Department of English
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Organizations for English Majors
You are encouraged to join student organizations. They provide social interaction, but more importantly, leadership opportunities that will help you in your job search. Some of the organizations you might be interested in include:
Student English Association
The Student English Association (and its honorary Sigma Tau Delta) provides a social environment for English majors and serves as an outlet for written student expression with its magazine that features poetry, fiction, essays, movie reviews, and interviews. The Student English Association (SEA) meets every three weeks. Faculty speakers are often invited. At least once a year the SEA sponsors a student/faculty social to promote interaction. If you're interested in joining the SEA, watch for call-out information in September and January, or contact Margie Berns, faculty advisor for the organization.
Haraka Writers
The Black Cultural Center sponsors the Haraka Writers, a collective of students committed to literary expression. Their writings include short stories, prose, essays, and poetry. Since 1973, the Haraka Writers have functioned as modern day griots, working to preserve the concept of Black oral tradition. Poets who have been featured guests at Purdue University include:
Angela Jackson
Gwendolyn Brooks
Nikki Giovanni
Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee
Haki Madhubuti
Sonia Sanchez
Maya Angelou
If you are interested in joining the Haraka Writers or other cultural activities related to the African-American experience, check with the Black Cultural Center located at 315 University St. (telephone: 765-494-3092).
Professional Writers Club
The Professional Writers Club was founded in the spring of 2000. The goals of the club are to provide students with social, academic, and career opportunities. Meetings have featured guest speakers including employees from Pearson Publishing, MicroData Base Systems (mdbs), and Simply Written; Society for Technical Communication members; and Professional Writing graduates who come to share their job hunting and employment experiences. Club members often conduct various computer tutorials for the Purdue community.
All Professional Writing students may subscribe to the PW Talk mailing list. The list serves as a forum for job lisitings, curriculum concerns, and Professional Writers Club meeting minutes and announcements. To subscribe online, go to the Professional Writing Club web site.