Valparaiso University English Department Newsletter Fall 2023
Welcome From the Chair G
reetings to all our alumni and friends from the Valparaiso University department of English. It is a pleasure to be able to reach out and let you know about the exciting work our faculty and students are doing. This is my first semester serving as department chair, and the last few months have certainly deepened my appreciation for all that chairs take on to keep the wheels of a department turning smoothly. I would like to thank those who have served as chair during my time at Valpo—John Feaster, Ed Uehling, Sara Danger, Richard Sévère, and Elizabeth Burow-Flak. These wonderful colleagues have supported and mentored me, and I hope that I can honor their tradition of leadership and excellence. This edition of The Lodestar has a bittersweet note because we recently bid farewell to Professor Allison Schuette, who taught creative writing at Valpo for over fifteen years. Professor Schuette was beloved by students and colleagues alike for her genius in the classroom, her empathic and mindful listening, and her unceasing work to uplift the voices of those who have been marginalized. We wish her the very best for the next exciting chapter of her life in Washington state. Professor George Potter is putting his expertise in drama to full use this semester by directing Valpo’s fall theater
production of Qui Nguyen’s highly popular and deeply resonant play She Kills Monsters. Professor Salena Anderson’s recently published article on ChatGPT in the journal Computers and Composition is a vital contribution to the study of an AI technology that is rapidly reshaping the landscape of higher education. And Professor Martin Buinicki has spearheaded the creation of the department’s exciting new game narrative and design minor, which is generating lots of attention on campus. Our students and alumni, as always, continue to impress us and make us proud. Senior student Danielle Kneusel marked the publication of her debut novel Eminence—a young adult dystopia (a genre near and dear to my heart)—with a well-attended launch event where she shared the many steps and countless hours it took to see her novel to completion. Our alumni spotlight features 2019 graduate Madison Magiera, who has made a name P r o f e s s o r r C a r t e r H a n s o n , C h a i r for herself in Austin, TX, in the field of o f t h e E n g l i s h D e pf ar or tmm ve anltp. oP. he od tuo. digital marketing and outreach. And, we welcome a new class of terrific first-year English majors. Thank you to the students who worked diligently to produce this newsletter, and to all of you who, by living out your vocations every day, carry forward the enduring value of English studies.
Students
Student Spotlight Student Danielle Kneusel publishes her first novel, Eminence
by Cori Laatsch
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n fall of 2023 Valpo student Danielle Kneusel ‘24 published her debut novel, Eminence. Kneusel is a senior psychology major with a minor in English. Eminence is a culmination of three years of work, a COVID dream, and years of reading young adult dystopian novels. The idea for Eminence came to Kneusel in a dream. She says, “[The dream] was just one moment in the story; it’s actually the ending plot twist moment, the cliffhanger. So, that’s kind of where I started and I built the world around that.” The rest of the world of Atvas and its royal government structure came straight from Kneusel’s imagination. As an avid reader of young adult dystopian literature in middle school, Kneusel drew inspiration from some of her favorite series, like Divergent, The Hunger Games, and The Testing. However, Eminence centers around an uncommon theme: perfectionism. Kneusel says, “The perfectionism part of it is just straight from my own life. I’m a huge perfectionist…it’s something I struggle with and I know a lot of people struggle with specifically in our generation.” Readers see main characters Willow Aldridge and Auden Bonavich struggle to deal with pressure from parents, societal expectations, and the weight of their own reputations as they compete to become the new Sovereign of Atvas. Kneusel is currently working on the second book in the Eminence series, but she also looks ahead to new projects. She is hoping to break into new genres and pursue more traditional routes of publishing in the future. One project involves a young adult fantasy series
which Kneusel can see containing up to seven volumes. More immediately, she is starting a contemporary romance stand alone. “That is something that’s going to be really challenging for me, I think, because that genre is a little bit lighter, a little bit happier, a little bit less intense. Also, I don’t read a ton in that genre, so I think it’s going to be a challenge for me to step into that.” This new book will follow an aspiring Harvard Law student who accidentally gets roped into doing a couples comedy act with a comedian while on a cruise. Apart from being a newly published author, Kneusel is also a full time student involved in many different extracurriculars. She is a member of Kappa Delta and Dance Ensemble, she works in the study abroad office, and she serves as an assistant editor for Valparaiso Fiction Review. With so much going on, Kneusel is often asked how she does it. To aspiring writers, she says that you simply have to start and just write; you will make the time if you truly want to do it. “Don’t plan every single plot point. Don’t try to plan every single character because you’ll never start writing. Just go for it. Sometimes I wish I had planned more and done more research going into [Eminence], but at the same time I don’t think I ever would have written this book if I had fully thought it out beforehand.” She continues, “[The writing] happens when you’re just overwhelmed and don’t want to do homework and you just need to take your mind off it.” Follow @dani.k.author on Instagram for updates on Kneusel’s current writing projects.
Kneusel signs books at the Bell & Beacon to celebrate the release of Eminence. Photo provided by Danielle Kneusel.
Danielle Kneusel with her debut novel at the Eminence book launch event. Photo provided by Danielle Kneusel.
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S First-Year First-Year Meet the firstyear and transfer student English majors
Martha Bravo
Spotlights Miles Wadsworth
Alex Pawlowski
English major He/him/his Valparaiso, Indiana
English major He/him/his Logansport, Indiana
Favorite book: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Favorite book: Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Favorite book: Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
“I chose to major in English because I want to either be a lawyer or a high school teacher. A fun fact about me is that my love of writing started with fanfiction!”
“A fun fact about myself is that I’ve been a contributing musician on two drum’n’bass / electronic dance EPs.”
English major She/her/hers Portage, Indiana
Welcome, Valpo English majors, class of 2027 by Ben Fields
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Welcome first-year English majors! We are excited that you are here at Valpo and chose the English department for your studies. Over the next four years, as a part of the English department, you will develop and hone valuable skills such as communication, critical thinking, professional writing, and close reading. What students find special about the Valpo English program are the relationships made
with fellow students, professors and other faculty members. There are always opportunities to use your English skills outside of the classroom in the Creative Writing Club, The Beacon yearbook, The Lighter literary magazine, The Torch newspaper, or The Lodestar English department newsletter. I am excited to meet all of you and hope the very best for your future at Valpo!
Spotlights David Ramay
Makayla Scott
English and Spanish double major He/him/his Seattle, Washington
Creative Writing major She/her/hers Frankfort, Illinois
Favorite book: Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak
“I wrote my first story when I was six or seven called ‘The Three Princesses and Their Fairy Secret’ but lost it when we moved.”
“Whatever I do in the future, I intend to write about it.”
Genesis Rivera Diaz
Katie Chlebek
English major and secondary education minor She/her/hers Milwaukee, Wisconsin
English and Spanish double major She/her/hers Fort Wayne, Indiana
Favorite Book: Oysterville Sewing Cirlce by Susan Wiggs
Favorite author: Kresley Cole
“I lived in four different states since I moved from Puerto Rico in 2008!”
“I am interested in English because I am an avid reader and am considering getting into the publishing world.”
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Faculty Faculty Spotlight Professor Salena Anderson on ChatGPT, Computers and Composition
by Carmen Hernandez
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r. Salena Anderson, professor of English and TESOL, has been with Valparaiso University since 2010. Prior to this, Dr. Anderson obtained her B.A. in English and linguistics, her M.A. in English (with specialization in digital humanities), and her Ph.D. with a focus on English language variation and change. In May of 2023, Dr. Anderson published an article titled “‘Places to stand’: Multiple metaphors for framing ChatGPT’s corpus” in the international journal, Computers and Composition. Dr. Anderson does not condemn technology such as ChatGPT. Instead, she has one important message: caution. She believes that we must continue to confront the ways we deal with such technological developments, and we must confront them carefully–if for no other reason than to better understand their potential societal or educational impact. The discussion on ChatGPT and AI has proven to be a hot topic in recent years at Valpo, with insights from the Center for Innovation in Teaching, Assessment, and Learning; computer science and engineering professors; and the English department. It is important to keep having these discussions about new technologies that will no doubt change the way many of us live our lives. For English students and graduates, Dr.
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Anderson understands that “most—if not all–people in our field will be impacted or already have been.” For those wanting to teach, Dr. Anderson believes that they should “familiarize themselves with the new technologies as they may want to help scaffold their future students’ critical AI literacy.” Within her article, Dr. Anderson regards this teaching component as critical, and she continues to emphasize the importance of educating students on their digital literacy. For those who plan a career in creative writing, “cultivation of one’s unique voice will be more important than ever as will be guarding one’s brand against AI,” as AI cannot cultivate new ideas, only replicate those already in circulation. In professional writing and editing, “it will likely be important to understand how to use the new technologies to speed efficiency while understanding intellectual property rights and still working to differentiate yourself from peers.” Although ChatGPT is new, “...the human relationship with technology is not.” More than ever, Dr. Anderson believes that our traditional skill sets will not disappear, nor will the need for these sets: “they may be even more important as our unique ideas and voices add warmth to writing and teaching.” In light of this, she believes that there is a need and desire to cultivate new skill sets and to take action considering the ever changing technological realm that the education system is a part of.
D r. S a l e n a An d e r s o n . P h o t o f r o m valpo.edu.
D r. An d e r s o n t e a c h i n g c o m p u t a t i o n a l linguistics in her Intro to Linguistics course. Photo by Carmen Hernandez.
Faculty Professor Allison Schuette performing at the annual Cabaret. Photo provided by Allison Schuette.
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he Valparaiso University English Department wishes Professor Allison Schuette congratulations and happiness as she begins her new journey of retirement in Tacoma, Washington. Schuette has been an active member of the Valparaiso student body since her arrival as a student in 1989, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in theology and humanities. She then completed her Masters of Fine Arts in creative non-fiction at Penn State. Schuette returned to Valparaiso University as a professor in 2005. She was incredibly involved in the English Department. Schuette taught several creative writing courses throughout her time at Valpo, including creative non-fiction, poetry, and fiction writing. She was not just a teacher for the students; she was also their guide. She developed mentor-student relationships that have blossomed and continued even after students’ graduation. Schuette created our annual Cabaret, an English department event open to all students, where creativity has no boundaries, and students have the ability to express their full artistic potential. She was also an essential part in organizing the Wordfest Writers Series. This series allows published writers from all different genres of literature to share their work with and inspire students. One of Schuette’s biggest projects at Valparaiso University is the Welcome Project, which began in 2010 and was in collaboration with Liz Wuerffel. As the student body started to become more diverse, they noticed certain problems arising. All students needed a better perspective on inclusivity. It started as a blogstyle collection of stories from students at Valpo,
After 18 years teaching at Valpo, Professor Allison Schuette Retires
where students could tell their stories of feeling welcomed or unwelcomed, their takeaways from the experience, and what they wish other students could understand about diverse backgrounds.
b y G r a c e Vo s b u r g
Likewise, Professor Schuette was a staff member of The Lighter literary magazine at Valpo. She shares how much she loved working with the students “and the ability to extend those relationships past the classroom, and truly get to help students grow in their creativity and expression.” Professor Betsy Burow-Flak asserts that Schuette is someone who “truly knows what welcome means. It doesn’t just mean being pleasant, it means reaching out. She has truly done that.” Burow-Flak goes on to say that without Schuette’s motivation to advocate for her colleagues and students, the English department would not be where it is today. Professor Schuette’s humor and quirkiness brought a new sense of life to the department that will forever be cherished by colleagues and students.
Professor Schuette enjoys her new view in Washington. Photo provided by Allison Schuette.
Schuette has recently moved to Tacoma, Washington, where she is enjoying the “perfect blend of oceans and mountains.” She says about her time at Valpo, “The full immersion of life on campus will be one of the things I miss the most. It has been very rewarding to be part of Valpo and see the impact on individual lives, but also the students as a whole.” The English department recognizes the incredible achievements Professor Schuette has had during her time on campus. Her selflessness will never be forgotten, doing everything in her power to make a positive difference in the lives of all students and faculty and making everyone feel truly included and welcomed. Best of luck and well wishes to Professor Schuette in this new chapter!
Professor Schuette in her natural habitat. Photo provided by Allison Schuette.
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Events Event Spotlight She Kills Monsters, directed by Professor George Potter
by Zion Gifford
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n the wake of younger sister Tilly’s tragic death, Agnes Evans plays her sister’s Dungeons & Dragons adventure module to learn more about Tilly’s life. Valparaiso University’s fall 2023 theater production, She Kills Monsters, examines the real-life struggles of Agnes’ and Tilly’s life through the realm of tabletop roleplaying games. VietnameseAmerican playwright Qui Nguyen blends the real and fantastical worlds in a mix of drama. The play features several sword fights and a dance battle that actors have spent hours practicing. Assistant stage manager Savannah Frazier ‘25 says that “Everyone has put their all into making sure that they’ve got [the fight and dance choreography] down, and when the audience comes to see this they’ll be very excited and shocked.” The production ties in well with the Asian American literature course led by Professor John Ruff and the creating roleplaying game modules class taught by Professor Martin Buinicki. Director and English professor George Potter was particularly interested in bringing the play to Valpo due to its exploration of sexuality. While the University has previously performed plays written by gay playwrights or featuring gay characters, a play where sexuality is a central theme is a first. Professor Potter emphasizes the joy that the play is bringing to the campus theater community, saying, “With the cutting of the theater department there has been a lot of sadness and loss in that space. We wanted to do a show where people could have fun.” Potter encourages those who might not think theater is for them to give She Kills Monsters a try. He encourages, “It’s the kind of show where if your only experience with theater was reading Shakespeare or Arthur Miller in high school,
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you can walk in and get an experience totally different.”
She Kills Monsters performance photo b y A r a n K e s s l e r.
The aspect of the production that Professor Potter is most excited for attendees to see is the five-headed dragon. Audience members don’t need to have knowledge of tabletop roleplaying games to enjoy the show, either. Student actor Justin Self ‘24, portraying Miles, says he “didn’t know anything about D&D before this show,” but was able to relate to it on a personal level. He continues, “It is really brilliant how the show involves [D&D]. You get to be one person in the real world and then you get to create your character in the Dungeons & Dragons world as well, and it’s similar to what you do as an actor. You’re yourself, and then you become this other character.”
She Kills Monsters performance photo by A r a n K e s s l e r.
Justin Self, left, perfoming in She Kills Monsters. Photo by A r a n K e s s l e r.
Classes
Classroom Spotlight
Professor Martin Buinicki spearheads new gaming minor
by Zion Gifford
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eginning in fall of 2023, Valparaiso University students can develop their language and visual arts skills for game creation with the new game narrative and design minor. The minor is split into two paths, each focusing on different types of games and corresponding skills. The roleplaying game path features courses such as Writing RPGs and Graphic Design, while the video games path features courses such as Video Games: Playing with Stories and Playwriting. Valpo students have long sought the classes that have been absorbed into the minor. Martin Buinicki, professor of English and founder of Gaming Honors, says about his experience teaching Video Games: Playing with Stories, “What really pleased me and surprised me was just how energized and engaged [the students] were about it and how serious they were about it… and that’s because it’s a form of storytelling that they’ve grown up with and want to take seriously.” While video gaming courses have become a more common university offering, Valpo’s inclusion of tabletop games in the minor carves out a fresh niche. Indiana offers many opportunities in this community. Gen Con, the largest tabletop games convention in North America, has taken place in Indianapolis since 2003. Involvement in the growing games industry has become more accessible with the advent of the internet and crowdfunding. Buinicki and others involved in the program seek to connect students to that industry, inviting figures such as Joseph Goodman of Goodman Games to speak with classes over Zoom. While the minor fits in particularly well with English,
communications and visual arts, and computer science majors, Buinicki emphasizes that it can bring skills such as improvisation, problem solving, and collaboration to all students. He says, “I really also just believe in the power of games to teach people, to just make people think more critically and creatively.” One English student, Jonathan Hurtado ‘25, plans to add the new game narartive and design minor to his creative writing major. Hurtado has taken several of Professor Buinicki’s gaming courses and they have sparked a new passion for gaming in his life. Hurtado shares, “For my entire life, I have been cpativated with various different video game narratives and each of them has inspired me to create my own ideas. There are ideas dating back to when I was only a child that I hope to eventually develop further.”
Professor Mar tin Buinicki. Photo provdided by Mar tin Buinicki.
One of the requirements for the minor includes writing and playtesting a game. Hurtado’s adventure is called Through Ash and Dust, following characters who have been teleported to a dilapitated temple. The goal of the characters is to escape from the temple, dodging apparitions, skeletons, and monsters. On the recent playtest, Hurtado says, “The playtest was incredibly fun. It’s still somewhat hard to improvise actions and story, but I tried to be on my A-game. My group enjoyed the module I presented with and I tried hard to make sure every character had their moment to shine.” The English department hopes to see more interest in the gaming minor and courses, even from non-English majors. No matter what major you are, storytelling is a great outlet.
Jonathan Hurtado leading his game Through Ash and Dust at the playtest. Photo by AJ Stevens.
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Alumni Alumnus Spotlight CAPS scholar finds full-time passion, English alumnus Madison Magiera
by Katie Oehmke
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adison Magiera, Valpo graduate of 2019, majored in English and minored in sociology with a criminology focus. During her time at Valpo, she was a member of the Chi Omega sorority, an admissions intern, a tutor in the writing center, a recruitment counselor, and a member of the dance team. On her time with these organizations and her various positions, Magiera states, “I felt like everyone was really welcoming. Valpo was somewhere that I could see myself, you know, really blossoming.” Magiera was also a part of the University Capstone (CAPS) program. Through this program, she received an internship with Water to Thrive, a nonprofit organization based in Austin, Texas, that brings clean, safe water to communities in Africa. Water to Thrive was an amazing opportunity for Magiera to use all the knowledge and experience she gained from her time at Valpo to help other communities. Magiera shares her motivation, “Helping others—I feel like I’ve really found that to be my passion through the CAPS program.”
in particular, a senior seminar class she took with Professor Sévère that discussed themes of intersectionality. She also praises Professor Ruff and his continuous support and encouragement. Magiera states, “I had a really great relationship with pretty much all my professors I feel like, and I still keep in touch with them from time to time, which is really sweet.” Overall, Magiera thanks the sociology and English departments for fostering environments that offer “eye-opening experiences.” She believes that courses in these two disciplines allow students the opportunity to hear stories they may have never been exposed to. Magiera advises current Valpo students, “Honor what is most important to you. Enjoy your time; don’t rush it. Stay true to what your passion is and you’ll figure out a way to make that work.”
Following the program, she was offered a fulltime position with them. This job consisted of outreach and communications, where she wrote communications on behalf of the nonprofit. “I was writing brochures, annual reports, emails, and social media posts…using all of the reading and writing skills that I got from my English degree,” Magiera says. Still located in Austin, Texas, she now works for a marketing agency as a digital marketing growth strategist. Magiera states, “I still do a ton of writing, like copywriting and content creation, and that’s still really my favorite part of the job.” When discussing the courses she took at Valpo, Magiera thanks her English professors. “All of the courses that I did take as an English major, just to really strengthen my writing skills, are still super helpful and super applicable to what I do now,” Magiera states. She highlights one course
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Madison Magiera working for Water to Thrive. Photo provided by Madison Magiera.
Magiera at her graduation in 2019. Photo provided by Madison Magiera.
Writers
Our Writers Carmen Hernandez English
English and Education
Grace Vosburg
Zion Gifford
Katie Oehmke
Carmen is a sophomore from Crown Point, Indiana, which is about thirtyfive minutes from Valpo. Although an English major, Carmen loves all subjects. She is grateful for every opportunity to continue learning, both inside and outside of school.
Grace is a sophomore English and education double major from New Lenox, Illinois. This is her first time writing for The Lodestar. She aso serves as the education cohort vice president.
Zion is a studio art major with minors in English and psychology. He serves as assistant editor for The Lighter and is a two-time winner of the CCLIR student art purchase award and 2022 winner of The Lighter Artivism spotlight.
Katie is a junior English major from Hobart, Indiana. She currently serves as president of the Inklish Literary Society and is a member of the Kappa Phi chapter of Sigma Tau Delta.
Studio Art
English
Our Editors Cori Laatsch
Professional Writing Cori is a senior and has served as a writer and editor for The Lodestar for three years. She is stepping down as editor in 2024 as she makes room for new leaders. This year, Cori is also serving as the editor-in-chief of The Lighter. Following graduation, Cori will be pursuing an editorial career in book publishing.
Ben Fields English
Ben is a junior English major. He is an athlete and runs cross country and track for the University. This is his second year writing for The Lodestar and he also writes for The Torch. In 2024, Ben will be taking over as editor for The Lodestar. He is interested in pursuing writing and editing.
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We offer special thanks to Ashley Vernon for the cover image and Matt Ross for designing The Lodestar logo.