Department of English

KUOW presents Colleen McElroy, professor of English, reading her poem "Crossing Oceans"

Sandra Silberstein, professor of English, comments on the use of language in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing.

"The Best of the Best American Poetry" collects 25 years of the best poetry published in this country, including poems by Sherman Alexie and the University of Washington's Heather McHugh.

Shawn Wong, director of the Creative Writing Program at UW, establishes the Red Badge Project, a class for former soldiers to write about their experiences and tell stories that will help them cope with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Two stories about the Castalia Reading Series, 20 years apart.

How much can an A&S undergrad accomplish at the UW? If the College’s 2010 Dean’s Medalists are any indication, the possibilities are nearly limitless. Learn how these top students have made the most of their time as Huskies. 

How's this for a course assignment? Fall in love with a novel and three poems. The assignment hints at what's to come in Writers on Writing, a lecture course designed to remind students that "literature is a joy." 

In a new book, Robert Heilman's life—including his years as chair of the Department of English—is presented through letters to and from colleagues and renowned writers from Theodore Roethke to Wallace Stegner. 

In Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood, A&S alumna Mary Kollar ('65, '81) shares poetry with passersby through a poetry box outside her house.

Alumni in fields ranging from biotechnology to finance believe their UW English degree has been a valuable asset throughout their career. Related stories: A poetry group created by an English alum and friends is still going strong after 15 years; a donor has funded "Ask Betty," an interactive website on English grammar and usage, in his mother's honor. 

UW alum Sujin Witherspoon’s first novel “Bingsu for Two” debuted Jan. 14, with an event and conversation with fellow author and UW alum Zoe Hana Mikuta at the Elliot Bay Book Company.

Alexa Meyer, an English Literature and Journalism & Public Interest Communication student, discusses the value of a liberal arts education.