FSU to Host 2015 West Virginia Undergraduate Literary Symposium

Fairmont State University is hosting West Virginia’s annual Undergraduate Literary Symposium, which is a celebration of scholarship by English majors.

The event, coordinated by English professor Dr. Angela Schwer, will feature 25 papers presented by students from seven different institutions.

It will be held on Saturday, April 11, in the conference rooms located on the third floor of the Falcon Center. Following registration at 8:15 a.m., the symposium will commence at 9 a.m. and will conclude at 5 p.m., with refreshments and food provided throughout the day.

Students from Fairmont State, Concord University, Shepherd University, West Virginia Wesleyan College, West Virginia University, West Liberty University and the University of Texas at El Paso will be presenting papers throughout the day. Dr. James Matthews, an English professor at Fairmont State, will give a keynote address during the luncheon at 11:30 a.m.

Bradley Riffee, a senior at Fairmont State, will present a paper he wrote for his Southern Literature class, titled “Keep It in the Bundren Family,” discussing incest in William Faulkner’s novel, “As I Lay Dying.”

“My literary analysis paper discusses the sexual friction between two siblings, Darl and Dewy Dell, in William Faulkner's novel ‘As I Lay Dying.’ I think my paper makes a bold claim and I am grateful for the opportunity to share it with others,” Riffee said.

FSU students Angela Spatafore, Bekah Watson and Velicia Darquenne will also present papers at the event.

The event will be divided into three sessions, featuring two panels per session, with each lasting approximately one hour. The first panel will include students presenting papers about pop culture, and the next panel will address the concepts of symbol and image in various literary works. The second session, also divided into two panels, will address feminist perspectives, as well as subjects that pertain to medieval romance and Arthurian legend. The final two sessions, following the luncheon and speaker’s presentation, will cover such topics as rhetorical analysis and gender and literature. The final two panels will look at literature through both close reading and sociological lenses.

Following the presentations and concluding the event will be an awards ceremony, with $100 for the first prize winner, $75 for second place and $50 for third place, which will give special acknowledgement to students with outstanding papers. Judging for the awards will be done by the symposium’s organizing committee from West Liberty University, Concord University and Fairmont State.

Further questions should be directed to Dr. Angela Schwer at Angela.Schwer@fairmontstate.edu.

College of Liberal ArtsLanguage & LiteratureUndergraduate Literary SymposiumEnglish