John Vanderslice
Dr. John Vanderslice, associate professor of writing, has had two new short stories accepted for publication: “Superstore” by the journal The Pinch and “My Word” by the journal Literary Mama. He recently traveled to the conference of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) where he participated in a panel discussion titled “Creative Writing Exchanges: Building Community Outside the Writing Classroom.” More recently, he accompanied a group of Creative Writing students to Auburn University where both he and the students participated in a series of readings of original work.
Stephanie Vanderslice
Dr. Stephanie Vanderslice, an associate professor of writing, had an article, “Should Mamas Let Their Babies Grow up to Study Writing? Setting the Record Straight on What Writing Students Do, Part 2” published recently in the The Huffington Post.
Jennifer Deering
Jennifer Deering, lecturer in the Department of Writing and assistant director of the UCA Writing Center, was recently elected secretary of the Arkansas State Conference of the AAUP. This will be her second term serving on the Executive Committee. She was also elected as president of the Richard Hudson Chapter of the AAUP at UCA effective Aug. 1.
Toad Suck Review Named One of “the 10 best literary magazines launched in 2011”
The Toad Suck Review, published annually by the Department of Writing in the College of Fine Arts and Communication has been named one of “the10 best literary magazines launched in 2011” by the Library Journal. This recognition for excellence at the international level was announced in the May 1 issue.
Steve Black’s “Best Magazines 2011” feature focuses on the recently released second issue from 2012, which is honored for being “a solid choice for collections of contemporary literature.”
Black’s review of UCA’s literary journal also states, “The Review publishes a mix of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, translations, and reviews, and it leans toward the experimental without veering into excessively weird . . . [and is] unique enough to distinguish itself from the crowd of literary journals while still being accessible.”
Asked what this award means for the Toad Suck Review, Editor in Chief Mark Spitzer said: “It means that our vision is visionary, and it helps to further establish UCA as an innovative leader in the literary arts — not just in Central Arkansas, but in the evolving literary landscape of the country and beyond. We are blown away.”
UCA Students Fare Well in Media Contest
The University of Central Arkansas’s Vortex earned the General Excellence award for literary magazines in the recent Arkansas College Media Association awards. The award highlighted a strong showing by UCA writing and journalism outlets.
Both The Echo, UCA’s student newspaper, and The Scroll, the university’s yearbook, were selected for honorable mention honors in their respective General Excellence categories.
The 2012 ACMA media contest featured entries from Arkansas State, Arkansas Tech, Central Baptist College, John Brown University, Northwest Arkansas Community College, Ouachita Baptist University, Southern Arkansas University, UCA, University of Arkansas, UALR and University of Arkansas at Monticello. Entries were judged by faculty from California State University-Chico; Cayuga Community College (N.Y.); Eastern New Mexico University; Florida Atlantic University; Gonzaga University (Wash.); Kansas State; LSU; Moraine Valley Community College; Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville; Texas Tech; Texas Wesleyan; Texas Woman’s University; University of Southern Mississippi; University of Texas-Arlington and Washburn University (Kan.)
Other awards won by Vortex included cover design, first; poetry, Megan Riley, “Wicked Bitch of the South”, second; typography, Emily Powell, first; fiction writing, Gustav Carlson, “The Red Eye of the White Sun”, first, and Cassey E. Misee, “Barefoot in the Briar”, third; illustrative narrative, Carlson, “The Man Who Sounded of a Million Pigs”, first; and artwork, first.
Other awards won by The Echo included:
• General column, Jeanette Anderton, “Arkansans should wait until 25 to marry”, second;
• Feature writing, Mary DeLoney, “New fraternity to recruit ‘founding fathers’”, third;
• Meeting/speech coverage writing, Jeanette Anderton and Zachary O’Neal, “College brings awareness to environment during challenge week”, honorable mention;
• Editorial writing, Brad Smith, second;
• Feature photo, Libin Qin, “Homecoming”, honorable mention;
• Sports photo, Ian Caple, “Corner Kick”, honorable mention;
• Sports story writing, Lee Hogan, “Bears football chops down Lumberjacks”, honorable mention;
• Sports column writing, Lee Hogan, “Once greatest golfer in world, now mere shell of himself”, honorable mention;
• Advertising, Matt Williams, “Vortex Magazine”, third;
• Editorial cartoon, Alan Masingill, “Something in the water”, tie first; Allen McMillan, “Tar is hell”, second;
• Cartoon strip or single panel entertainment cartoon, Lance Coleman, “Kodiak moment”, first;
• Front page layout, Mary DeLoney, “11/2/11”, honorable mention;
• Sports page layout, Lee Hogan, “Feb. 22, 2012”, honorable mention;
• Editorial page layout, Brad Smith, “11/16/11″, first; Brad Smith, “9/14/11″, second.
Other awards won by The Scroll included:
• Divider, “Academics”, honorable mention;
• Endsheets, second;
• Feature layout, Davion Dotson, “El Embajdor”, tie third; Kale Green, “Talesha Little”, tie third; Kale Green, “Dorm Contest”, honorable mention;
• Academic layout, Davion Dotson and Courtney Hopper, “CFAC”, third; Davion Dotson, “College of Education”, honorable mention;
• Student life layout, Kale Green, “Smoking Ban”, first; Kale Green, “Homecoming”, third; Tara Anglin, “College Moms”, honorable mention;
• Sports layout, Emily Avery, third; Davion Dotson, honorable mention;
• Typographic presentation, Davion Dotson, first;
• Sports photo, James Austin, “Guard”, honorable mention.
Raven Ambers won the television news reporting category for her work with UCA’s News6. Virginia Buff took second.
Risi Named Outstanding Film Student
Kim Risi, a senior from Jonesboro, was recently named the Outstanding Digital Filmmaking Student by the University of Central Arkansas digital filmmaking faculty. Risi’s film, The Man in the Moon, also earned the “Faculty Choice” Award at the UCA Film Festival along with five other awards in the contest, which was judged by local professional filmmakers.
“We’re tremendously proud of Kim and her filmmaking team,” said Joe Dull, assistant professor of digital filmmaking. “They made an exceptional film.”
Other winners recognized at the festival were: Brandon Bogard of Beebe, “M.V.P.” Award; Codi Bogard of Beebe, Leadership Award; Lyle Arnett of Texarkana, Texas, for The Register and Jenn Hynum of North Little Rock for Underdog, Above the Law, Best Producer(s); Death of a Superhero by Brandon Bristol of Greenbrier, Best VFX; Man in the Moon, Best Set Design; Who Will Help the Widow’s Son, directed by Karmichael Jones of Russellville, Best Music Video;
Greed by Arnett, Best Cinematography; Man in the Moon, Best Screenplay; Ed Lowry of Little Rock for Death of a Superhero, Best Actor; Geneva Galloway of Little Rock for Dinner and The Register, Best Actress; Sky Begins to Storm by Ron Walter of Mountain Home, Best Documentary; Greed by Jason Miller of Hope, Best Sound Design; Man in the Moon, Best Editing; Man in the Moon, Best Directing; and Man in the Moon, Best Narrative.