The Department of English hosts a monthly book club for anyone who loves stories and storytelling. We select a different book each month from a variety of genres and then gather to talk about it in a non-classroom setting, so no quizzes or papers! Our conversations may start off with a focus on the book, but we may also wander into discussions about other stories in any format (tv, movie, game). Students, faculty, and staff, non-English majors, are all welcome to join us.
Rudolph Hermanns was a travelling plant seed salesman for Fred C. Gloeckner Co. Inc., who lived a reclusive life for 22 years in a small apartment near UTA. When he came to the U.S., he had less than $200 in his pocket, but upon his death in April 1985, he left a $2-3 million estate to UTA. In 1991, the Rudolph Hermanns UTA Endowment Fund for Excellence established the Rudolph Hermanns Endowment – Department of English Lecture Series, an annual event that brings notable scholars to the UTA campus for lectures, workshops, and panel discussions.
The Lost Arts Collaborative is a group dedicated to increasing general knowledge, among UTA students and the public at large, about the lost arts of making things. The group offers hands-on workshops on how to make a variety of products, including ink, chocolate, and corn tortillas, using traditional methods and tools. Workshops are also offered on production techniques, such as how to apply gold leaf to an illuminated manuscript, as well as the role of objects in everyday life, such as the use of amulets and healing stones.
The Department of English strives to create a welcoming community for students in both academic and out-of-class environments. Throughout the semester, we hold a variety of events for students to make new friends, meet new majors and minors, mingle with faculty, and just enjoy some fun time away from academic demands. These may be trivia nights, holiday parties, or spa days to relax during midterms and finals. And we are always coming up with some new ideas, such as an annual Mardi Gras event!
The Department of English holds one to two Table Talks each month during the semester. These informal gatherings invite faculty to speak about new programs and minors, their current research, or to challenge participants with creative writing activities. Possible Table Talk topics for Spring 2022 include Latino/a/x literature and opportunities in the Center for Mexican American Studies, digital humanities, literary disability studies, and sound studies.
