PennWest University English Program

05/10/2026

One of my students kept seeing this quote circulating on the redes without my name attached and they fixed it. Thank you, S--!

05/01/2026

Check Out Our Other Socials!

04/24/2026

Congratulations to our winners of the Eleanor Hibbs Freshman Writing Award: Ava Perney and Baylee Post!

04/22/2026

📣 DEFUNDING OUR DREAMS!

“Screaming into the Void”—a night of bold, unfiltered voices from PennWest creative writing students from Dr. Bartone's Adv. Creative Writing Class.

🗓 April 30 | ⏰ 7 PM
📍 Alexander Music Hall

Come hear powerful readings and support emerging writers.

✨ Free admission
🍪 Refreshments provided

Bring a friend. Bring your curiosity. Leave inspired.

04/22/2026

New Semester Course for English.
2000-Level Course, Check it Out!

04/22/2026

The Northern Appalachian Rust Belt Encyclopedia

Dr. Christina Fisanick's ENG 3300: Reading Rust Belt Lit class created the first-ever Northern Appalachia Rust Belt Encyclopedia.

Numbering over 30 entries as of the end of the semester, the virtual encyclopedia explores the nuances of the Northern Appalachian portion of the Rust Belt for readers, teachers, and writers interested in learning more.

Each entry includes detailed descriptions of key authors and books from the region's writing as well as a "For Further Reading" section.

It is an ongoing project, so please subscribe to follow their progress.

You can find it here: https://substack.com/

04/21/2026

Digital Storytelling Premiere!

Dr. Christina Fisanick's ENG 2270: Digital Storytelling students will host a premiere of their public history digital stories on Thursday, April 30, at 11 am.

For the past 14 years, Dr. Fisanick's students have collaborated with affiliates of the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh to create short (2-4-minute) videos based on artifacts and other primary sources from historical societies across Northern Appalachia.

This semester, we have seven digital stories to share that are sure to pique your interest in the history of Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio.

Free and open to the public.

Find us on Zoom here: https://pennwest-edu.zoom.us/j/95666481458

04/15/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18sj5DTD32/?mibextid=wwXIfr

“Public history helps my university students create powerful digital stories that disrupt stereotypes about Northern Appalachia. Our work with the Heinz History Center's affiliates allows them to bring primary sources and artifacts to light in a format that lives on well beyond their time in my classroom.” –Christina Fisanick Professor of English, Pennsylvania Western University

Image: Fisanick co-teaches a workshop on WWII with Robert Stakeley, Affiliates Program Manager, Heinz History Center.

Photo credit: Loring Prest.

04/01/2026

Upcoming Fall 2026 Semester Courses for English.
3000 Level Courses. Register Now.

02/04/2024

Please join the Robert Frost Society in San Diego from March 20-24 for the Robert Frost Sesquicentennial Celebration. Nearly two and half years in the making, this poetry festival, hosted by the San Diego Central Library, honors the 150th birthday of America’s most beloved poet and celebrates the art and craft of poetry. The festival will host four days of lectures, poetry readings, roundtables, and workshops and features an unprecedented gathering of some of the nation’s finest poets. Among the noted speakers and poets scheduled to appear are Pulitzer Prize-winner Tracy K. Smith, noted Frost biographer and writer Jay Parini, Ruth Lily Award Finalist Allison Joseph, Pulitzer Prize-finalist Bruce Weigl, former National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Dana Gioia, San Diego performance artist Karla Cordero, and Harvard professor Elisa New, producer and director of the PBS series Poetry in America. Perhaps the best part of the Sesquicentennial is that all readings and lectures are free and open to the public, though we do require a registration. To register, please click on our Robert Frost Society Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/robert-frost-sesquicentennial-tickets-788115293057