On behalf of the entire graduate faculty in the Department of English, we would like to welcome the nearly 70 of you who began your master’s studies this month, and to the over 200 students who are returning to DePaul after a summer away from graduate classes. We extend to you a warm “Welcome back!” We send greetings as well from Ms. Jan Hickey, the assistant director of the English department’s two graduate programs.

From Prof. John Shanahan: I am delighted to be the new director of the Master of Arts in English program. I have taught in the program for many years now, and some of you may already know me from courses on the rise of the novel, eighteenth-century drama, and bibliography and literary research. I am excited to now direct the program because I believe that a vibrant and rigorous Master’s degree is a vital resource in today’s economy. I intend in the coming years to do all that I can to enhance the program further and continue to foster excellent scholars and teachers. Please feel free to make an appointment to speak with me so we can discuss your academic plans. Let us all thank Prof. Paula McQuade for her work as director over the last few years.

From Prof. Craig Sirles: This fall we begin the third year of the Master of Arts in Writing and Publishing. This year we had our largest applicant pool ever, along with the largest number of out-of-state applicants, so it’s apparent that the MAWP is getting noticed by aspiring writers across the country. Due to declining demand for classes at our Naperville Campus we phased out our west suburban program, but we have established a strong presence at our downtown Loop Campus. We are now offering two evening classes and one Saturday morning class each quarter at the Loop Campus. We are also expanding our offerings in publishing this year, offering a Digital Publishing course in winter quarter and The Independent Press in spring; both of these will be new course offerings in the program. Finally, I encourage students in both the MAE and MAWP who are considering internships to contact their program directors so we can plan appropriate course work before you apply to do an internship.

Ex Libris, the monthly newsletter for the M.A. in English and M.A. in Writing & Publishing programs, provides MAE and MAWP students with timely news and notices about the two programs as well as about scholarly activities and opportunities that will be of interest to many of you. The only way you can ensure that you will receive this is to keep your preferred email address up to date on your Campus Connection account and also to let Ms. Hickey know of these changes. Ms. Hickey relies on contact information supplied by you to send out important announcements about deadlines, scholarships, conferences, jobs, and internships. Please send any email address changes to Ms. Hickey at jhicke11@depaul.edu.

Molly Tranberg, a second-year student in the Master of Arts in Writing and Publishing, returns as the editor of Ex Libris. Remember that Ex Libris is your newsletter. Please send Molly news about yourself and about events and organizations that would interest students and faculty in the MAE and MAWP programs. We are also interested in suggestions that would help Ex Libris serve you and the MAE/MAWP programs better. Send all emails to Molly at mtranber@depaul.edu.

We hope you’ll avail yourself of the many activities that EGSA, the English Graduate Student Association, is planning for the coming year. For information about EGSA activities, please email the committee at egsaconference2011@gmail.com.

Our two graduate programs are housed in the McGaw 247 suite of offices. Please feel free to drop by to say “hello” to us or to introduce yourself.

Best wishes for a successful fall quarter and for an exciting, rewarding academic year. Graduate study is hectic, challenging, draining, but also exhilarating, fulfilling, and all too short. Come June 2011 (or 2012, 2013, …), we will see you cross the stage at the commencement ceremony to receive your Master of Arts degree. And with this you will commence the next stage in your life as a life-long thinker, scholar, reader, and writer.

Very best wishes,
John Shanahan and Craig Sirles