Campus Update - September 21

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here

September 21, 2022

A note from the Dean

Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,

All September, we have been celebrating the Oxford core principle of Belonging. I hope you each have found a way to complete the challenge I presented at the beginning of the semester: Do something for another member of the Oxford community that reminds them they belong here! If you haven’t gotten around to it, there’s still time—September doesn’t end for another week!

This past weekend, the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life fostered a sense of Belonging at the annual Fall Retreat, held this year at the beautiful Georgia FFA Camp in Covington. It was great that faculty, staff, and students engaged with one another for an early-semester recharge.

This Friday and Saturday, on September 23 and 24, there is another great chance to support the Oxford community. OxTheatre has their first performance of the semester with the play The Groundwater. Both shows are at the Tarbutton Theater at 7:30 p.m. You can read more about it below and buy tickets in advance.

Thanks to each of you who are fostering a sense of belonging on campus.

Best,

Ken

Submitting to Campus Update

To submit items for Campus Update, please email Daniel Christian. The newsletter is distributed weekly on Wednesday. Please submit items by Monday afternoon.

Oxford in the news

David Gowler, Pierce Chair of Religion, will be recognized later tonight, September 21, at Emory's Celebration of Faculty Imminence—an event held in recognition of the most esteemed faculty members throughout the university.

Gwendolynne Reid, Assistant Professor of English, was published in the latest issue of Composition Forum with a piece titled "Tech Trajectories: A Methodology for Exploring the Tacit Knowledge of Writers Through Tool-Based Interviews." The article was co-authored with researchers from Arizona State University and North Carolina State University and describes a variation on the discourse-based interview designed to elicit tacit knowledge about writing. Along with this methodological discussion, the piece also shares the story of how Gwendolynne came to find herself interviewing intelligence agents while at NC State. Read about both here.

Alumni news

Rachel Musetti 19Ox 21C was profiled as part of a young professional spotlight on the Solid Waste Association of North America's blog for her role as Recycling and Zero Waste Education Coordinator. Read more here.

Get a new headshot!

Need a new headshot? The Office of Communications is hosting a final session on Wednesday, September 28 from 10:00–11:00 a.m.

Dan Christian of Communications and a student photographer will be waiting in the front lobby of Seney Hall. Just stop by and let them know, and they will lead you to the Quad for a picture. No appointments necessary!

This will be the last opportunity to get a new headshot this semester.

Heroes, Saints, and Legends: Judy Greer

Dr. Judy Greer, along with Billye Aaron and Virginia Hepner, was honored on September 15, 2022 at the Heroes, Saints & Legends event hosted by Wesley Woods. The event honors extraordinary individuals who have shaped our community through a lifetime commitment to leadership, service, and philanthropy. Funds raised benefit the mission and ministry of Wesley Woods, which includes financial assistance with meals and housing, wellness programming, and pastoral care to the older adults living in Wesley Woods communities. Read more here.

View a video highlighting Judy’s accomplishments here.

OxTheatre: The Groundwater

On September 23 and 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Tarbutton Theater, OxTheatre will kick off The She Series with a staged reading of The Groundwater by Dylan Malloy. It will be directed by Jessie Rivers, Interim Artistic Director of Theater. Encourage your students to attend this Oxford Studies event. Buy tickets in advance here.

A brief synopsis of the play: "After a water shortage decimates the rural American West, three survivors hide out in a cabin located in the Colorado wilderness. A paranoid middle-aged conspiracy theorist, a young pregnant woman, and a teenage boy try to create a form of community even as the cabin's water stock dwindles. As the trio becomes more and more dehydrated, the boy experiences unsettling hallucinations about the ravaged natural world, which he believes to be prophetic visions. The Groundwater examines the intersection of spirituality, grief, and the idea of being haunted—not by spirits, but by the history of an entire region."

Gretchen Schulz Memory Party

As Oxford Chaplain Lyn Pace recently shared with the community, Gretchen Elizabeth Schulz, Professor of English Emerita, died on August 30 at her home. Pace wrote: "She was 79. Gretchen taught at Oxford for more than thirty years, retiring in 2011. She lived near campus in the city of Oxford and was active in Emory's Emeritus College since retirement. She was also active with and a long-time supporter of the Atlanta Shakespeare Company.... As always, if our office can help support you in times like these, please reach out at [email protected]."

See Gretchen's obituary in the AJC here.

Apu Inka: Melodies of the Andes

On September 27 at 7:30 p.m. in the Oxford Chapel, come see the performance of Apu Inka, a traditional and authentic Andean experience. The legacy of their Andean and occidental ancestors is manifested in their mystical songs and enchanting compositions. Apu Inka is engaged in the exemplary task of promoting and spreading not just Peruvian folklore, but also the cultural values of other Latin American countries as a way to keep the voice of the people alive.

Encourage your students to attend this Oxford Studies event.

Blessing of the Animals

The annual Blessing of the Animals is coming up, and we invite staff and faculty to bring their pets to campus for a blessing. The students love to meet your family pets. If you plan to bring your pet, please sign up here by Friday, October 1.

Everyone is invited to attend the blessing, which is sponsored by the Office of Religious & Spiritual Life and the Center for Healthful Living.

Book Signing: You Truly Assumed

The Oxford Library is hosting a book signing and reception on Monday, October 3 starting at 6:30 p.m. Laila Sabreen 23C, who authored a book called You Truly Assumed, will give a brief talk as well as sign books. Copies will be available for purchase at the bookstore.

Oxford students, faculty, staff, and alumni are all invited. Read more about Sabreen and her book here.

Sabreen will also have a short story included in the YA anthology STUDY BREAK, which releases with Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan in Winter 2023, featuring short stories written by Gen Z contributors for Gen Z readers.