Table of Contents
Introduction
3
Mission Statement
4
Meet the Faculty
5
Special Programming
8
Heart River Writers’ Circle
CommUniversity
Albers Humanities Festival
Student Activities
9
Sigma Tau Delta
Impressions
Student Support
10
Writing Center
Language Lab
Graduates
11
Alumni Fellows
Recent graduates
Scholarships
13
Senior Projects
14
Introduction
Welcome to the Guide to the Department of Language and Literature at Dickinson State
University. In this handbook, you’ll meet the faculty, learn about the department’s
programs and special events, find out how to apply for scholarships, read about some
recent graduates, and discover much more about the department.
Although this handbook tries to anticipate frequently asked questions, I realize that it
isn’t exhaustive, so please don’t hesitate to stop by my office (Stickney 221) or send me
an email ([email protected]) if you have questions.
With sincere best wishes,
Dr. Jim McWilliams, Chair
Department of Language and Literature
Mission Statement
The Department of Language and Literature provides high-quality courses and programs
that contribute to the quality of life for the citizens of southwestern North Dakota and the
students and members of the Dickinson State University community. Our courses and
programs represent the heart of a liberal arts education, providing students with
fundamental skills of reading, writing, and thinking considered essential to a wellrounded education. With small class sizes and accessible faculty and staff committed to
excellence in teaching and learning, our courses in the general education program
develop student competencies in inquiry and analysis, knowledge of human cultures, and
social and cultural interaction through the humanities. Our upper-level coursework
develops students’ information and cultural literacy and produces critical and creative
thinkers, life-long learners, and thoughtful citizens of a global community.
Meet the Faculty
Margaret Barnhart, instructor of English, has been teaching general-education English
and sometimes communication courses at Dickinson State University—her alma mater—
since 1992. Within that timeframe, her teaching history also includes several seasons as a
Writer-in-Residence for the North Dakota Council on the Arts and as writing curriculum
designer and teacher at the International Music Camp in north central North Dakota. She
is a writer whose work has appeared in regional small presses as well as an anthology
(Leaning into the Wind). She published her novel, Under the Twisted Cross, in 2010. Ms.
Barnhart is also an actor and occasionally a public speaker/presenter.
Dr. Karen Foster, associate professor emerita of English, taught at DSU from Fall 2005
to Spring 2014. Previously she taught at Sinte Gleska University (a Lakota Sioux
university) and the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Currently retired, she is an online
instructor of English composition and literature. She has published an article on Yeats in
the Yeats/Eliot Journal and reviews of critical books for journals. Her short stories and
poetry have been published in various journals, from Hurricane Alice to Briar Cliff
Review.
Dr. Peter Grimes, assistant professor of English, came in 2011 to DSU, where he teaches
the creative writing sequence, as well as composition, philosophy, and film. Dr. Grimes
has taught similar courses at the University of Cincinnati, Temple University, St.
Joseph’s University, and the University of Florida. Believing that a teacher of writing
should also write, he may often be found typing, deleting, and rearranging words at his
desk. His short stories have been published in dozens of national literary magazines, and
he is currently at work on a novel set in western North Dakota.
Dr. Holly McBee, associate professor of English, began teaching at DSU in 2008. She
has taught a wide range of courses, including composition, literary surveys, advanced
literature courses, and literary theory. Her teaching and research areas of expertise
include British literature, particularly from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Dr.
McBee has published an article on Dracula and is currently working on a piece that
examines the relationship of Anne Brontë’s novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, to
eighteenth-century conduct novels. When she is not busy with work, Dr. McBee enjoys
watching gangster films. She is also a total Halloween fanatic.
Lara Carlson McGoey, instructor of English, joined the department in 2016 after
teaching composition and introductory literature courses at the University of South
Dakota for five years. Prior to that, she tutored writing and English speaking skills at the
University Writing Center of USD for three years. Her interests include 18th- and 19thcentury British literature, especially British Romanticism, and gender studies. She has
published an article analyzing the roles of women in the television show Downton Abbey,
and she hopes to pursue more scholarship and conferences in the future. Ms. Carlson
McGoey teaches composition, introductory literature courses, and other English courses
for DSU.
Martin McGoey, adjunct instructor of English, began teaching at DSU in 2016. He has
previously taught for at the University of South Dakota, Augustana University, and
Northwest Iowa Community College. His interests include writing science fiction,
mystery, and creative nonfiction nature-based essays. In 2012, he was awarded the
Lakeside Lab Writing Fellowship by the University of Iowa for his interests in nature
writing. Previously, he also taught for three years as a private high school English
instructor in St. Francis, Minnesota. He is currently working on a mystery novel and a
series of essays about his time in the Dakotas. He currently teaches composition and
other courses for DSU.
Dr. Jim McWilliams, professor of English and chair of the Department of Language and
Literature, came to DSU in 2001 after teaching at Alabama State University and
Shepherd University. He is the author or editor of four books, including two on Mark
Twain, and dozens of scholarly articles. He is currently working on essays about
American authors and the Civil War, which have been published in the New York Times
and other periodicals. Another of his current projects, in collaboration with Charles
Johnson (National Book Award winner), is designing a calendar that highlights
contributions to science made by African Americans. He primarily teaches courses in
American literature.
Kevin Moberg, assistant professor of education, came to DSU in 2006 to serve as the
Writing Center and Supplemental Instruction Coordinator. In that capacity, he oversaw
the training of writing tutors, and he co-taught basic writing courses in collaboration with
English faculty members. In 2008 he joined the Department of Teacher Education as a
faculty member, and he currently serves as chair of the department. He teaches courses
on educational technology, adolescent literature, and teaching methods for secondary
English language arts. Prior to working at DSU, Mr. Moberg taught high school English,
theatre, speech, and French. He also taught human relations and communications courses
at a community college, and he was the Assistant Director of the Composition Program in
the Department of English at the University of North Dakota. Mr. Moberg’s scholarly
interests are in higher education leadership, educational technology, and PreK-12 teacher
preparation, including the preparation of future English teachers.
Michelle Stevier-Johanson, adjunct instructor of English, directed the Writing Center
and taught at Concordia College-Moorhead and Minnesota State University before
coming to DSU in 2008. After she received her master’s degree in composition/literacy
studies from Indiana University in 1996, she taught first-year composition and
developmental writing, writing about the environment, writing across the curriculum, and
women’s studies courses, including courses in the rhetorics of resistance and
empowerment. She has worked as a writing tutor, a summer writing program instructor
and coordinator, and a staff writer for advocacy organizations and U.S. Senator Kent
Conrad. Ms. Stevier-Johanson teaches Composition I with Supplemental Instruction
College Writing Preparation, in addition to coordinating DSU’s Writing Center.
Special Programs Sponsored by Language and Literature
Heart Rivers Writers' Circle, a program housed in the Department of Language and
Literature, serves DSU students and the Dickinson community by sponsoring literary
events throughout the school year. At least four professional writers (novelists, poets,
dramatists, scholars, and others) from the Upper Great Plains and beyond come to
campus each year in order to visit with classes, present a public reading of their writing,
and interact with the Dickinson community in other meaningful ways. The Circle also
sponsors literary events such as book discussions and community readings of world
literature according to seasonal themes (e.g. Halloween, Valentine’s Day). All literary
events sponsored by the Circle are free and open to the public.
CommUniversity, a program more than thirty years old based in the Department of
Language and Literature, offers to DSU students and the Dickinson community a variety
of four-week-long, inexpensive courses each February. The courses, which are not for
credit and involve neither tests nor homework, are geared toward individuals who value
learning about a variety of topics as a worthy goal in its own right. In recent years
CommUniversity has offered classes in botany, watercolor painting, digital photography,
American presidents, terrorism and counter-terrorism, the history of jazz, and numerous
other topics, most of which have no equivalent in DSU’s course catalog.
The Albers Humanities Festival at DSU consists of an interdisciplinary group of
scholars, teachers, and devotees of the humanities at Dickinson State University. The
namesake of the Festival is Everett C. Albers, who was a humanities professor at DSU
from 1969-73 and was a pioneer in arranging dialogs between academic humanities
scholars and the general public. Each spring semester since Albers’ death, DSU has
hosted a festival of humanities to honor his commitment to the humanities, exploring
contemporary and enduring topics in the humanities through events such as lectures,
films, panel discussions, exhibits, and other presentations. Recent festivals have focused
on the American Outlaw figure and Revolution in the 1960s.
Student Activities
Sigma Tau Delta, Eta Epsilon Chapter
Sigma Tau Delta (STD) is the International English Honor Society, and DSU’s chapter, established
more than a decade ago, is Eta Epsilon. STD’s regional conferences and annual spring convention offer
abundant opportunities for students to meet respected authors, present research, and network with
English/Writing majors from across the country. Moreover, STD offers a number of scholarships, as
well as prizes for essays and creative work. STD has at least 865 active chapters in the United States and
abroad.
Students do not have to be English or Writing majors or minors to become members, but must have
completed three literature (or writing courses) in addition to College Composition, and have 3.0 or better
average in those courses and an overall 3.0 or better GPA. Some past activities at DSU have included
book drives for charitable causes and attending the annual convention. New members will be inducted
Fall 2016. For more information, please contact Dr. Holly McBee in the Department of Language and
Literature.
Impressions
Impressions is a student-driven literary arts magazine housed in the Department of Language and
Literature since 1989, when it was founded by Professors Dave Solheim and Ray Wheeler. The
magazine has won numerous first- and second-place awards from the North Dakota Professional
Communicators, an organization that evaluates college media work on a yearly basis. Impressions
publishes creative work—including prose, poetry, and artwork—from students, faculty, and alumni each
spring.
Students in Literary Publications (ENGL 213), working under the supervision of a faculty advisor,
produce the magazine every spring semester. These student editors also act as judges to determine
exemplary work, which then receives cash prizes. Please contact Dr. Peter Grimes for more information
about submitting material or about enrolling in Literary Publications.
Student Support
DSU Writing Center (Lower Level, Stoxen Library)
The Writing Center offers academic support to all DSU students. Its mission is to
promote students’ intellectual growth and self-confidence, regardless of initial skill or
ability level, via an active, welcoming, peer-centered tutoring environment. Certified by
the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA), the Center’s tutors offer support
in all aspects of the writing process: brainstorming, outlining, drafting, organizing,
revising, and editing. The Writing Center’s tutors hold these learning principles in mind
when we work with our students:
 Tutors engage in problem-solving rather than provide quick answers or easy
solutions;
 Tutors help students become better writers by focusing on each student’s learning
process and not just one single essay or writing issue; and
 Tutors seek to support students’ ongoing development as writers.
We encourage students to work with us on their first-year composition essays, the essays
in their major areas of study, and the writing they do for future careers (cover letters,
resumes, graduate school applications, and so on).
Students who are interested in being tutored and/or becoming tutors should contact
Michelle Stevier-Johanson at [email protected] or 701-483-2122.
Alumni of the Department of Language and Literature
Alumni Fellows
The Alumni Fellows Program is sponsored in cooperation with the Vice-President for
Academic Affairs Council, Department Chairs, President's Office, and the Alumni
Association. It was implemented in 2003 to recognize alumni who have distinguished
themselves in their respective careers. The purpose of the program is to bring prominent
and outstanding alumni—leaders in their field—back to campus to share their
experiences with students, faculty and administrators of the colleges. The Alumni
Fellows Program is an annual event organized by the Dickinson State University Alumni
Association.
The Fellows for the Department of Language and Literature:
Mary Nordsven, 2003
Kenneth Rogers, 2004
Mark Klemestrud, 2005
Renee Beasley, 2006
Conrad Davidson, 2007
Alice Spotted Bear, 2008
Constance Walter, 2009
Mandy Wardner, 2010
David Brauhn, 2011
Lillian Crook, 2012
Margaret Barnhart, 2013
Eileen Kopren, 2014
K. C. Hanson, 2015
Rick Watson, 2016
Nancy Dutot, 2017
Spotlight on Recent Graduates: In Their Own Words
Joni Gjermundson
One of the best things I have learned in the DSU English program is how many different
perspectives there are in the world. Two of the best classes I ever took were Literary
Criticism and Theory and Writing about Literature. In those classes, I learned different
ways of looking at the world—whether it be with gender, what we perceive to be reality
around us, or even the material things we value in life. Ever since taking those classes, I
have found the theories I learned to be helpful in dealing with others. My perspective on
an issue as a Caucasian woman might vary greatly with someone else, and I have learned
to respect that.
Jennifer Heinz
The average person thinks of English and literature as “just reading.” However, my
experiences in the Department of Language and Literature at Dickinson State have taught
me that the study of literature helps promote skills such as analytical thinking, evaluation
of biases (my own and others), and has helped me to better order, communicate, and
defend my own thoughts and ideas. I have always been an avid reader, but the instruction
I received helped me become a more critical reader and thinker. These are skills that I
plan to nurture in my own students as I enter the teaching profession.
Joshua Kralichek
The Department of Language and Literature at Dickinson State University has taught me
the skills for the craft of teaching that leaves me competent to enter the work force. Even
more rewarding, however, are the gifts of the mind that the department brought me,
especially in opening the world of literature in a way I had never realized. DSU’s English
faculty helped affirm to me the reality of the beauty in the English language and its
stories. It also gave to me the capacity to elucidate that beauty in a systematic and
educated way. The skills and wisdom provided here have prepared me for my career
holistically in the most rewarding way possible.
Cassi Rhoades
As a child, I read in order to transport myself to different world. As an adult, I read in
order to understand my own world and to gain ideas about how to make it a better
place—a place some kid just like myself might want to read about and travel to. The
knowledge I’ve acquired while studying under the Department of Language & Literature
at Dickinson State will allow me to make an even greater impact upon my world. One of
the most enriching courses I’ve taken was Literary Criticism. The course allowed me to
apply a piece of criticism, whether it be from gender studies or psychoanalytical theory,
to a work of fiction. Who knew you could study Feminist theory and apply it to a piece of
Victorian literature to better understand a woman’s thinking? It’s this sort of learning
experience that makes an education worthwhile—learning more than you ever thought
possible and being able to apply that knowledge to your understanding of the world to
make it just a bit clearer, and, hopefully, just a bit brighter.
Jessica Schmeichel
The Dickinson State University Literature Department over-prepared me for my job in
secondary education. When I student taught, I had a very good grasp on the content I had
to teach. My knowledge especially helped when teaching literature I had not encountered
at DSU. I felt completely prepared to teach concepts in literature I was unfamiliar with.
Thanks to the DSU Department of Literature, I am proudly an educator.
Kaylie Strandberg
Dickinson State University taught me more about literature and more about me than I
could have ever learned elsewhere. Literature is not black and white—there is no right
and wrong. It is what we make of it. I was blessed to be able to learn that literature is not
just a subject, but it is a way of life. DSU taught me to utilize theory to analyze novels,
and how to research to uphold my views on what I have read. I know the value of reading
to discover the world, and to discover myself. Some of my most influential teachers from
school had the faith in me that I needed to succeed. Now, I am finishing up my studentteaching semester, and I am striving to show my students how to discover all that
literature has to offer, just as my teachers taught me.
Cindy Thronburg
In December of 2011, I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in
Writing. I am currently making plans to continue my education and pursue a Master’s
Degree in Library Science and possibly a Master’s in Creative Writing. My degree has
taught me critical thinking skills that will help me in my future education and career. The
Department of Language and Literature at DSU was incredibly supportive in my journey
towards my degree. The faculty opened my mind to exploring new concepts and theories
in ways I never imagined. While completing my degree, I affirmed my belief that
literature is what unites us and that studying it is a study of human nature.
Language and Literature Conference
The Language and Literature Conference is a program requirement for students earning BA and
BS degrees in English, English Education, and Spanish. It is also a course requirement for ENGL
480/SPAN 480 (Senior Project) and ENGL 280/SPAN 280 (Sophomore Project). The conference
showcases the work of students at the mid and final points of their degrees and demonstrates they
have successfully fulfilled institutional, program, and course outcomes. To prepare for the
Language and Literature conference, students work on their projects under the supervision of a
faculty advisor, who serves as a mentor. Friends, family members, and other visitors are invited
to attend the public presentation of that work. Please visit the department’s website to view
programs from past years.