Welcome
The Department of English at UWL offers students diverse opportunities to engage in high-impact learning practices in literature, linguistics, rhetoric, writing, and teaching. Our courses emphasize innovative and critical thinking, effective written communication, ethical decision-making, practical application of knowledge, and civic engagement in global communities.
A recent survey of business and non-profit leaders indicates a desire for job candidates who can demonstrate critical thinking, clear communication, and the ability to solve complex problems. Consider how a major, second major, and/or minor in English can offer you a well-rounded, flexible education that can lead to post-graduation success.
Contact the chair of the English Department, Dr. Natalie Eschenbaum, to learn more!
UWL English professor, Dr. Haixia Lan, publishes Aristotle and Confucius on Rhetoric and Truth: The Form and the Way
Dr. Haixia Lan, Professor of English at UWL, has recently published a book, Aristotle and Confucius on Rhetoric and Truth: The Form and the Way (Routledge, 2016). At first sight, Aristotle and Lao-Zhuang may seem to have little in common in general and even less in common when it comes to rhetoric; to some, in fact, the pairing seems to exemplify the dichotomy of reason and intuition. Closer examinations, however, complicate the polarity and reveal the need for more in-depth comparative studies. Given how crucial these authors are in shaping as well as reflecting their respective cultural ethos, inquiries into such a comparison will have direct bearing on the insights that comparative rhetoricians have to offer for fostering meaningful cross-cultural communication today.
College of Liberal Studies Awards English Majors, Minors, and Faculty Recognition of Excellence
Whitney Malin will graduate in May 2017 with a major in English--emphasis in Rhetoric and Writing--and a minor in Organizational and Professional Communication. Her undergraduate research project was accepted for poster presentations at the Conference on College Composition and Communication, the National Conference for Undergraduate Research, and the UWL Celebration of Student Research and Creativity, all in Spring 2017. She is currently a writing consultant at the UWL Writing Center.
Samantha Ozbelen will obtain her bachelor's degree with a major in Communication Studies--emphasis in organizational and professional communication--an a minor in Professional and Technical Writing in May 2017. In 2016 she worked as a Social Media & Marketing intern for the YMCA in La Crosse, and is currently a lead peer consultant and survey analyst at the UWL Public Speaking Center. She is a member of Lambda Pi Eta--the Communication Honor Society--and was a public speaking competition finalist and a persuasive speech contest winner, both at UWL.
Jessi Reidy will graduate in May 2017 with a major in Psychology and a minor in Professional and Technical Writing. As a member of the Honors Psychology Program at UWL, she designed an individual research project, received a research grant, and presented findings at the Midwestern Psychological Association Conference. She is a teaching and research assistant in the Psychology Department, an assistant director at the Writing Center, and a Behavioral Health volunteer at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse.
Meagan Rummage will earn a bachelor's degree with a major in English--emphasis in rhetoric and writing--and a minor in Professional and Technical Writing in May 2017. She has been a member of the UWL Strategic Planning Action Team for Community Engagement, and is currently an intern with Career Services. She served as the UWL English Club president and the Sigma Tau Delta president in 2016.
Dr. Bryan Kopp, Assistant Professor of English, impressively teaches across all three major emphasis areas in the department, and is often described as "the teacher's teacher" because of his dual role in CATL as University Writing Programs Director. Having taught 21 different courses in the English Department in his 17 years at UWL, colleagues and students alike have noted his unique ability to make connections for them across disciplines through his teaching methods and content approaches. In fact, colleagues state that "it is Dr. Kopp's ability to make meaningful connections across disciplines that not only enables him to excel in his work at CATL, but to serve as a responsive, creative, and inspirational collegue and teacher."