October 2018 – Widows & Orphans

Let’s Not Forget MWS + ‘Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein’ Cast Member Interview

From Left to Right: Dr. Rebecca Nesvet, Podcast Producer Krynn Hanold, and Dr. Jessica Van Slooten.

The newest episode of the Indented podcast from the UW-Green Bay English Department is live! In this episode, listeners are reminded not to forget about Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, who wrote the famous novel “Frankenstein,” which just so happens to be celebrating its 200th anniversary.

Hosted by UW-Green Bay student Krynn Hanold and featuring UW-Green Bay Associate Prof. Rebecca Nesvet and UW-Green Bay, Manitowoc Campus Associate Prof. Jessica Van Slooten, this LIVE podcast episode (recorded during Phoenix Studio‘s night of live podcasts) delves into “Frankenstein” and the writer behind the famous work.

Take a listen:

https://soundcloud.com/uwgb_indented/lets-not-forget-mws

Podcast Producer Krynn Hanold also had the opportunity to conduct an interview with James Donovan, who portrayed Dr. Victor Frankenstein in “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein” presented by Aquila Theatre, which was performed at the Weidner Center on Friday, Oct. 26, 2018.

Check out the exclusive interview:

Question: What is your part in this production?

James Donovan: Dr. (Victor) Frankenstein

Q: Do you have any places in particular that are your favorite to go to?

Donovan: You know, we’ve had fun across the board, in terms of prettiness and how aesthetically happy the most fun town to look at was Pennsylvania, driving through Pennsylvania was just ridiculous, the leaves are changing, it was absolutely stunning. But in terms of fun, I had loads of fun in Indiana. We were walking and it was lovely, and we were walking around Notre Dame and it was just lovely.

Q: So it’s very different?

Donovan: Oh, absolutely.

Q: Are there any productions that you’ve been on before that you’ve liked in particular?

Donovan: I’ve worked a lot of Shakespeare in the Globe, so I have a history in some classical theatre. The Shakespeare Globe is a wonderful, prestigious theatre in London. I’ve worked on War Horse, and it transferred to Broadway eventually. I suppose those two are my favorites. Yeah, Steven Spielberg came to see our production of War Horse and then decided to make the film.

Q: Why did you want to be involved in this production?

Donovan: I worked in America last year, and I absolutely fell in love with it, and just the prospect of touring America, I wouldn’t typically go on one holiday so to speak. It was just too appealing, and the show itself and Aquila Theatre are wonderful to work for. So, the prospect of that, plus touring America was just fantastic, and I got the job and I was like “oh wow, I’m so excited” so yeah, we have such a fun time.

Q: What’s challenging about bringing the script of this to life?

Donovan: Since there are so many different versions of it, I tried to avoid watching the films, and watching everyone else because I just thought, this is going to be my version of this adaptation and I don’t want to steal anyone else’s ideas, or whatever it may be, and he’s just a man of heart, it’s very long, it’s very big, and Dr. Frankenstein goes through such a big journey and to play that convincingly it’s a huge task, but I’ve had so much fun doing it, it’s brilliant.

Q: What do you love about portraying your character?

Donovan: I suppose his emotional act, his journey, he goes through such an emotional journey that he starts off at the beginning of the play, and I don’t want to give too much away in terms of where we’re placing, because it’s very much placed in modern day time, our version, he just goes through a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, we sort of jump back in time in our version, so you see a huge transition from where he is emotional because he goes through all the pain and suffering and then right back to the end of the play you see the jump.

Q: How do you and your cast make the production of Frankenstein unique?

Donovan: Our director, she transforms that, it’s her version of the play, and I think because it is modern day, trying to make it modern day with the novel being 200 years back.

Q: How do you make it modern day?

Donovan: Everything from clothing, we transpose the text, make it a tiny bit more modern day, and equipment in terms of like waking Frankenstein up, everything, to where it’s set, everything.

Q: What are your thoughts on the story of Frankenstein, especially as compared to other things you’ve worked on?

Donovan: This man goes through act after act, and the age-old question we’re always being asked and is especially prevalent t in this country I suppose is is it right to play god and what role does science have in our modern day world that’s the one that poses the biggest question in that that hangs out when telling the story, especially to an audience in our political climate at the moment. So I suppose that’s the real topic of interest that’s pinned down. He’s doing it for the greater good, playing with a power that I don’t think anyone’s really discovered and it’s only with the monster but his then his reaction is “Oh my god, what have I done.”

Internship Series: The Importance of Internships

Welcome to part one of the UW-Green Bay English Department‘s Internship Series! This post will focus on why internships are so important and take a look at all the benefits they have.

English majors (and, honestly, all college students) should consider getting at least one internship while they’re in college. Why? Because internships provide a myriad of benefits, from helping you figure out what career you want to go into after graduation to gaining real-life skills that can be listed on your resume.

Internships can:

1. Help You Pick the Right Path

Sometimes it’s hard figuring out what exactly you want to do after graduation. That’s where internships come in: they give you the chance to “test out” areas you’re interested in to see if they are truly the right fit for you.

2. Strengthen and Expand Your Skill Set

Internships can allow you to both sharpen your current skills while also giving you the chance to gain new ones. For example, you might consider yourself a strong writer, but you may not have any experience writing press releases until an internship requires you to do so.

3. Give You the Chance to Learn Outside of the Classroom

While you can definitely learn a ton from your classes, you can expand your knowledge by joining the professional world. Internships also provide the opportunity for students to use the skills and knowledge they’ve picked up on in the classroom and apply them to real-life situations.

4. Prepare You for Post-Grad Life

Internships – especially those that are full-time – can offer a taste of what life after graduation is going to be like. Just being immersed in a real work culture environment can teach you a lot about what it’s like out there in the “real world” – and what you can expect once you obtain a job upon graduating.

5. Improve Your Resume

Perhaps the most obvious benefit of internships is that they give you something to put on your resume. Whether your internship was paid or unpaid, full-time or part-time, the time and effort you put in matters. The extra experience and skills you gained through your internship will definitely mean something to potential employers.

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Now, I’m sure you’re probably thinking, “That’s great and all, but how do I actually go about getting an internship?” That’s a valid question and one that will definitely be covered in a future installment of this internship series.

For now, check out these great opportunities for English majors that are offered through UW-Green Bay:

(Note: This is by no means a comprehensive list, but a sampling of what is available through UW-Green Bay!)

Sheepshead Review – Sheepshead Review, UW-Green Bay’s very own journal of art and literature, also offers internship opportunities for specific positions, such as Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, and several others. Through this opportunity, students can gain first-hand experience when it comes to creating an issue of the journal. Each internship position can be worth three credits.

UWGB Creatives – With positions like Podcast Producer, Chief Copywriter, and Programming Director available, this team of interns for the UW-Green Bay English Department helps spread the word of the English program. These positions give students the chance to become more involved with the English department. Each internship position counts for three credits.

UW-Green Bay Office of Marketing and University Communication – With positions such as Editorial/Public Relations Intern and Social Media Assistant offered, the Office of Marketing and University Communication at UW-Green Bay can provide great experience for English majors interested in pursuing careers in editorial work or social media.

Voyageur – Voyageur: Northeast Wisconsin’s Historical Review is a great opportunity right here on campus for English majors who are interested in editorial work or publishing. Through this semester-long internship, students work on copyediting pieces for the magazine and assist in research, layout, and other aspects. Internship positions can be taken for three credits.

Internship Draft Day – This event is right around the corner! On Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, students are invited to come to Lambeau Field and meet with representatives from over 60 local employers to obtain internships or jobs. Registration is required.

UW-Green Bay Career Services – Of course, Career Services right here on campus provides many resources for those looking to obtain an internship.

Faculty Focus: Associate Prof. Valerie Murrenus Pilmaier Interview

Associate Prof. Valerie Murrenus Pilmaier (English) at UW-Green Bay, Sheboygan Campus has won the prestigious 2018 Alliant Energy Underkofler Excellence in Teaching Award. Only three winners are chosen on an annual basis. Funded by an endowment from Alliant Energy, these $3,000 awards are given to extraordinary teachers at UW-Madison, UW-Platteville and UW Colleges. Learn more about the Underkofler Excellence in Teaching Award.

The UW-Green Bay English Department is honored to feature Dr. Pilmaier on our blog. We got the chance to speak with Dr. Pilmaier about her big win, teaching and, of course, the subject of English.

First, some background on Dr. Pilmaier:

A native of Menomonee Falls, she went on to attend UW-Oshkosh, where she double-majored in English and International Studies and minored in German. She went to Marquette University for her M.A. and Ph.D. in Literature, with a specialty in Irish and British Studies, trauma theory and the novel.

On to the questions:

Q: First of all, congratulations on winning the Underkofler Excellence in Teaching Award. What does it mean to you to win this award?

Dr. Pilmaier: I cried when I got the email that I was one of the three chosen. The Underkofler is an extremely prestigious teaching award and requires that your application materials are vetted by colleagues from all over the state who are exceptional teachers. The competition is stiff, and it is an incredible honor to even be in the running for the award, much less win it. For me, this award signifies the amount of support that I have received from my family, friends, mentors, colleagues, and institution throughout my entire academic career as well as the amazing students that I have had the opportunity to teach and learn from because, without them, there is no way that I would be the teacher that I am today. I was lucky enough to be chosen as a Wisconsin Teaching Fellow Scholar twice, and both years were transformative for my pedagogy in terms of first becoming more student-centered (for the first year that I attended in 2012-2013) and then in 2017-2018, engaging with my institution-wide colleagues on utilizing student-based research (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) to enhance the student experience in my classes. I am hooked on SOTL research and have been incorporating it into my courses since 2010, and this award helps to confirm for me that what I have been doing with my students is making a positive impact on them. Honestly, this award means everything. My research interests are varied, but all center on gender equity issues: using rape culture to teach rhetorical analysis in the composition classroom, gender disparities in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, and teaching gender equity using the plays of George Bernard Shaw.

Q: How long have you been teaching at UW-Green Bay, Sheboygan Campus? What do you like the most about teaching at this school?

Dr. Pilmaier: As stated above, I started here in 2009. Our campus was formerly a campus in the UW Colleges, which is an institution dedicated to the first two years of college, with the intent of getting students to their Associate of Arts and Sciences degree or transfer to a four-year school. As an institution of access, we have a high percentage of First-Generation students (always at least 65%), non-traditional students, ELL (English Language Learners) and developmental students. I absolutely love this group of students because a majority come in wondering if they are college material, and we have the ability to help them understand that they are exactly where they need to be. We can mentor them and help them on their path, but ultimately, we help them to see that they are the force behind their own success. It is a privilege to work with this population of students.

Q: Why did you decide to enter the teaching profession?

Dr. Pilmaier: I always wanted to be a teacher. My favorite thing to “play” at home was school, and I did that even through sixth grade (I was a nerd, I will admit it). I then had multiple teachers through high school and college who encouraged me to go into teaching, but I freaked when I heard stories from friends at Oshkosh who had to spend semesters taking classes where you had to design bulletin boards. I knew that was not for me. I didn’t even consider college teaching until one of my professors suggested that I take the GRE and apply to grad school. It blew my mind that I, the daughter of factory workers, could possibly do that. When I was awarded my TA-ship at Marquette, it was my opportunity to see if teaching was for me, and it was a perfect fit from the beginning. I can’t imagine a better job and I feel lucky every single day to do this.

Q: What kinds of teaching strategies do you use in your classes?

Dr. Pilmaier: I’m taken with Freire’s liberation method of education, so everything is problem-posing and student-centered. I want my students to understand that they have a voice, that voice is important, and it can affect social change. It is my job to ensure that they have the skill-sets that they need in order to effectively convey their ideas to their intended audience to make those messages clear, but they do all of the hard work. I get to enjoy the process. J. In literature, I get to help students understand the conventions of the discipline, see how literature speaks to the human experience, and show them how literature can be transformative in their lives. Could anyone have a better job than I do? I doubt it.

Q: Lastly, what do you enjoy the most about teaching the subject of English in particular?

Dr. Pilmaier: Wow, what don’t I enjoy about teaching composition and literature? There is an energy that comes from a discussion of ideas, and every day I learn something essential from my students. Of course I am biased, but I believe that I teach the most important discipline that students can learn because I help them to take ideas in their head, refine those ideas through research, shape those ideas through the skill-sets I can teach them, and watch them grow their confidence as global citizens as they present those ideas to a global community. I’m incredibly blessed to be able to do this every day. I must have done something incredible in a past life to deserve this life.

Once again, congratulations Dr. Pilmaier on winning this prestigious teaching award!