Middle Georgia State Department of English

09/08/2026

Join us at the Macon Campus Writing Center for Grammarpalooza on Wednesday, September 16 from 12:30-2:30!!

08/24/2026

Welcome back to Engagement Party, the newsletter companion to the pop culture podcast hosted by BFFs Audie Cornish and Ari Shapiro. This week, the A-Team dug into RushTok and the creeping influence of Southern culture. (Click here to watch or listen!) I asked an expert why so many people enjoy cospl...

07/30/2026

Theatre at MGA on the Cochran Campus presents "The Belle of Amherst" by William Luce, a captivating one-woman play about the life of legendary American poet Emily Dickinson. The production features Dr. Mary Christian, associate professor of English, performing in the title role and is directed by Dr. John Iverson, theater instructor. 🎭

This should be a compelling evening of live theater celebrating Dickinson's brilliant and enigmatic life. Free & open to the public!
Questions: [email protected]

07/28/2026

Way to go, Amy!

The Bibb County educator credits a janitor’s words 25 years ago as a driving force throughout her career: “He told me, ‘You’re a good teacher. One day we’re going to see you recognized as the teacher of the year.’”

07/24/2026

Congratulations to Amy Gitschlag, Bibb County School District's Teacher of the Year! Amy completed MGA's Graduate Certificate in Teaching College Writing, which credentials instructors to teach college composition, in 2024. More information on this program can be found at https://www.mga.edu/arts-letters/english/graduate-programs/teaching-college-writing-gradute-certificate.php Way to go, Amy!

Amy Gitschlag was named Teacher of the Year for Bibb County School District, recognizing her 26-year dedication to education.

05/05/2026

Congratulations to English major Scarlett Grush!

Finding Greatness: Scarlett Grush, an English major & pre-law student, delivered a standout performance at the recent Regents Cup debate competition, hosted by the University System of Georgia. She went undefeated in the preliminary rounds, earned “Top Speaker” honors, & took home a $1,000 scholarship. ⭐

Read her profile: https://www.mga.edu/news/2026/05/middle-georgia-state-university-finding-greatness-scarlett-grush.php

05/01/2026

Nine years ago today, we celebrated the retirement of Dr. Thom Harrison, Professor of English.

Dr. Harrison loved, and published on, John Keats's "To Autumn," which ends:

Where are the songs of spring? Ay, Where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,—
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

(Pictured here with his fellow twittering swallows.)

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CagDDXdCv/

05/01/2026

Eight student contributors to this year’s issue of Knighted: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Undergraduate Research presented their work at the journal’s release reception on April 30. Congratulations to Sabrina Tingle, Alexis Monroy, Jada Aldana, Shauna Ayers, Reema Bhaskar, Nicolas Hodges, Sarah Ruuth, and Abbi Adams on their outstanding presentations!

04/29/2026

On the Macon campus tomorrow afternoon (April 30), there will be two launch events for MGA student publications, both in the general area of the School of Arts and Letters lobby.

At 1pm: The Issue Reception & Launch of Fall Line Review, MGA's literary magazine. This event celebrates the voices and creativity of our student contributors and will include brief readings as well as reflections from student artists featured in the issue.

At 2pm: A reception for Knighted: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Undergraduate Research. Copies of the journal will be distributed and students will give brief presentations about their research. Student presentations, which will take place in the Rehearsal Hall, will include:

Sabrina Tingle, "Unmarried Men in Shakespeare"

Alexis Monroy and Jada Aldana, "Speech and Language Impairment in Elementary Education: Characteristics, Impact, and Evidence-Based Instructional Implications"

Shauna Ayers, "AutismTok: An Experimental Study into TikToks and Self-Diagnosis"

Reema Bhaskar, "The AI Rosetta Stone: How Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Are Translating the Unknown, from Animal Languages to Ancient Texts and Hidden Cures"

Nicolas Hodges, "The Effects of Imagery on Three-Point Shooting Accuracy, Shooting Under Pressure, and Shooting Confidence: A Case Study of a Former Collegiate Basketball Player"

Sarah Ruuth, "Education, Race, and Partisanship in the Fair Counting of Votes"

Refreshments will be served at both receptions. We hope to see you at one or both of these events!

04/28/2026

Please join us Thursday, April 30, on the Macon campus to celebrate the research accomplishments of the students published in this year's issue of Knighted: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Undergraduate Research. The Knighted reception, where copies of the journal will be distributed and students will give brief presentations about their research, will be at 2:00pm in the Arts Complex Theater Rehearsal Hall, School of Arts and Letters .
Student presentations will include:

Sabrina Tingle, "Unmarried Men in Shakespeare"

Alexis Monroy and Jada Aldana, "Speech and Language Impairment in Elementary Education: Characteristics, Impact, and Evidence-Based Instructional Implications"

Shauna Ayers, "AutismTok: An Experimental Study into TikToks and Self-Diagnosis"

Reema Bhaskar, "The AI Rosetta Stone: How Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Are Translating the Unknown, from Animal Languages to Ancient Texts and Hidden Cures"

Nicolas Hodges, "The Effects of Imagery on Three-Point Shooting Accuracy, Shooting Under Pressure, and Shooting Confidence: A Case Study of a Former Collegiate Basketball Player

Sarah Ruuth, "Education, Race, and Partisanship in the Fair Counting of Votes"

We hope to see you there! Middle Georgia State University Middle Georgia State University - School of Arts & Letters