Marginalia, Graduate Blog

Lisagor Awards

by Katie Kather

The gang

The gang

I went to my first journalism awards ceremony last week. My friend Reema Amin who is also in the Journalism MA program, was nominated for a Peter Lisagor Award for three of her stories in AustinTalks.

Lisagor Awards

I went to my first journalism awards ceremony last week. My friend Reema Amin who is also in the Journalism MA program, was nominated for a Peter Lisagor Award for …

Journalism MA Katie Kather, kathryn.kather@loop.colum.edu
600 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60605

Spring Semester is Over!

by Parker Stockman

I am sick and at work

I am sick and at work

When you read this, I will be done with Spring semester.

WOOOOOOO!!!! I’d look more excited in that picture if I wasn’t sick right now. In May. AWFUL. :(

It’s been a long semester, y’all! And I had a great time, but aren’t we all glad to have a bit of a breather? For us writers, it’s nice to have time to write whatever we want to write. I’ve been averaging 25 pages a week between three classes, which is a lot of pages. While I like what I am writing, I sometimes want to set it aside and do something completely different, that has nothing to do with a story I need to revise, part of my novel, or part of my thesis. It’s nice to write an essay or a memoir piece or a short satire every now and then.

I’ve been writing a bunch of memoir for live lit series. I’m not sure if I’ll even finish some of them, as they are pretty personal, but it’s fun to write outside my “fiction” genre.

We miss Josh

We miss Josh

Also, it’ll be nice to submit. It’s something I’ve been dragging my feet on, not going to lie. I can’t be like my friend Josh Young, who publishes all the time, if I don’t try! In fact, he just got an awesome new job and left us tutors at the Writing Center, so we have asked our friend Hangman where he is. He didn’t know.

Interview

Interview

Another of the ambassadors dropped by, though. Katie Kather came to the Writing Center today to say “hi” and to interview us for a segment she’s doing for her new job at WBEZ. She asked me about my mother and our relationship for a Mother’s Day piece, and it was nice to catch up. Our ambassadors are going far! I have an exciting job opportunity, but it’s not set in stone, so I don’t want to jinx it.

I’m amping up for Summer semester (my last class!), working some this summer, and writing more for me than for a class. What about you, MarginAliens? What are you looking forward to?

SPRING!

SPRING!

Spring Semester is Over!

When you read this, I will be done with Spring semester. WOOOOOOO!!!! I’d look more excited in that picture if I wasn’t sick right now. In May. AWFUL. :( It’s …

Creative Writing - Fiction MFA Parker Stockman, parker.stockman@loop.colum.edu
600 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60605

New Job & Stuff

by Josh Young

Suited Up

Suited Up

Look at me in that suit!

A few weeks ago I interviewed for the position Associate Director of Creative Writing for the English Department. There was steep competition, but I got the job!! For the past two years, along with my other work for the college, I have been Nicole Wilson’s (the current Associate Director) Poetry Programs Assistant. The two year of experience really helped me talk about the possible position, and really helped me during the interview. I’m so lucky to have this job and very excited to be able to stay at Columbia College Chicago, working with the Creative Writing programs and the English Department. Let’s just say my wife and I are relieved. This job also allows me the opportunity to teach creative writing workshops during the year–huge advantage!

New Job & Stuff

Look at me in that suit! A few weeks ago I interviewed for the position Associate Director of Creative Writing for the English Department. There was steep competition, but I …

Creative Writing - Poetry MFA Josh Young, joyoung@colum.edu
600 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60605

What Classes Will I Take?

by Jenn Tatum

Sassy (my cat) and Montaigne

Sassy (my cat) and Montaigne

That’s my cat, Sassy. And that’s Montaigne, who you will read and get very familiar with, during your first semester at Columbia, in the History of the Essay Class. You accepted Columbia’s offer and you’re excited to start taking classes next fall. And, you should be! One of the questions I’m often asked is: What kind of classes does the Creative Writing – Nonfiction MFA program offer? The basic answer is this:

What Classes Will I Take?

That’s my cat, Sassy. And that’s Montaigne, who you will read and get very familiar with, during your first semester at Columbia, in the History of the Essay Class. You …

Creative Writing - Nonfiction MFA Jenn Tatum, jtatumcotamagana@colum.edu
600 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60605

Party at David’s and IMDB credit

by Steven Spiel

Party Hearty

Party Hearty

As the semester is drawing to a close, David McHugh (program director of the Music Composition for the Screen MFA) invited all of the first year graduate students to his home for a little get-together. We had a great time and he has an amazing place!

Party at David’s and IMDB credit

As the semester is drawing to a close, David McHugh (program director of the Music Composition for the Screen MFA) invited all of the first year graduate students to his …

Music Composition for the Screen MFA Steven Spiel, steven.spiel@loop.colum.edu
600 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60605

In Memorium: Chris Drew

by Monica Brown

Chris Drew; photo credit Nancy Bechtol

Chris Drew; photo credit Nancy Bechtol

On Sunday, April 28, I attended “A Life Celebration Memorial for Christopher Drew.” He  passed away last spring on May 7. Chris was an artist and activist who helped to get the Illinois Eavesdropping law declared Unconstitutional.

Chris was one of the first people that I met when I moved to Chicago 20 years ago. Through the Chicago Reader’s classified section, I found out about a FREE Screen-Print workshop for artists. I called the number in the ad, and Chris answered. He invited me to come up to the Uptown Multi-Cultural Art Center (UM-CAC) to learn how to make silkscreens, and print art on t-shirts. The workshop ran every Sunday afternoon, and some Wednesday evenings. UM-CAC was located on the third floor of the American Indian Center in Uptown.

In Memorium: Chris Drew

On Sunday, April 28, I attended “A Life Celebration Memorial for Christopher Drew.” He  passed away last spring on May 7. Chris was an artist and activist who helped to …

Interdisciplinary Arts MA Monica Brown, monica.brown@loop.colum.edu
600 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60605

C2E2!!

by Dustin Seelinger

Scarlett Spider and me

Scarlett Spider and me

What a crazy busy weekend that was! On Friday, I met up with the Columbia Whovians and we headed into day one at C2E2, the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo. We rode a CTA bus to McCormick Place together as a group, picked up our coveted 3-Day badges, walked in, and immediately lost each other.

C2E2!!

What a crazy busy weekend that was! On Friday, I met up with the Columbia Whovians and we headed into day one at C2E2, the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo. …

Interdisciplinary Book & Paper Arts MFA Dustin Seelinger, dustin.seelinger@loop.colum.edu
600 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60605

First Year in Review

by Justin Botz

Photo Credit: Justin Botz

Tomorrow I will have my final presentation of the year, and with that presentation I will have pretty much completed my first year in the Interdisciplinary Arts and Media M.F.A. program. Below, I thought I would share some of the highlights and ways that my art practice has evolved/improved over the course of the year.

First Year in Review

Tomorrow I will have my final presentation of the year, and with that presentation I will have pretty much completed my first year in the Interdisciplinary Arts and Media M.F.A. …

Interdisciplinary Arts & Media MFA Justin Botz, justin.botz@loop.colum.edu
600 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60605

Anything I Ever Needed to Know…

by Bubba Murray

1104 S. Wabash

1104 S. Wabash

Another week, another semester, another year has flown by. As some of my fellow classmates and ambassadors face life PCCC (Post Columbia College Chicago) I started to think about the importance of my Columbia education. Sure, I’m learning about cinema, the film industry and proper craft services…but what else? To borrow and adapt an expression…anything I ever needed to know I learned in film school.

Anything I Ever Needed to Know…

…anything I ever needed to know I learned in film school.

Film & Video - Cinema Directing MFA Bubba Murray, james.murray2@loop.colum.edu
600 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60605

A Bittersweet Day

by Conor O'Farrell

Chicago's Bittersweet Place, by Lake Michigan.

Chicago's Bittersweet Place, by Lake Michigan.

Last Tuesday I crammed my belongings into cases and cleared out what I called my home this last year. But, because it was also the hottest day of the year, and I have some forthcoming film projects I’m really looking forward to, summer can’t come quick enough. It was a bittersweet day; as a matter of fact, it was the last of the bittersweet days.

A Bittersweet Day

Last Tuesday I crammed my belongings into cases and cleared out what I called my home this last year. But, because it was also the hottest day of the year, …

Film & Video - Creative Producing MFA Conor O'Farrell, conor.ofarrell@loop.colum.edu
600 S. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60605

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