Chris Tran, a graduate student in the MAWP program, had her poem “Look At Us” published in the Chicago Sun-Times this past weekend. The poem is a response to the killing of Renee Nicole Good by ICE officials and a tribute to her: Say her name, / Renee Nicole Good. / Remember her name, / Renee Nicole Good. / Look at us and insist / All of this is meant for good. You brand her a domestic terrorist, / But herein lies: / Beloved mother and wife / Daughter / Neighbor / Poet Justify your murder /… Read Article →
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Join Rebecca Johns-Trissler’s Novels II class on Thursday, January 15th at 6 p.m. in room 301 ALH for an author visit by Anna Sortino (MAWP ’19). Anna is the author of three YA novels published by Penguin Teen: Give Me a Sign (2023), On the Bright Side (2024), and Stops Along the Way (forthcoming in May 2026), which have been honored by starred reviews from such places as Kirkus and Publishers Weekly and “Best Book of the Year” from more places. She is also working on an adult title next. Please note that this event… Read Article →
Join the DePaul Women’s Center for a weekly book club every Wednesday at 3 p.m. in SAC 150 or via Zoom. This quarter, the book club is reading Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. The Women’s Center has physical and digital copies of the book available. Stop by SAC 150, or email womenscenterdepaul@gmail.com for more information!
I hope everyone had a restful break, and has an easy transition back to classes for Winter Quarter! Here are a few announcements, reminders and submission deadlines to keep in mind as you get back into the swing of things. 1. REMINDER: The deadline to apply for graduate assistantships for the 2026–2027 academic year is January 15, 2026. If you’re interested, please send the following materials directly to Prof. and Director Michele Morano (mmorano@depaul.edu): 2. Check out this fantastic article in Oxford American written by Francesca T. Royster, professor of English at DePaul, about musician Willie… Read Article →
Don’t forget to complete online teaching evaluations by November 18! You can find a personalized link to these online evaluations in your DePaul email from the Office of the Provost. Evaluations are extremely important in improving teaching at DePaul.
Join us on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 at 6 p.m. in McGowan South 105 in celebration of Mark Turcotte’s appointment as the new Illinois Poet Laureate. Turcotte will do a poetry reading alongside DePaul University English faculty and poets Kathleen Rooney, Chris Green, Mark Arendt and Tara Betts. See the flyer below for more information.
Last year, Avery Cunningham (MAWP ‘16) released her debut novel The Mayor of Maxwell Street via Disney/Hyperion. “The year is 1921, and America is burning. A fire of vice and virtue rages on every shore, and Chicago is its beating heart,” the book states. The novel follows a Black debutante who hires a low-level speakeasy manager to uncover the head of an underground crime syndicate, against the backdrop of Prohibition-era Chicago. We chatted with Cunningham about the extensive historical research the book required, what inspired her to write the story, her experience in editorial for… Read Article →
Join Kathleen Rooney, a professor of English at DePaul, and her sister Beth Rooney, photographer and journalist, for a discussion about their new children’s book Leaf Town Forever. The event will take place on Wednesday, November 5 at 6 p.m. CDT in Arts & Letters 103. See below for more information.
Do you want to develop skills for transformative dialogue across differences? Are you passionate about building bridges across faith, political and cultural perspectives? Check out the Bridgebuilding Fellowship to gain skills in dialogue across difference, listening, storytelling, discernment and interfaith. Bridgebuilders engage across difference in ways that respect others’ identities, foster mutually inspiring relationships and promote cooperation in service of the common good. Information sessions can be found below:
In 2022, Caroline Macon Fleischer (MFA ‘20) released her debut novel The Roommate, a work she started as a graduate student at DePaul for her MFA thesis. Fleischer is a writer, editor, and theatremaker, and teaches creative writing at Loyola University. Her second novel, A Play About A Curse, is set for release on October 21, 2025, via CLASH Books. We sat down to chat about the upcoming release and its key inspirations, writing processes, her time at DePaul and background in theatre, and what advice she has for students. This interview has been edited for clarity… Read Article →
Mark Turcotte, professor and DePaul’s Distinguished Writer in Residence, will be the honored guest as Poet Laureate of Illinois at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture on Saturday, October 11 from 12-2 p.m. The event is free and will feature the poets Luis Tubens, Mayda Del Valle and Dr. Yolanda Nieves. Click here for more information!
On Sunday, October 5, Avery Cunningham (MAWP ’16) will be at the Maxwell Street Market from 12-1 p.m. for a discussion around the history of Chicago’s Maxwell Street Market, and the role it plays in her debut novel The Mayor of Maxwell Street (Disney/Hyperion 2024). Books will be available to purchase from Da Book Joint, and Avery will be signing books on site!