English and Writing Studies Dinner

By: Emma De Noble

Students and faculty eat dinner and converse with each other before the presentation formally begins. Photo Credit: Rebecca Davis

On Sept. 24 in the Gramley Library Reading Room, the English and Writing Studies department held its annual “State of the Program” dinner. This event serves as an opportunity for faculty to inform interested students and English and Writing Studies majors/minors of the department’s upcoming events and classes. Ultimately, the evening shaped up to be a joyous celebration of the department’s contributions to the Salem College community. 

A spread of dessert foods was offered at the dinner. Photo Credit: Katie Manthey

The evening began with some mingling before dinner was served. As students settled into their seats, the official program kicked off with a heartfelt speech by our Dean and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Brett Woods. He spoke intently to the audience, insisting upon the dire importance of the ability to write and read, no matter what field one goes into. Hammering his point home, he shared a moving anecdote of his own personal struggles with reading and writing in his academic career, noting the improvement in his academic and professional performance when he began to accept the necessity of learning to enjoy writing and reading, even in a STEM research-focused career. 

The English and Writing Studies department puts a high priority on teaching students how to become “triple threats,” that is, proficient in their knowledge of literature, creative writing, and professional writing. In today’s day and age, these three skills are more vital than ever to create engaged and curious professionals in any field. 

The department has a variety of events planned this year. Notably, Dr. Oczkowicz, Dr. Katie Manthey, and Professor Rebecca Davis will be presenting at both the annual Modern Language Association (MLA) conference in Toronto, Canada, and the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) conference in Baltimore. Both of these conferences will have thousands of attendees, making this an incredibly exciting opportunity for our professors! 

Dr. Manthey (left), Dr. Oczkowicz (center), and Professor Davis (right) pose for a photo. Photo Credit: Katie Manthey.

As for campus events, the department will be hosting Write All Month (WAM) from November to December and planning events for National Poetry Month in April of next semester. On the academic side, the department is offering various classes in the spring of 2026. Literature-focused classes include “Imaginary Gardens, Real Toads” and “Race, Culture, Identity.” The Creative Writing classes offered will be “Literary Arts Citizenship”, “Introductory Prose Workshop”, and “The Art and Act of Revision.” The Professional Writing subject will offer “Rhetoric of Health and Medicine” and “Introduction to Professional Writing”. 

As always, this dinner served as a much-needed reminder that the humanities will always have an invaluable place in health leadership, and that there will always be a need for competence and joy in both reading and writing – both in the professional world and the personal, for the betterment of all of us.