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English Division Faculty Accomplishments

The English Division is proud to recognize the achievements of its faculty. 

Paige Riehl
Paige Riehl’s poetry chapbook titled Blood Ties will be published by Finishing Line Press in summer 2014. The book explores themes of coming-of-age, rural life, and family and is available at finishinglinepress.com. “These are poems that capture, so beautifully, the yearning and apprehension felt at the cusp of adulthood; that explore the complex blend of sadness and relief that comes with escaping, at least physically, the landscapes of our youth. These poems remind us that such intimate landscapes—both internal and external—create, for better or worse, the very kernel of who we are.” —Award-winning poet Jude Nutter, author of The Curator of Silence and I Wish I Had a Heart Like Yours, Walt Whitman.

Kathleeen Weihe
Kathleen Weihe’s new book of poetry, Unless You Count Birds from North Star Press, was published in mid-2012. 

Kathleen Weihe's poetry has appeared in numerous journals, including Water-Stone Review, MARGIE, Spoon River Poetry Review, and Emprise Review. She is the recipient of an artist’s assistance fellowship from the Minnesota State Arts Board, a Loft-McKnight Award for poetry, and has participated in the Loft’s Mentor Program.  Kathleen received her MFA from Hamline University in 2002.  Her book of poetry, Unless You Count Birds, will be published in June 2012.

Scott Wrobel
Scott Wrobel published his first book of short stories, Cul de Sac, in 2012.  About the stories, Wrobel told journalist Elyse Kanor, "I love humor; it makes life tolerable. I hope these stories reflect that message.”  His stories are praised for presenting characters with a "life-like believability" as they explore middle age from the male perspective.

Scott  won the 2008 Third Coast Creative Nonfiction contest. The winning essay will be in the Spring issue.

Kathryn Kysar

Kathryn Kysar's book of poetry, Pretend the World (Holy Cow! Press, 2011), and its companion art exhibition at Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts have been reviewed by the Knight Foundation.

Here's the link to the rave reviews: http://www.knightarts.org/community/stpaul/playing-pretend-with-poet-kathryn-kysar.

Kathryn Kysar is the editor of the collection of essays entitled Riding Shotgun: Women Write about Their Mothers. In Fall 2008, she made presentations about the anthology at these places: Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Hamline University, College of St. Catherine's, Minnesota Association for Developmental Education, Hennepin County Library--Southdale, Wayzata Community Church, Unity Unitarian Church, Carleton College, and the University Club.

She served on two panels--"Beyond the First Book: Getting the Next One Out (Or Not)" and "Promoting Poetry, Promoting Yourself"-- at the Loft Literary Center's Poetry Festival in September, and she continues her service as chair of the International Literature and Translation committee and as an individual member's representative on the board of directors for the Association of Writers and Writing Programs.


Tracy Youngblom
Tracy Youngblom's book of poems, Driving to Heaven, was published by Parallel Press (out of UW-Madison) in early 2011.

Bill Breen
Bill Breen's poetry publications include Alaska Quarterly Review and Measure. His poem "Cookie Monster Blue" has been nominated for the 2009 Pushcart Prize.

Mary Bodelson, Paige Riehl, and Scott Stankey
Mary Bodelson, Paige Riehl, and Scott Stankey gave a presentation titled “Mapping Coordinates: Feedback as Journey or Destination?” at the Two-Year College English Association (TYCA) Regional Conference October 2-4, 2008, in Duluth. Their presentation focused on data gathered from a survey of developmental and first-year composition students at ARCC about student preferences regarding faculty feedback on their papers. The presentation also covered methods of feedback and strategies for relieving heavy grading loads.