Faculty Adventure
Regents Professor Madelon Sprengnether wrote about her summer trip to the Middle East for the Minneapolis Star Tribune in an article entitled "Where Poetry Lives: In Iran."
Undergraduate Immersion
Three English majors studying or interning abroad this summer tell us what they learned.
Kathryn Campbell: CAPA International Education in Australia
Little did I know, but the moment I applied for my six-week adventure, I transformed into a "yes person." Could I fly, for more than a day, by myself? Yes. Could I scale the Blue Mountains and scuba dive the depths of the Pacific Ocean? Yes. Could I try (and even enjoy) a kangaroo burger? Yes. Not only did I immerse myself in Australian culture, I explored my own passions and aspirations through my internship.
I worked as an Event and Social Media Coordinator Intern for Sweet Art in Paddington, New South Wales. The company creates flower arrangements, stationery, and edible sculptures, and plans special events. The internship lasted for six weeks, and I worked from 32-40 hours a week. The ability to do hands-on, experiential learning by interacting with professionals in the workplace proved not only gratifying but invaluable. My advice to students considering making the leap, or flight for that matter, is go forth with a mind completely open. You will reimagine future career paths, Australia, and even your place in this world. There is nothing to lose by exploring the world, but so much to gain. Just say yes!
Christina Leighton: CET Intensive Language Program in China
The morning after I arrived in Beijing, I had to take a placement exam. I felt nervous, but I was also too numb from the plane ride to worry as much as I usually do. I was placed in the third-year class. Eight weeks of class is roughly the equivalent of two semesters of Mandarin Chinese at the University of Minnesota. Although this has been one of my greatest academic challenges, I am happy to say it's been worth the effort since my Chinese has definitely improved. But perhaps most importantly, I have been able to understand a little more about the world and myself.
During the weekends, CET provides opportunities to explore Chinese culture: I've been to an acrobatics show, the Great Wall, an art district, a canyon in An'yang, an opera show, and many historical palaces. But some of my fondest memories are the conversations and shared experiences I have had with my roommate, a college student in Beijing who is from Xi'an. For example, even though we enjoy similar foods, we also bond over how different our tastes can be; she thinks eating a banana with peanut butter is strange, and I don't understand how she can eat vacuum-packed, pre-cooked meat.
Being in Beijing has taught me to be more open about different ways of living and thinking. Beijing has also given me a new appreciation for family, friends, and daily comforts in Minnesota, like having clean water and fresh air. But perhaps the biggest impression that Beijing has given me is the sense that, in the end, we are all human beings sharing similar experiences. We all need food, shelter, and water. We all feel sadness and happiness. We all do our best to find a place in this big world.
Lily O'Hara-Brantner: Council on International Educational Exchange in JordanI've always been fascinated by words and their endless possibilities, arranged and rearranged to convey so many different meanings. Studying Arabic has been an extension of this love. In addition to learning an entirely new alphabet, I have discovered the incredible syntactic opportunities that the Arabic language provides. The structure of Arabic grammar allows me to express complex, nuanced ideas much better than I ever could in English.
For example, there are ten Arabic verb forms, allowing differences in meaning via a few added letters that in English would take entire sentences. As someone who loves to write, these possibilities are thrilling. In the two months I was in Amman, Jordan, I studied both Modern Standard Arabic and Colloquial Jordanian Arabic with students from across the U.S., and I stayed with a Jordanian host family that was incredibly kind to me and patient with my bumbling language skills. I had four young host sisters, and being able to speak Arabic with them was incredible--my crowning achievement was correctly understanding their explanation of a favorite made-up game, and I have never been prouder!
I was in Jordan during the holy month of Ramadan, and it was amazing to see how daily life in a Muslim country adjusts to its rhythm of fasting and nightly iftar parties. My host family celebrated the breaking of the fast every night with delicious food and lots of tea and coffee, and often the entire extended family would gather for the festivities.
I also traveled to a number of unbelievably beautiful places within Jordan. I rode camels in the deserts of Wadi Rum, visited the ancient city of Petra, celebrated the 4th of July at the Dead Sea, climbed waterfalls at Wadi Hidan, and enjoyed Aqaba's Red Sea beaches. Jordan is a beautiful country, and I am so happy to have had this opportunity--in the future, insha'allah, I will be able to create new memories in Jordan and throughout the Arab World.
Graduate Student Walkabout
Two English PhD candidates were among 12 fellows selected to participate in the second annual Academy for Advanced Study in the Renaissance (funded by the Mellon Foundation)--which involved a two-week residency in Rome and Oxford and a dissertation workshop and international conference in Evanston, IL. They describe the lasting impact of their travels.
Jessica Apolloni and Caitlin McHugh: The Academy for Advanced Study in the RenaissanceResidency in Rome and Oxford
Our stay at the American Academy in Rome encouraged us to rethink our own scholarship in light of connections across disciplines as well as political, social, and cultural borders. Our initial tours of the Borghese and Farnesina galleries were led by prominent Italian art scholars like Marco Ruffini from the Sapienza University of Rome. As we experienced everything from Bernini's graceful statues to Caravaggio's carnage, the professors guided us through the intricate layering of images, texts, and theatrics that collectively fashioned Renaissance society.
Later, in a walking tour of Rome, we gazed at the ceiling of Santa Maria in Trastevere, one of the oldest churches in Rome, strolled through piazzas, and hit up famous espresso bars and gelato stands. We were then able to put together these more visual concepts of the Renaissance with fascinating talks such as Giorgio Caravale's analysis of textual censorship in Rome, James Hankins' insights into Renaissance intellectual history, and Carlo Vecce's study of global cultural exchange in the Renaissance.
Our first day in Oxford was one of the trip's most memorable. Staying in college at St. Hughes, our morning began with full English breakfast: sausage, eggs, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, hashbrowns, baked beans, toast, the works. It was a magnificent experience--especially after the light Italian version of breakfast--but a bit overwhelming.A guided walking tour (thank goodness) followed, with Michael Dobson, Director of the Shakespeare Institute. Highlights included portions of the original city wall; a small cobbled area on Broad Street where the Oxford Martyrs (Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Ridley and Thomas Cranmer) were burned; and, of course, Christ Church College, including the Hall and the Cathedral.
After the tour, we had time to share our projects with Professor Dobson over a pint at the Turf Tavern. We then had an extraordinary dinner with Baron Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury emeritus. Dr. Williams spoke to us about connections between law, culture, and religion in the Reformation--repeatedly illustrating how drastic changes in religious culture in the Renaissance still affect the Church of England today. His ability to extemporaneously connect ideas and respond to our questions with in-depth insights into Renaissance life was truly inspiring.
The rest of our stay in Oxford included a lecture by Shakespearean Simon Palfrey; a visit to Hampton Court Palace, one of two surviving palaces owned by Henry VIII; a viewing of the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Henry IV Part I, directed by Gregory Doran; and a pre-play lecture and discussion of Henry IV by Ewan Fernie, Chair of Shakespeare Studies at the Shakespeare Institute.
Dissertation Workshop and Conference in Evanston, IL
This portion of the Academy, at Northwestern University, involved three hours of workshop for six days, followed by a two-day international conference entitled Renaissance Continuities and Discontinuities. To facilitate the workshops, the fellows submitted dissertation abstracts and chapter examples. Each fellow was asked to articulate his or her argument, the stakes of the project, and his or her audience--in part to help with job market preparation. The workshops were intense but remarkably effective.
Caitlin received feedback that helped her to outline her introduction for her dissertation. Jessica was able to enhance the connections between Italy and England in her project by discussing her work with experts in both Italian history and English literature. The opportunity to experience each fellow's work was fabulous. The two-day conference proved a valuable means of synthesizing the entire experience. In affording fellows the occasion to meet scholars of the Renaissance from all over the world and think deeply about our individual projects, the Academy helped us visualize and consider the future of Renaissance studies--and make friends for life!
