C of I sends writers to National Undergraduate Literature Conference

2011. 03. 30.

Six talented writers from The College of Idaho are taking their work to the national stage as participants in the 26th annual National Undergraduate Literature Conference. NULC, taking place March 31-April 2 in Ogden, Utah, gives students an opportunity to present their work to peers from around the country as well as hear from some of today's best contemporary writers.

Robyn Argyle, Ashley Barr, Nashfa Hawwa, Danny Henson, Chelsea Larsen and Erin Nelson are the students participating at NULC. The students were nominated by professors in the C of I English department, including Diane Raptosh, who will accompany the group to Utah.

“This is a great opportunity for our students to see how they fare on a national level,” Raptosh said. “Traditionally, our students have done extraordinarily well. They hold their own against students from anywhere.”

NULC participants may submit work in one of two categories: literary scholarship or creative writing. Hawwa submitted an academic paper, while the rest of the C of I contingent turned in creative work, including fiction, non-fiction and poetry.

“This is a huge opportunity to present my writing and have it critiqued by professionals,” said Argyle, who will present her creative nonfiction biographical piece Minestrone Soup. “Before I came to The College of Idaho, I was afraid of negative feedback about my writing, but after two years of small classroom workshops, I am excited to present my work and even more excited about the group of students going with me to NULC.”

C of I students have been participating in NULC for more than a decade, and Raptosh hopes to see that continue as an annual tradition. This year's group paid for the trip through a student research grant, a bake sale and a fundraising dinner at Mona Lisa fondue restaurant in Nampa. The conference is hosted by Weber State University.

Founded in 1891, The College of Idaho is the state's oldest private liberal arts college. It has a century-old tradition of educating some of the most accomplished graduates in Idaho, including six Rhodes Scholars, three Marshall Scholars, and another ten Truman and Goldwater Scholars. The College is located on a beautiful campus in Caldwell, Idaho. Its distinctive PEAK curriculum challenges students to attain competencies in the four knowledge peaks of the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and a professional field, enabling them to graduate with an academic major and three minors in four years. For more information on The College of Idaho, visit www.collegeofidaho.edu.