May 18, 2020
Second Laird is a state of mind. With that in mind, I’d like to extend a warm welcome to everyone to the Second Laird we professors and students know and love. No matter how scattered we may be geographically, Second Laird holds our thoughts, conversations, and writings about literature, as well as the poems, stories and other projects we create. Most of all, this Second Laird of our collective consciousness resonates with our shared passion for literature that we’d like to share here with friends and family.
I’m Greg Hewett, Chair of the Department, and I’d like to thank all of you—students and colleagues, friends and family—for coming to our virtual symposium. Whether you’re visiting the site, attending the “live” gathering on Saturday the 23rd, or both, welcome!
An important part of intellectual and creative activity is the sharing of the resulting work with the larger community. What one accomplishes in all those many hours of solitude and small-group meetings deserves to be celebrated. And so, we gather here to get a look at, and raise a figurative glass to, the various essays, both long and short, prose-fiction, interdisciplinary projects, creative nonfiction and poems that the senior English majors have created this academic year. They have worked hard, and each and every one of them ought to be proud of their accomplishments.
The “Presentations” tab above (or “Menu” on mobile devices) is where you can find this year’s comps archived, sorted into the four comps categories. Most but not all of the members of this year’s graduating class are participating in this virtual symposium. You can watch a brief video presentation of several individual comps, and also discussions among some of the students, by selecting the relevant links above. Included with most as well are transcripts for those who would like to (also) read the presentations.
I invite you all to take a look at all the wonderful work our graduating seniors have done at the end of their time as English majors. Please feel free to leave congratulatory comments as well. On Saturday, May 23 we will gather synchronously for a Zoom party from 1-2.30 pm to celebrate together! Seniors and other English majors: you will soon be receiving Zoom invitations to this party. We hope you will be able to join us for at least a little while.
