Going on an Expotition — Toward the end of Winnie-the-Pooh, Christopher Robin gathers up his friends sets out on an expedition to discover the North Pole. Pooh, however, is not familiar with the word expedition, so he replaces it with the following new word that he invents on the spot: Expotition. Apparently for Pooh, this new word is a proper noun, for it is always capitalized in the book. For Pooh, an Expotition has to do with going on adventures and discovering new things. I am please to report that many members of our English Department have been going on their own Expotitions over the past few weeks. Although none of them discovered the North Pole as far as I know, they all had interesting experiences during their various Expotitions. Here are summaries of three recent Expotitions involving members of our department.
Expotition #1 — Malin Pereira took three undergraduate students (Kevin Bonilla, Diana Nava, and Xavier Neal) to the Collegium for African American Research (CARR) held at the University of Central Florida from January 30 to February 2. Malin’s teaching assistant, Shanon Murray, also participated in CARR. The students participated in a round-table discussion titled “The Relevance of Zora Neale Hurston to American College Students Today.” They also had an opportunity to hear a presentation by Alice Walker, the keynote speaker. These students are taking Malin’s course on African American Literature: Harlem Renaissance to the Present. For these students, this experience gave them an opportunity to make connections between the insights they gained at CARR and what they are learning in Malin’s course.
Expotition #2 — Tiffany Morin took the members of the English Learning Community (ELC) last week to see Charlotte Ballet’s performance of “Shakespeare Reinvented: A New Take on the Works of William Shakespeare through Contemporary Dance” by the Charlotte Ballet. Part of the Charlotte Ballet’s Innovative Works Series, “Shakespeare Reinvented” has a direct connection to the English Department through Andrew Hartley, who was one of the collaborators on this production. For the ELC students, going to this performance provided them with a memorable experience and it helped them become more familiar with the cultural resources available in Charlotte.
Expotition #3 — Alan Rauch took the drive down Providence Road to the Sandra & Leon Levine Jewish Community Center on four occasions between January 16 and February 13 in order to deliver a series of salons on the topic of “Jewish Identity and Assimilation.” Sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Charlotte, these salons attracted over forty people for each of the four presentations. For Alan, leading these salons provided him with an opportunity to share his deep knowledge of Jewish heritage with an important segment of the Charlotte community.
As the aforementioned examples demonstrate, the reach of the English Department extends far beyond the walls of the Fretwell Building. It seems clear to me that Pooh is speaking our language when he says to Piglet, “We’re going on an Expotition, all of us, with things to eat. To discover something.”
Kudos — As you know, I like to use my Monday Missives to share news about recent accomplishments by members of the English Department. Here is the latest news:
Janaka Lewis‘s Freedom Narratives of African American Women: A Study of 19th-Century Writings was recently named a Choice Outstanding Academic Title.
Quirky Quiz Question — For the students who participated in Collegium for African American Research, one of the highlights was having the opportunity to hear Alice Walker speak. Walker is perhaps best known for her book The Color Purple, which was also made into a movie. In what state was this movie filmed?
Last week’s answer: Clue
CLGO’s board game night reminds me of the board games that I played as a boy. One of my favorite games from my childhood includes a character named Professor Plum. What is the name of this board game?