Notables

Jim Barnes, professor emeritus of comparative literature and former Writer-in-Residence at Truman, was recently appointed Poet Laureate of Oklahoma. Barnes retired from Truman in 2003 after 33 years of service and was invited to serve as Distinguished Professor of English and Creative Writing at Brigham Young University for three years. During his tenure at Truman, he taught world literature and writing, and published eight books of poetry, a scholarly book and an autobiography, “On Native Ground” which won the American Book Award. While at Truman he inaugurated “The Chariton Review,” a literary journal, and has edited it up to the present time. He continues to serve as poetry editor for Truman State University Press. He also represented the University in his travels to many parts of the world, including Japan, France and Germany. He has held several fellowships, including a Senior Fulbright to Switzerland, a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, two Rockefeller Bellagio Fellowships, and two Camargo Fellowships. His most recent book of poetry, “Visiting Picasso” was published in 2007 by the University of Illinois Press. In January 2009, he was a special guest of the Poetry Week Festival in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Barnes and his wife, Cora McKown, make their home at the Flying M Ranch, east of Atoka, Okla.  More information is available at http://www.jimbarnes.org.

Michael R. Bump, associate professor of music, has been appointed as Principal Timpanist and Percussion Faculty for the Sewanee Summer Music Festival (SSMF) in Tennessee. This international festival, now in its 52nd season, brings together hundreds of professional and student musicians from all over the world for a five-week season of orchestral music.  Bump’s appointment was at the request of Maestro James Pauls, Artistic Director of SSMF and Music Director of the Oregon Coast and Grant Park (Chicago) Music Festivals.  In 2005 Bump served a one-year appointment at SSMF with Maestros James Pauls and Victor Yampolsky, director of orchestras at Northwestern University. He now will be on permanent annual contract with the festival.   

Jerrold Hirsch, professor of history, was cited in the Jan. 19 issue of Newsweek magazine. Hirsch’s book, “Portrait of America: A Cultural History of the Federal Writers’ Project,” was cited in the article “Will Act for Food.” Hirsch was also interviewed on the National Public Radio program “On the Media” in December.

Huping Ling, professor of history, recently published two books, “Asian America: Forming New Communities, Expanding Boundaries” and “Emerging Voices: Experiences of Underrepresented Asian Americans.” In addition, she was invited to give a lecture on “The Chinese Community in St. Louis at the Turn-of-the-Century” by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources in its “Joplin’s St. Louis” series Jan. 25.

Sylvia Macauley, associate professor of history, had her article, “Citizens, subjects or a dual mandate? Artisanal miners, ‘supporters’ and the resource scramble in Sierra Leone,” co-authored with Andrew Keili, published in “Development Southern Africa,” Vol. 25, No. 5.

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