Welcome New Student/Alumni Members for 2017!

Bryan Prasifka(Southern Methodist University) AGLSP National Honor Society   
Lacey Tomanek (Southern Methodist University) AGLSP National Honor Society  
Liz Covert(Southern Methodist University) AGLSP National Honor Society   
David White (Southern Methodist University) AGLSP National Honor Society  
Mary Harris (Southern Methodist University) AGLSP National Honor Society  
Trey Velvin (Southern Methodist University) AGLSP National Honor Society  
Gina Bratcher (Southern Methodist University) AGLSP National Honor Society                                                              Tiffany Riley (Southern Methodist University) AGLSP National Honor Society                                                                LaGail Davis(Southern Methodist University) AGLSP National Honor Society
Ken Armentrout III (Southern Methodist University) AGLSP National Honor Society
Ruth Hochman (Mount Saint Mary's University)
Deborah Thompson (The University of Memphis) AGLSP National Honor Society
Vickie Mann (Indiana University Southeast) AGLSP National Honor Society
Tabitha Tolbert (Indiana University Southeast) AGLSP National Honor Society
Kathy Johnson (Rice University) AGLSP National Honor Society
Jade Bilyeu (Indiana University Southeast) AGLSP National Honor Society
Leslie Davis (Rice University) AGLSP National Honor Society
Patsy Liao (Rice University) AGLSP National Honor Society
Walter Ratliff (Georgetown University, DLS)
Troy Thomas (Arizona State University)
Jennifer Sherman (University of Pennsylvania)
Marja Karelia (Simon Fraser University)
Michael Esquival (Southern Methodist University, DLS)
Brian Limper (Fort Hays State University)

Welcome New Individual Members for 2017!
Brian Darling(Rutgers, State University of New Jersey)
Maria Marsilli (John Carroll University)
Jim Rebstock (Yamaguchi Prefectural University, Stony Brook University MALS 2005)
Ehtan Schrum (Azusa Pacific University)

3rd Annual Texas Graduate Liberal Studies Symposium
July 8, 2017

Hosted by Rice University and Southern Methodist University

The Graduate Liberal Studies Programs of Southern Methodist University and Rice University invite you to participate in the third annual Texas Graduate Liberal Studies Symposium on July 8, 2017.

The symposium provides an opportunity for students and alumni from Texas graduate liberal studies programs to share their experiences and studies and continue to explore timeless and timely human questions within the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.  Students and alumni are encouraged to submit papers to be considered for presentations during the symposium.

This one-day symposium will open with breakfast on Saturday morning followed by student and alumni presentations.  A keynote speaker will deliver a lecture during lunch.  Whether you are presenting a paper or attending to listen to presentations, we hope you will register and join us to share ideas, network, and socialize with other graduate liberal studies colleagues.

More information about how to submit a proposal to present at this symposium will follow shortly…

REGISTER NOW: http://mls.rice.edu/texas-graduate-liberal-studies-symposium

Event Details

When:  Saturday, July 8, 2017 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Where: Anderson-Clarke Center, Rice University

If you have any questions regarding this event, please email Rebecca Sharp Sanchez at rksharp@rice.edu.

We are delighted to welcome Wesleyan University Graduate Liberal Studies and the University of Toledo Master of Liberal Studies Programs as the ninth and tenth institutions to form an AGLSP National Honor Society Chapter.  We look forward to honoring their graduates. To learn more about the AGLSP National Honor Society, and how to form a chapter, click here.

AGLSP National Honor Society Chapters

University of Toledo
Wesleyan University
SUNY Empire State College
East Tennessee State University
Loyola University Maryland
Indiana University Southeast
University of St. Thomas
University of Memphis
Southern Methodist University
Rice University

Click here to view our list of Honor Society Inductees

Each year the AGLSP Board, in cooperation with the Editorial Board of Confluence, highlights the quality of student work produced in member programs by awarding the Excellence in Interdisciplinary Writing award and the Excellence in Creative Writing award. The first award celebrates interdisciplinary inquiry as the central intellectual practice of Graduate Liberal Studies and critical writing as a foundational tool of graduate study, whereas the second award celebrates creative writing as a form of inquiry, art, and expression. Each award may be given to any current student or recent graduate (up to one-year post-graduation) of an AGLSP institutional member program in good standing.

Directors of an AGLSP institutional member program may nominate up to two entries per award each year, based on a screening procedure agreed upon by the program’s regular faculty. Only one piece by each author may be nominated. Nominations must be addressed to the Editorial Board and submitted by the director to the AGLSP National Office by February 28, 2017. 

Submissions may include any work written as part of the author's graduate work during the previous calendar year. The author of each winning submission will receive a prize of $500 and will be invited to attend the Annual Conference to receive the award in person; additionally, both winning submissions will be published in the fall issue of Confluence to coincide with the Annual Conference. Although only one award is given per category each year, runner-up submissions may also be considered for publication in Confluence. Previous award winning pieces can be found on the Confluence website.

Click here for the 2017 Call for Nominations flyer or visit the awards page.

2017 Regional Graduate Liberal Studies Conference
Hosted by East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, Tennessee
April 7-8, 2017
Deadline for abstract submission Extended to February 15, 2017
Send to: tedescom@etsu.edu

Call for proposals: The 2017 GLS Conference is open to proposals from faculty, students, and alumni in any area of graduate liberal studies, including but not limited to any relevant cultural, historical, or contemporary issues. Proposals will be accepted for papers, media presentations, roundtable discussions of ongoing research, and pre-arranged panels. Please include your full name, graduate program affiliation and institution, title of presentation, phone number, e-mail and mailing address with your proposal. Proposals for individual presentations of papers or demonstrations must be a maximum of 500 word abstracts; individual presentations will be approximately 20 minutes long. Proposals for roundtable discussions and pre-arranged panels must include a proposal from each panel member of approximately 300 words, plus one summary group proposal of approximately 100 words. Discussions and panels will be 30 minutes long.

Deadline for abstract submission February15, 2017 Send to: tedescom@etsu.edu

Sponsored by:
ETSU Master of Arts in Liberal Studies
ETSU Appalachian Studies Department
University of North Carolina Asheville Master of Liberal Arts and Sciences
North Carolina State Master of Arts in Liberal Studies

Faculty - $65.00
Students with ID - $50.00
Guest - $40.00

Friday, April 7th - Cranberries Opening Reception - 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
1904 Knob Creek Rd., #5, Johnson City,TN  37604

Saturday April 8th - Conference - 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Breakfast, lunch and breaks provided.

Call For Papers

Confluence welcomes manuscripts from students, faculty, and graduates of AGLSP member programs, including essays, research papers, short fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, art pieces, and photography. The journal also accepts book reviews of interdisciplinary works of interest to the Liberal Arts community. Confluence publishes new, full issues twice per year – in the Spring and Fall. Additionally, newly accepted manuscripts are published regularly on the newly redesigned Confluence website.

Now accepting submissions year-round!
Submissions are welcome year-round, and will be reviewed promptly after receipt. Authors will generally be notified of the verdict on their work within four to six weeks, with publication often soon thereafter.

New Special Section of the Journal: Human Values—Insights, Implications, Applications
Although a primary purpose of liberal education is to provide a sound foundation on which one can begin to identify oneself and one’s world, it must equally provide the tools with which to question, to discuss, and to recognize and cultivate new manners of relating.  At the heart of a liberal education should be an acute recognition of, and respect for, the profound diversity of human character and human experience, which should in turn motivate and direct the promotion of justice.  As the voice for graduate liberal studies in North America, Confluence is well positioned to bear the responsibility of fostering the kind of dialogue, engagement, and relation that constitutes the heart and the value of a liberal education. To this end, we are introducing a new special section of the journal: Human Values—Insights, Implications, Applications. This section will comprise submissions that deal specifically with applications of ‘liberal’ learning to questions of human values and contemporary challenges to the stability and security of human society. While reviewing submissions, the Editorial Board will select papers that fit with the purpose and philosophy of this new section; however, if you submit a paper that you feel is appropriate for inclusion, please indicate your preference for consideration.

Submission and Style Guidelines
For complete submission instructions, please visit the Instructions for Authors page: http://www.confluence-aglsp.org/ifa.

Steven A. Burr, DLS

Editor-in-Chief, Confluence: The Journal of Graduate Liberal Studies
www.confluence-aglsp.org
twitter.com/ConfluenceJrnl

Director of Program Operations, Graduate Liberal Studies, Loyola University Maryland
http://www.loyola.edu/academic/liberalstudies

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to our sponsors who have renewed sponsorship for 2016 (*), and to welcome our new sponsors (**)!

*Dartmouth College
*Duke University
*Georgetown University
*Mount Saint Mary’s University
*Rice University
*Rollins College
*San Diego State University
*St. Norbert College
*Southern Methodist University
*Stanford University
*University of North Carolina at Greensboro
*University of Oklahoma
*Vanderbilt University
*Winthrop University

**Arizona State University
**DePaul University
**Dominican University of California
**Hollins University
**Indiana University South Bend
**Johns Hopkins University
**Loyola University Maryland
**North Carolina State University
**SUNY Empire State College
**Texas Christian University
**University of Delaware
**University of Memphis
**University of Pennsylvania
**University of Toledo

As always, if you If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to let us know.  You can also reach Dr. Steven Burr, Confluence Editor, directly at: sb1017@comcast.net or sburr@loyola.edu.

We are pleased to announce that the AGLSP website has been revamped. We hope you find the new site easy to navigate and peruse. Stay tuned for our new Student Resources page. In the meantime, if you have any questions or feedback, please let us know. 

Welcome New Individual Members for 2016!

Talia Welsh, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
John Gillespie, University of St. Thomas

Welcome New Student/Alumni Members for 2016!

Rowland Robinson – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alum, Southern Methodist University)
Hope M. Holz – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Southern Methodist University)
Howard L. Vestal – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alum, Southern Methodist University)
Richard Rejino – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alum, Southern Methodist University)
Joy Chambers (alumna, Georgetown University)
Janet Cassidy (SUNY Empire State College)
Claire Schwartz (Dominican University of California)
Felicia Polk (Johns Hopkins University)
Vester Thacker (Excelsior College)
Heather Hunt – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Southern Methodist University)
Emmeline Miles – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Southern Methodist University)
Michelle Trejo –  AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Rice University)
Susan Marie Center – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Southern Methodist University)
Dawn Carpenter (Georgetown University)
Elizabeth A. Sullivan (Georgetown University)
Chew Ngee Tan, AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Rice University)
Stephanie Tsuru – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Rice University)
Andrew Marcum – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alum, Rice University)
Diane Arens Glick – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Rice University)
Natalya Barker (alumna, Duke University)
Gino LaPaglia (Georgetown University)
Rebecca Evans (University of North Carolina Charlotte)
Laura Jasper (North Carolina State University)
JinHe Susie Upshaw – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Southern Methodist University)
Rhonda Schmidt (Southern Methodist University)
John Bechtold (Duke University)
Patricia W. Daggett (alumna, Duke University)
Jean-Pierre Duqueroix-Duvalier (alumni, Stony Brook University)
Kalaina Benson-Connor – (Tulane University)
Theresa Garza – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Southern Methodist University)
Ena Janet Saavedra – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Southern Methodist University)
Terra M. Johnson –  AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Southern Methodist University)
Kemberle Johnson (Fort Hays State University)
Rebecca H. Tirrell – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Rice University)
Linda K. Allison – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Rice University)
Mattie Fly – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, The University of Memphis)
Amy Dahmann – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Southern Methodist University)
Nancy Manderson – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Rice University)
Boston Ross – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alum, Southern Methodist University)
Ali Garcia-Voissem – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Southern Methodist University)
Bettye Heath – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Southern Methodist University)
Bart Crowder – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alum, Southern Methodist University)
Smruti Khandwala – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Southern Methodist University)
Joan L. Clark – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Southern Methodist University)
Sarah Jane Semrad – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Southern Methodist University)
Vicki M. Salley – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Rice University)
Sharron L. Hunt – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Southern Methodist University)
Leon Monzon – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alum, Southern Methodist University)
Erin Edgington – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Rice University)
Vanna Ngo – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Southern Methodist University)
Joyce Wilson – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, The University of Memphis)
Gregory Guthrie (alum, Georgetown University)
Thomas Kromis – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alum, Southern Methodist University)
Harmon Jolley – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alum, The University of Memphis)
Patti Tenenbaum – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Southern Methodist University)
Diane E. Jay – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Southern Methodist University)
Julie L. Day – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Southern Methodist University)
Andrew Williams – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alum, The University of Memphis)
Laurie Kay – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, The University of Memphis)
Emily Melonas – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, The University of Memphis)
Mary Lynn Fernau – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Rice University)
Mary V. Gresik – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Rice University)
Elizabeth Grzebinski – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Rice University)
Shagufta F. Hakeem (alumna, Duke University)
Cheryl Thompson – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Rice University)
Stephenie Hendricks (Dominican University of California)
Estibaliz Emma Arriage Hall – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Rice University)
Diana Miller (Southern Methodist University)
Deborah Fuller (almuna, North Carolina State University)
Robert F. La Raia – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alum, Rice University)
Steven Burr (alum, Loyola College)
Oscar Clayton Lilienstern – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alum, Rice University)
Rebecca Lilienstern – AGLSP National Honor Society Inductee (alumna, Rice University)
Eneida M. Patricolo (Pace University)
Adrlan Ormsby (alumni, University of Michigan)
Rocco Astore (alumni, CUNY: College of Staten Island)

October 31, 2016

Dear AGLSP Members,

As your incoming President, I am so pleased to report the successful completion of the Association’s annual fall conference, with the theme Tradition and Transformation:  Embracing the Future.  As your hosts for the event, we were honored to have almost 120 attendees and guests, participating in 40 concurrent sessions and three keynote addresses, and were especially pleased that the conferees were able to experience the beautiful fall weather we have in Oklahoma.

To summarize for those of you unable to attend, here are a few highlights:

• We expressed appreciation to our outgoing President, Deborah Finkel (Indiana University Southeast).  Her guidance over these last two years has been invaluable in moving the organization forward and we are so grateful for the outstanding leadership she has provided.  We also recognized outgoing Board members Michelle Mrak (Southern Methodist University) and Martin Anderson (Dominican University) for their service to the Association.  Martin’s work in leading the Faculty Award process and Michelle’s contributions to the development of our student honor societies has been excellent, and their input very beneficial to the Board as we’ve faced a number of strategic decisions.  We also acknowledged John Logie in absentia, for his service as a member-at-large on the Board and regret that he was unable to complete his term due to the closing of the program at the University of Minnesota.  The Association voted to approve Michael Garval (North Carolina State University) as Vice-President and Chris Pastore (University of Pennsylvania) as Treasurer.  The Association also approved Millie Kidd (Mount Saint Mary’s University), Larry Knopp (University of Washington Tacoma), Jill LeRoy-Frazier (East Tennessee State University), and Jerry Van Hoy (University of Toledo) as new members-at-large to the Board.

• Last year’s approval by the Association to institute a National Honor Society for students in AGLSP programs who met the criteria set by the member institution and the AGLSP has resulted in the formation of six honor society chapters to date: Southern Methodist University, Rice University, University of St. Thomas, University of Memphis, Indiana University Southeast, and our most recently approved chapter, Loyola University Maryland. Through these efforts, 46 students have been inducted.

• As new graduate liberal studies programs have emerged around the nation over the last few years, the Board felt it important to adjust the AGLSP Constitution and By-laws to better reflect the scope of programs offered by our member institutions.  To accomplish that goal, the Association approved wording changes to the AGLSP Constitution, which better describes the range of program names utilized throughout the country.

• We presented the 2016 Annual Faculty Award to Dr. John Freeman of Rice University.  Dr. Freeman is director emeritus of the Graduate Liberal Studies program at Rice and also served on the AGLSP Board from 2012 to 2015.  Although Dr. Freeman was unable to attend, we were pleased that one of his former students, Peggy Roe, was able to present his remarks on his behalf at the Friday night banquet. The 2017 Call for Nominations is now open and the deadline to nominate is March 31, 2017.

• This past year, we were fortunate to secure the services of Dr. Steven Burr as our new editor-in-chief for Confluence.  His arrival has been marked by further enhancement of the journal’s online presence (confluence-aglsp.org) and through his guidance, we are seeing continued growth in the number and quality of submissions (AGLSP membership is required for submission), the addition of print-on-demand features, and a year-round publication schedule.  He has expanded the reviewer pool and is seeking additional Editorial Board members to help guide future developments.  Should you have an interest in either of those activities (serving as a reviewer or on the Editorial Board, please contact the AGLSP home office).

• The 2016 Confluence writing awards, identified through a selection process involving Editorial Board members and journal reviewers, were presented to the following individuals:

• Excellence in Interdisciplinary Writing:  Claire Schwartz, Dominican University of California, Saving a Bit of Beauty for the World:  Retelling the Story of Rose Valland.  Nominated by Dr. Joan Baranow.
• Excellence in Creative Writing:  Molly Gamble, Dominican University of California, Going Gray. Nominated by Dr. Joan Baranow.The call for nominations for the 2017 Confluence Student Writing Awards is now open, and the deadline to nominate is February 28, 2017.  Click here for the 2017 Call for Nominations

• For the second year, Student Presentation Awards were given, highlighting the students whose presentations at the fall conference were most highly ranked by the faculty raters.  These awards, which were presented at the Friday night banquet, were given to the following students:

  Lindsay Miller, University of Colorado Denver
  Seen But Not Heard: Foucault, Freire and the Construction of the Self in The Rules Dating Manual

  Rodrick Schubert, University of Colorado Denver
  Tradition and Transformation in Jane Addams’s New Federalism: Creating Community Sphere by Empowering Municipalities
  
  William Towey, University of Washington Tacoma
  Natural Economy in an Unnatural World

In closing, we want all our members to be aware that the AGLSP Board has been in considerable discussion regarding next year’s conference, currently scheduled for Raleigh, North Carolina.  As an organization, we are deeply committed to principles of inclusion, so we remain very concerned about these developments and are closely monitoring the situation.  We are in hopes that the upcoming election may resolve the dilemma and will be back in touch with a final decision as soon as we feasibly can after that time.  Until then, please know that we are working on your behalf to find as positive a resolution as we can.  If you have additional questions about this or any other issue, please feel free to contact me, any of our Board members, or the AGLSP office for more information.

Respectfully submitted,

Martha L. Banz, Ph.D.
President, AGLSP
Interim Dean, Liberal Studies & Associate Provost for Continuing Education
University of Oklahoma