Recently, English Department Faculty Specialists Bianca Sabia and Bonnie Markowski, along with adjunct instructor Emily Denison, presented at the RNF portion of the Conference on College Composition and Communication in Tampa, Fl. During the first day of the conference, Sabia, Markowski, and Denison prepared their research on the topic of feminist rhetoric at the Research Network Forum. Each Scranton faculty member paired with doctoral students and educators from across the country to discuss their ideas, comments, and concerns in two scheduled sessions. While in the sessions, our department’s educators received feedback from major Composition and Rhetoric contributors such as Jacqueline Rhodes.
During the remainder of the conference, the three contingent faculty members attended sessions for faculty development such as, “Risk and Resilience: Women’s Professional Lives in Rhetoric and Composition.” Prof. Sabia was able to attend a session conducted by Nancy Sommers, author of the book Responding to Student Writers. On the recommendation of Writing Program Director, Teresa Grettano, Prof. Sabia used this book to conduct faculty development sessions with part-time faculty, and was able to explain this to Sommers in a meeting with her following the session.
Of our three faculty members attending the conference, Prof. Sabia and Prof. Denison were first time attendees; Prof. Markowski proved instrumental in helping the two women have a positive and educational first conference. Next spring, the conference will take place in Houston, Texas. To participate in the 4C’s Research Network Forum in 2016, graduate students and part-time faculty can prepare a proposal in the area of Rhetoric and Composition by the fall of 2015.