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The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and the Norman Mailer Writers Colony have awarded the first annual Norman Mailer College Nonfiction Writing Award to Utah State University department of English student John Gilmore.

The third issue of the online newsletter In Medias Res: A Resource for Graduate Students in English is now available at http://english.usu.edu/inmediasres.aspx or by searching for the newsletter on the English Department website under the “Publications” pull down menu.

Last week for National Punctuation Day, Deseret News reporter Joseph M. Dougherty interviewed our own Susan Andersen. To read the full article, click here http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705332052/Writers-unite-Its-your---day.html

At 5:15 on Thursday, October 8, the HASS Hour will present Public Radio International's Steve Curwood. Curwood is the executive producer and host of National Public Radio's award-winning environmental news program, “Living on Earth.” The event will take place at Hamilton's Steak and Seafood, and the cost is $6.95 per person.

At 12:30 pm on Friday, October 9, in the USU Haight Alumni Center, the HASS Distinguished Alumni Speaker Series will present Scott B.Walker, president of Downstream Capital LLC. Walker is a recognized entrepreneur, philanthropist and leader in the financial technology industry. His company, BillMatrix Corporation, was and remains an innovative, profitable and respected company in the industry.

Dr. Francisco J. Ayala, eminent biologist and philosopher at University of California,Irvine best known for his research explaining the genetic mechanisms behind evolution, will be a guest of the Center for Integrated BioSystems CIBR student program. Community members are invited to attend a public lecture on Thursday, Oct. 1, at 7:00 p.m. in the Emert Auditorium (Room 130) of the Eccles Science Learning Center on USU's Logan Campus.

Applications are invited for Ford Foundation Diversity Fellowships. Applications for predoctoral fellowships are due November 2, 2009, and those for dissertation and postdoctoral fellowships are due November 9, 2009.

The Hard News Cafe http://hardnewscafe.usu.edu/?p=145 (Society of Professional Journalists Region 9 winner for independent student news website every year since its creation a decade ago), has been redesigned by 2003 JCOM alum and adjunct instructor Shane Krebs, JCOM emerita Nancy Williams, and current JCOM major Greg Boyles.

Jennifer Sinor, associate professor of English, was awarded first place for her memoir titled “Rogue Wave” in the biography/autobiography category in this year's Utah Original Writing Competition. The contest is sponored by the Utah Arts Council, with funding from the Utah state legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. Eligible entries must be a minimum of 60,000 words and not have been previously published. Her prize is $1,000 with a celebration reading to be announced.

NPR Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr and freed Iranian-American journalist Roxana Saberi will speak at the fourth annual McCarthey Family Foundation Lecture Series: In Praise of Independent Journalism on October 10, 2009. In conjunction with the lecture, the Foundation is sponsoring an essay contest to encourage dialogue about independent journalism among students in higher education in Utah.

The Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education invites applications for FY 2010 awards for the Jacob K. Javits Fellowship program for graduate study in the social sciences, arts, and humanities. Approximately $1.2 million is available; the department expects to award 27 new fellowships at an estimated average amount of $43,755. This is a nationally competitive award, and applicants must be seeking a terminal degree. For futher information and advising on the application, see the Director of the Honors Program at Utah State, Christie L. Fox. The Honors Office is in 15 Old Main, and the director is available at 7-3940or by writing clfox@cc.usu.edu. Applications are due by October 5, 2009.

The next event in the Department of English Speakers Series is a lecture by associate professor of English Shane Graham on the topic “South African Literature after the Truth Commission” at 12:30 on Thursday, September 24, in the Family Life Building room 206. The event is free and all are welcome. Graham is the author of the recent book, South African Literature after the Truth Commission: Mapping Loss (Palgrave Macmillan, 2009) and is chair of the British and Commonwealth Studies program at Utah State. He will also give an interview on Access Utah on Utah Public Radio (91.5 FM) on Wednesday, September 23 at 9:30 am.