during Scholars Week.

Click on the graphic for more details on Scholars Week 2014 at MTSU.

The inaugural English Graduate Student Organization Graduate Research Symposium is slated for 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, in the Parliamentary Room on the second floor of the Student Union.

“It’s a symposium with a little bit of a competitive edge to show off the great work that our graduate students are doing,” said Dr. Elyce Helford, an MTSU English professor.

Dr. Elyce Helford

Ten individuals will show off their research to faculty judges in multimedia presentations. Topics include teen drama series, Harry Potter films, the linguistics of contemporary religion and the works of American author James Baldwin.

The three or four who receive the highest rankings will represent the English Graduate Student Organization Wednesday, March 19, during the College of Liberal Arts’ day of Scholars Week, MTSU’s annual celebration of academic research.

Students participating in the graduate research symposium are Laura Black of Hendersonville, Tenn.; Nancy Blomgren of Madison, Tenn.; Clint Bryan of Shaker Heights, Ohio; Autumn Lauzon of Bristol, Va.; Cori Mathis of Auburn, Ala.; Philip Shafer of Nashville; Michael Sirles of Goodlettsville, Tenn.; Joy Smith of Russellville, Ark.; and Dennis Wise of Sharon, Pa.

This event, which is hosted by the graduate program in the Department of English and the Office of the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Sarah Gray-Panesi, president of the English Graduate Student Organization, at sbg2j@mtmail.mtsu.edu or Helford at 615-898-5961 or elyce.helford@mtsu.edu.

— Gina K. Logue (gina.logue@mtsu.edu)