Released - February 17, 2010

Writing Family History Topic of EC Presentation

Dr. Kathy Whitson presents - March 2

Eureka College English professor Kathy Whitson will present “Uncovering History for the Stories That Matter” at 7:30 p.m. March 2 in the Cerf Center at Eureka College. The free, public presentation will be followed by a reception.

Whitson will read from her essay that explores how she uncovered her family history and what she learned from both the research and the creative process. She also will discuss the way in which primary documents are fruitful starting places for the art of fiction. 

“The frequent gaps of information in documents can stimulate the writer to stitch a narrative, to fictionalize the absences and to create story out of mere data,” Whitson said.

Whitson received bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Southeast Missouri State University. She joined the Eureka faculty after completing doctoral work at the University of Missouri in 1993. She has taught courses in composition, British and American literature, linguistics and African American, non-Western and Native American literature. She was the recipient of the college’s Helen Cleaver Distinguished Teaching Award in 2001 and the T.A. Abbott Award for Faculty Excellence from the Division of Higher Education of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in 2003.
The presentation is the third of four Clarence R. Noe Dean’s Lectures by Eureka College faculty members this academic year. The final lecture will be “Leadership in the Global Environment: Cross-Cultural Challenges and Perspectives” by communication professor Mike Thurwanger at 7:30 p.m. April 8 in the Cerf Center.                                                                                                                        

The lecture series is named in honor of the late Dr. Clarence R. Noe, who was a 1938 alumnus and served as academic dean of the college from 1955 to 1977. The series, in its 28th year, is designed to stimulate discussion among faculty and offer enrichment to students and the greater community.

For more information, call the provost’s office at 467-6301.

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Contact:

Michele Lehman

Media Relations Coordinator

mlehman@eureka.edu

(309) 467-6318