News & Events

Otterbein Professor Named Poet of the Year
Terry Hermsen, professor of poetry, composition, and literature in the Department of English at Otterbein College, has been named co-Poet of the Year for 2009 for his book The River’s Daughter. Click here to read more.

Students Win Prizes at Literary Contests
Three Otterbein students won prizes in this year's East Central Colleges Literary Contests.

In Fiction, C Liddle won first prize for her story, "The Skeleton Doll."
In Creative Nonfiction, Wes Jamison won third place for his essay, "Cavalier." Wes also won two honorable mentions in poetry, for "Primrose Terrace" and "A Poem to Myself."
In Poetry, Justin McAtee won an honorable mention for "The Requiem."

These students will be awarded their certificates and cash award at the Quiz and Quill reading later in the term.

Assistant Professor Dr. Shannon Lakanen receives Fulbright Award
Dr. Shannon Lakanen, Upper Arlington resident and assistant professor of English at Otterbein College, has been awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant to lecture at University of Montenegro in Fall 2009, according to the United States Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

"It's a huge honor to be awarded the Fulbright. Montenegro is the world's newest fully-recognized independent nation, so it's extremely exciting to have the chance to work with students there," Lakanen said.

In the city of Podgorica, Lakanen will teach creative writing and American language and culture at the University of Montenegro from August through December of this year. Along with her son, Alex, she hopes to tour Eastern Europe on weekends.

Lakanen is one of approximately 1,100 U.S. faculty and professionals who will travel abroad through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program.

The Fulbright Program, America's flagship international educational exchange program, is sponsored by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Since its establishment in 1946 under legislation introduced by the late Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the Fulbright Program has provided approximately 286,500 people - 108,160 Americans who have studied, taught, or researched abroad and 178,340 students, scholars and teachers from other countries who have engaged in similar activities in the United States - with the opportunity to observe each others' political, economic, educational and cultural institutions, to exchange ideas and to embark on joint ventures of importance to the general welfare of the world's inhabitants. The Program operates in over 155 countries worldwide.

Fulbright alumni have becomes heads of state, judges, ambassadors, cabinet ministers, CEOs, university presidents, journalists, artists, professors and teachers. They have been awarded 39 Nobel Prizes. Sine its inception more than 60 years ago, approximately 300,000 Fulbrighter scholars have participated in the program. For more information about the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, visit http://fulbright.state.go v.

Student Presents Paper at National Conference
Junior Wes Jamison presented a paper entitled "On the Life and Death of Mary Shelley's ‘Woman'" at the 24th Annual National Undergraduate Literature Conference, which was held from April 2-4 at Weber State University in Odgen, Utah.

Professor Has Book Published
Assistant professor Terry Hermsen's book, Poetry of Place: Helping Students Write Their Worlds, was just published by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Alumnae's Play Takes the Stage
Jen Roberts's '07 play Boeto is scheduled for a professional staged reading at the Playwrights Center of San Francisco this winter. Read the story.

Alumnus's PSA Used by Democratic National Convention Host Committee
Jeremy Henthorn '06 produced a short public service announcement that was part of the official Democratic National Convention host committee's podcast. The PSA titled "Hands" was showcased during the first day of the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. Jeremy is pursuing his M.F.A. at the Univeristy of Southern California's School for Cinema and Television. Watch "Hands".

Professor Publishes Book of Poems
Terry Hermsen, professor of poetry, composition, and literature, recently published a 112-page, paperback book of poems titled The River's Daughter. Jeff Gundy, author of Spoken among the Trees, said The River's Daughter "is filled with pleasure, challenge, and nourishment. Hermsen is a subtle, bold lover of both words and the world; he confronts their perils bravely even as he sings their joys." The River's Daughter can be purchased online from Bottom Dog Press.