Announcements
Spring 2012
Congratulations to Writing & Rhetoric faculty members for two recent Technology Innovation grants supported through the initiative, "Innovative Approached Using Technology to Enhance Student Experience at URI." Nedra Reynolds, Mike Pennell, Jeremiah Dyehouse, and James Daley, with faculty from Textile, Fashion Merchandising and Design, and Nutrition and Food Sciences, won a grant for the proposal, "Online Peer Review," and Kim Hensley Owens, with faculty form Plant Sciences, Natural Resource Sciences, Art and Art History, English, and Computer Science and Statistics, won a grant for the proposal "URI Virtual Arboretum."
Fall 2011
Brittany Pailthorpe, senior Writing & Rhetoric Major and undergraduate Writing Dept. office assistant, 
spoke at URI's recent cultural diversity event. Out of Diversity: We Speak, coordinated by the Director of Women's Studies, Jody Lisberger, invited faculty, staff, and students to share their personal experiences, feelings, and thoughts about how diversity affects all of our lives. Brittany read a lovely and eccentric piece she wrote in Prof. Jeremiah Dyehouse's WRT 353 course.
Congratulations to Associate Professors Libby Miles and Michael Pennell on being awarded grants from the Harrington School of Communication and Media! Libby and Professor Ron Hutt of Art and Film Media will be designing and devloping the collaborative project, Developing a Student-Centered Writing Reference Mobile App. Mike's exploratory grant for Food Production and Communication in the Ocean States: Beginning a Conversation will jumpstart his research on the local food movement.
Spring 2011
Congratulations!
Graduate student Freddie DeBoer successfully defended his master's portfolio in April. Congratulations to Freddie, who will begin the PhD program in Rhetoric and Composition at Purdue University this fall.
Congratulations to Interim Writing Center Director Rosaleen Greene-Smith, who was awarded a URI Graduate School Tuition Scholarship to research and write her dissertation during the 2011-2012 school year.
Having recently completed graduate studies at URI, Jamie White-Farnham will join the faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Superior next fall as Assistant Professor and Writing Coordinator in the Department of Writing, Reading, and Library Science.
Congratulations to Dr. Matthew Ortoleva, a 2010 graduate of the PhD program, on winning the 2011 University of Rhode Island Award for Graduate Excellence. Matt's dissertation, "Rhetorics of Place and Ecological Relationships: The Rhetorical Construction of Narragansett Bay," considers three important constituent (and sometimes conflicting) groups in constructing discourses in and around Narragansett Bay: Save the Bay, aquaculturists, and the Narragansetts. Matt, who currently holds the position of Assistant Professor at Johnson & Wales University, will join the faculty at Worcester State University as Assistant Professor and Writing Center Director next fall.
Congratulations to graduate student Jay Peters! Jay has been awarded a prestigious Jacob K. Javits fellowship. This sponsorship by the U.S. Department of Education provides four years of support for students in doctoral programs who "demonstrate achievement and exceptional promise." Only 33 were awarded throughout the United States.
Congratulations to Writing & Rhetoric majors Nick Rutter and Jessica Watson, each of whose work appears in the Fall 2010 issue of The Independent Scribe. Nick's work includes a short story entitled "Breakup" and a photograph entitled "Castle." Jessica's descriptive essay of a morning spent on campus is entitled "The Anthill."
Writing & Rhetoric major and student worker Jessica Watson won third prize in The Rumowicz Maritime Essay Contest this spring with her essay "Fenced in by Earth." Congratulations to Jessica, who graduates in May and heads off to study archeology at SUNY Albany next fall.
Congratulations to Writing & Rhetoric majors Jessica Watson and Melissa Tullo, each of whom were named winners in this spring's English Department Writing Contest. Jessica's piece, "The Brown Bear Song" placed third in the Creative Non-Fiction division, and Melissa's short story, "Tick Tock," took third place in the Short Story divison.
Congratulations to Jamie White-Farnham, who successfully defended her dissertation entitled "Women, Writing, and Housework: A Study of Material Rhetoric in Everyday Life." Jamie's degree will be conferred in May, 2011.
Graduate student Joannah Portman Daley, Professor Jeremiah Dyehouse, and , Professor Mike Pennell, published an article based on their involvement in piloting a hybrid version of WRT 104 in Spring 2010. "Hybridity in an Independent Writing Program," which began as a Computers and Writing Conference presentation, is now available in the Winter 2010 issue of Academic Exchange Quarterly. Not only was the article awarded Editor's Choice by AEQ, but it also helped solidify Writing & Rhetoric's decision to offer hybrid courses as a departmental standard beginning in Fall 2011.
Graduate Student Cathryn Molloy published an article in the November issue of College English. In "The Malcliche: An Argument for an Unlikely Episteme," Cathryn argues that far from being the throwaway material of unfortunate misspeak, and far from being the ugly stepchild of something already detestable, the malcliche can be a vital source of new semantic complexity as well as an unconscious artistic creation worthy of our attention. This article grew out of Cathryn's coursework in Professor Miles's WRT 645 seminar.
Graduate student Joannah Portman Daley published an article in the Fall issue of Reflections. "Reshaping Slacktivist Rhetoric: Social Networking for Social Change" investigates the parameters of civic engagement through digital writing. Specifically, it examines the differences between slacktivism and activism against changing citizenship styles and definitions of civic action.
Fall 2010
Congratulations!
Writing & Rhetoric extends its congratulations 
to our own Dr. Libby Miles, winner of the 2010 URI Foundation Excellence Award. Begun in 1974, this prestigious award recognizes four faculty and staff members each year for demonstrating excellence in their respective areas, enhancing their own departments and the entire University community. Dr. Miles, who has taught at URI for 13 years and currently serves as the chair of Writing & Rhetoric, received the Teaching Excellence Award. Please visit the URI Foundation's press release for further details.
Job Opening: Assistant Professor of Writing and Rhetoric, Community-Based/Interdisciplinary Writing
The University of Rhode Island has an opening for a tenure-track academic year appointment of an Assistant Professor for July 1, 2011.
Basic Function/Responsibilities: Teach 9 credit hours per semester in the Department of Writing & Rhetoric, engage in research leading to publication, and participate in service and outreach activities. Courses will include first-year writing and other general education offerings, upper-level courses in the Writing & Rhetoric major, and graduate courses for the specialization in Rhetoric & Composition.
Required Qualifications: Earned Ph.D. in Rhetoric, Literacy, English, Communication or related fields with a specialization in Rhetoric and Composition, in hand by August 2011. Evidence of teaching effectiveness and scholarly activity also required. Must have a strong background in rhetoric plus social and/or cultural theories. Must also have research or teaching interests in community literacy, community service writing, and/or interdisciplinary writing.
Preferred Qualifications: Experience with community organizations, social justice and diversity, environmental sustainability, grant writing, public writing, legal writing, or public policy.
Review of resumes will begin on October 8, 2010, and will continue until the position is filled. Visit URI Human Resources for complete details about the position and instructions for online applications. Refer to Posting# (6000256). Only online applications will be accepted and will require three (3) documents in pdf format as attachments only: A Cover Letter, CV, and Other Document to be (one sample of recent scholarly writing). Also, please send by email or postal mail three (3) letters of professional recommendation, one (1) course syllabus, and a copy of unofficial transcripts to: WRT@etal.uri.edu, or mail to: Donna Hayden, Writing & Rhetoric Dept, Rm#319 Roosevelt Hall, 90 Lower College Road, URI, Kingston, RI 02881. URI is an AA/EEO employer and values diversity. URI is an E-Verify employer.
The University of Rhode Island is a premier learner-centered research university, located minutes from the Atlantic Ocean. We are a land grant, sea grant, and urban grant institution. The Department of Writing & Rhetoric is housed in the Harrington School of Communication & Media, within the College of Arts & Sciences. For more information on our Department, please visit: www.uri.edu/artsci/writing.
Summer 2010
Congratulations!
Writing & Rhetoric extends it congratulations to grad student Cathryn Molloy, who was awarded a University Fellowship for 2010-2011. This prestigious award allows Cathryn to research and write her dissertation with no additional teaching or administrative duties for the entire school year. Cathryn's project, entitled “Beyond Binaries, Disciplinary Divides, and Narrative Imperatives: A Multimodal Study of Chronic Mental Illness Rhetorics,” focuses on the everyday rhetorical choices, notable uses of language, and interesting ways of making meaning among those with serious and chronic mental illness.
Congratulations to Dr. Matthew Ortoleva, a recent graduate of the PhD program, who was hired as Assistant Professor of English at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. Matt defended his dissertation, entitled "Rhetorics of Place and Ecological Relationships: The Rhetorical Construction of Narragansett Bay" successfully last spring and was conferred his degree in May 2010.
Spring 2010
Congratulations to our recently published WRT majors!
- Ankawha Blain, "Blue Whales Do Not Live in Providence," *The Independent Scribe* Fall 2009 edition
- Jessica Watson, "Should America Speak American?" *The Independent Scribe *Fall 2009 edition
- Sarah Payne, "Thoreau's Sublime Wreckage in *Cape Cod*," *The Independent Scribe *Fall 2009 edition
- Mercer Smith, "Coffee Coffin," "A-Bed at 3AM," and "Chucks," *The Independent Scribe *Fall 2009 edition
- Raymond Mathieu, "Frozen Foods Section," "So They Say," and "The Steps to Stumblin'," *The Independent Scribe *Fall 2009 edition
- George C. Whaley, Jr. "Clam Bake" and "A Vicious, Pretty Cycle," *The Independent Scribe *Fall 2009 edition
- Patricia Wisenseel, "The Bells:" From a Freestanding Object to a Pulsating Presence," *The Independent Scribe *Fall 2009 edition
- Kaitlyn Stone, "The Vulgar Way," *Chronogram*, November 2009
Recent Awards, Grants, and Publications
February, 2010Professor Jeremiah Dyehouse was awarded sabbatical leave for Spring 2011 to work on his project, "Roots for a Technological Rhetoric: John Dewey's Writings on Writing." Prof. Dyehouse's study of John Dewey's writings investigates new avenues for developing technological rhetoric, or a rhetoric that takes better account of communications technologies' special problems.
Professor Mike Pennell was awarded a grant for his proposal, "Enhancing the Training of Writing Teachers through Video." The technology afforded by this grant will aid and supplement an interdisciplinary teaching practicum, WRT 999: Methods of Teaching College Writing, through the purchase of video cameras and an external storage device.
Professor Kim Hensley Owens was published in the book, Textual Mothers, Maternal Texts: Motherhood in Contemporary Women's Literatures . Her chapter, "Revelations and Representations: Birth Stories and Motherhood on the Internet," explores North American women's online birth narratives; it demonstrates that these stories are reformulations or remediations of traditional oral birth narratives and goes on to classify them as a new genre, one that is part memoir, part political tract, and part testimonial.
Ph.D. candidate Joannah Portman Daley was awarded a mini grant from the Office of Research and Economic Development Graduate Research to be put toward participant incentives for her dissertation project "(Re)Writing Civics in the Digital Age: The Role of Social Media in Student (Dis)Engagement." Joannah was also awarded a scholarship to the 2010 ATTW Research Methods Workshop for this project.
Fall 2009
New Website Launched
September 1st, 2009Welcome to the brand new Writing & Rheotric website! Throughout the summer, we have been working hard on designing a website that is much more streamlined and useful to the diverse students within our major. We'd like to thank everyone involved with the project, which included various faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students. Let us know your opinion of the website and be sure to send in any comments and suggestions you think would make the website even more useful. Also, keep an eye on this "Announcements" page for all the latest news within Writing & Rhetoric.
Summer 2009
Congratulations!
Jamie White-Farnham has been awarded a prestigious University Fellowship for the 2009-2010 academic year. With this support, Jamie can spend all of next year on her dissertation, with no teaching and no administrative responsibilities. It is a terrific opportunity for her, and a great honor. Rob LeBlanc, our colleague in English, has also received a 2009-2010 Fellowship.
Bryna Siegel Finer has successfully defended her dissertation last month. She begins her new position as Assistant Professor at Southern Vermont College in August
Samaa Gamie also successfully defended her dissertation last month. She begins her new position as Assistant Professor at Savannah State College in August.
Alumni Mary Gormley and Michelle Niestepski also begin a new position as Assistant Professors, Mary at Regis College and Michelle at Laselle College.
Chuck Morgan successfully defended his Master's porfolio this week. Chuck will continue to share his creative teaching and infectious enthusiasm with us at URI.
Heather Johnson has been hired as a lecturer in Writing & Rhetoric at URI. Heather is an extraordinary teacher, and serves as an inspiration for everyone to join the Instructional Development Program's Teaching Fellows year-long program.
Spring 2009
The Harrington School of Communication and Media
May, 2009URI alum, Richard J. Harrington, pledged a five million dollar gift to be put towards the creation of The Harrington School of Communication and Media. The school will unite five units within the College of Arts and Sciences, including Writing and Rhetoric.Please visit the university's announcement here.
Professor Nedra Reynolds Honored for Inclusion in The Norton Book of Composition Studies
February, 2009
Susan Miller, editor of the The Norton Book of Composition Studies, selected Professor Nedra Reynolds's 1998 article, "Interrupting Our Way to Agency: Feminist Cultural Studies and Composition," for inclusion in the acclaimed anthology of Composition and Rhetoric scholarship. The collection boasts 101 of our discipline's most important and influential articles throughout the past 50 years. Professor Reynolds was honored at a luncheon sponsored by W.W. Norton and Company, where she was surrounded by proud colleagues, students, and peers. Please visit the university's announcement here.
News
Please visit our announcements page for more details on the following news:
Nedra Reynolds, Michael Pennell, Jeremiah Dyehouse, James Daley, and Kim Hensley Owens win Technology Innovation grants supported through the "Innovative Approaches Using Technology to Enhance Student Experience at URI" initiative.
Writing & Rhetoric major Brittany Pailthorpe speaks at Diversity Event!
Congratulations to Associate Professors Libby Miles and Michael Pennell on being awarded grants from the Harrington School of Communication and Media.
Publications
New publications by Tim Amidon,Jeremiah Dyehouse, Cathyrn Molloy, Kim Hensely Owens, Mike Pennell, and Joannah Portman Daley!
See a full list of recent Publications by our faculty and graduate students.
Upcoming Events
Saturday, March 31stWhat:Graduate Student Conference
Where:TBA
When: TBA
Who: Open to the public
Check out our Event Calendar to see what's happening
spotlight
The Oliver Watson House Project
Contextualizing writing and conveying its real world significance serves as an important goal for the Department of Writing & Rhetoric. Doing so often means moving students writing out of the classroom and increasing its visibility through a public audience. While this can be done by publishing via the web, the Cigar, and other traditional outlets, Professor Heather Johnson focuses on a different kind of publishing: she publishes her students work by projecting it on the side of the Oliver Watson House.Learn More...
See All of our Program Spotlights
