English undergraduates, alumni, faculty, and staff gathered to celebrate retiring receptionist Rose Hendrickson, who has welcomed, assisted, and directed traffic in the department for a quarter of a century. After receiving hugs and congratulations from a stream of well-wishers, Hendrickson was feted by English Chair Ellen Messer-Davidow and Associate Administrator Pamela Leszczynski, who presented her with a group contribution toward retirement. "I'm buying a laptop!" a grateful Hendrickson declared.Professor Emeritus Michael Dennis Browne stood to read a poem he'd written for Hendrickson's retirement. With their kind permission, we reprint it below.
. . .
"When a Rose Retires"When a rose retires
do the petals curl up and close,
drift away from the center that held 'til then,
wander down slowly toward the ground
OR do they open wider, wider, stretch themselves ever more freely,
reaching each gleaming element revealed
Reaching as they have so long dreamed to do
ever nearer the sun.
For Rose
May 8, 2014
copyright Michael Dennis Browne
. . .
New English receptionist
Samantha Morris is the new receptionist and administrative assistant for the Department of English. Morris graduated from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse with a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Studies and Political Science. She has worked in customer service and communications. We welcome her to Lind 227!
