James Crews (B.A. in English, 2004) is the winner of the Prairie Schooner Book Prize in Poetry for 2010 for his manuscript, The Book of What Stays. Crews will receive a $3,000 prize and publication by the University of Nebraska Press. His chapbook, What Has Not Yet Left, won the 2009 Copperdome Prize from Southeast Missouri State University Press and will be published later this year. Crews is the author of two other chapbooks, Bending the Knot (Gertrude Press Chapbook Press) and One Hundred Small Yellow Envelopes: A Poem After the Life and Work of Felix Gonzalez-Torres (Parallel Press). He also received the 2009 Bernice Slote Emerging Writers Award from Prairie Schooner. In December, Crews will be a writer-in-residence at the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts in Nebraska City, Neb.
Brijhette Farmer (B.A. in German and an art minor, 2010) is working on a dual master’s degree in architecture and urban planning at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Brijhette writes from New York:
“Through scholarships and grants, I had the great privilege to study abroad numerous times, traveling to Berlin for a study trip, and spending a semester each in Vienna and Munich…The transition to graduate school has held many surprises, and being so “young” (21) is a bit scary, but the foundation that Webster instilled in me, that is, one based on involvement and service in one’s community, self-initiation to seek out scholarships, mentors, and other amazing opportunities, and a well-roundedness that comes from time spent abroad (and a second language), have brought me further than I could imagine.
“In a few years my goals are first to become a licensed architect and then work to combine the advantages of environmental design with the rigors of architecture to help alleviate poverty in underrepresented cities among people of the American society as well as countries around the globe.”
A play by Jo Hiestand (B.A. in English, 2000), Teething Pains, is one of eight plays to win the Spectrum 2010 Festival of Short Plays contest and will be performed Oct. 15-17 and Oct. 22-24 at DeSmet Jesuit High School Theater, 233 N. Ballas Road, Creve Coeur, Mo. Hiestand writes, “Teething Pains is a 15-minutes farce about a man going in for a dental exam and the strange world of funny staff, patients, and dentist that he seems to have fallen into…I wrote Teething Pains as a class assignment in Michael Erickson’s play-writing class. Who knew the play would actually see the light of day a decade later? Even though I am the published author of eight English mystery novel, this is the first play of mine that will be performed.”
Rease Kirchner (B.A. in Spanish and B.A. in Communications, 2009) and friends have launched Travelated (www.travelated.com). Rease explains: “The idea of the website is to provide helpful travel information and deals. We can offer special coupon codes and discounts on flights, hotels, luggage, etc. The articles vary and include things such as travel experiences, travel etiquette and tips, vacation destinations, product and location spotlights, etc.” Aspiring travel writers are invited to submit articles to Travelated. There’s no pay, but writers can provide a short bio and links to their blogs or websites.
Ryan Saale (B.A. in Spanish, B.A. in Public Relations, International Studies Certificate, 2004) is the assistant director of international affairs for Fontbonne University. Ryan works exclusively with international students and related services from visa and immigration; marketing and recruitment; student services and event planning; and everything related to international initiatives from hosting/meeting foreign university officials and diplomats to managing/implementing international initiatives. Ryan says he represents Fontbonne—and St. Louis—during his frequent travels to Asia and Latin America.
Amelia Shekar (B.A. in German, 2010) is in training to be a bilingual German email representative for Enterprise Holdings, Inc.’s St. Louis Contact Center. Amelia will be responding to questions from Enterprise customers in German and says she’s excited to be able to use her German skills on the job.
News from Global M.A. in International Relations alums: Amy Blomme (2010), an intern at the UNESCO Bangkok office, is currently working on a project to design and implement a website and e-Library on education reform in the Asia-Pacific Region. Sahara Meyer (2010) is serving an internship in the Office of the Prosecutor for the International Criminal Tribunal of the former Yugoslavia in The Hague. Sarah is conducting research on country profiles or military actions during the war.
