DEPARTMENT OF LITERATURE, WRITING, AND FILM
Welcome to one of the most dynamic and creative departments on campus! Whether you are interested in writing the next ‘Great American Novel,’ pursuing a career in the ever-evolving field of professional writing, or becoming a visual storyteller through the medium of film, this department offers varied and practical program opportunities that help students achieve their personal and professional goals.
UW-Whitewater has been training future English teachers since the university began as Whitewater Normal School in 1868. Today we are proud to have one of the most vibrant English Education programs in the state. Our programs in Creative Writing and English literature allow students to develop their creative talents and hone their analytical skills. The Professional Writing and Publishing program prepares students for a wide range of employment opportunities involving writing, editing, publishing, and visual rhetoric, and our Film Studies program combines film analysis with opportunities for practical, hands-on experience.
From First-Year English to senior capstone courses and independent research projects, our esteemed faculty teach and mentor students at all stages of their academic careers at UW-Whitewater. We serve the community through a range of public outreach efforts, and publish scholarly and creative work with distinguished presses and in leading national and international journals.
In addition, the Department of Literature, Writing, and Film supports a range of co-curricular activities, including internship opportunities, our student literary magazine The Muse, our thriving annual Creative Writing Festival that draws authors, students, and teachers from across the region to campus, and Hawk Cinema, our film club. Come join a vibrant community where you can explore your interests, enhance your creative talents and analytical skills, and prepare to meet the challenges of a complex, culturally evolving society.
Contact us
Jonathan Ivry
Department Chair & Associate Professor
Phone: 262-472-5061
Location: Laurentide Hall 3207
Elizabeth Lamb
Department Assistant
Phone: 262-472-1036
Location: Laurentide Hall 3209
Our history
Old Main, an architectural focal point of the UW-Whitewater campus as it appeared in 1880. All English courses were taught here until a devastating fire destroyed the building in 1970.
The Department of Literature, Writing, and Film is one of the oldest departments on campus and has gone through several transformations since the founding of the University in 1868. Because the origins of UW-Whitewater are intertwined with education, first as Whitewater Normal School in 1868 and then as Whitewater State Teacher’s College in 1927, the careful instruction of English and literature, along with writing and critical thinking, has been foundational to the identity of this campus.
Pictured, right: Dr. John A. "Jack" Heide. Heide Hall, where the majority of the department's classes are taught, was named for Jack Heide shortly after his death. Two departmental scholarships are named in his honor.
A key milestone for this department occurred shortly after World War II when John A. “Jack” Heide became the department chair in 1948. His leadership for the next twenty years coincided with massive enrollment increases at the university during the 1950s and 1960s, and he subsequently built the department into the largest on campus. During his tenure, requirements for the two-semester sequence of First Year English (101 and 102) were put in place. Dr. Heide was also a firm believer in small class sizes so that all students might have easy access to their professors.
Jack Heide’s vision is still a reality here at UW-Whitewater where dedicated faculty and small class sizes continue to provide an educational advantage to our students. In the 21 st century, the department has also evolved to reflect the changing nature of communication in the digital age. Our robust Professional Writing and Publishing Major provides students with a wide array of career options, while our dynamic Creative Writing Major has also seen remarkable enrollment growth, supported and enhanced by nationally prominent faculty. Finally, the most recent addition of our Film Studies Major furthers the mission of the Department of Literature, Writing and Film by equipping students with the visual language necessary to be creative, adaptable thinkers as they engage and connect with others as citizens in a global society.
The impact of our educators in the past and the present
Helen Herbert, a high school English teacher from Niagara, Wisconsin, became one of the first recipients of a Master’s Degree in English in 1965 when she completed her thesis, “F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Use of Thematic Imagery.
Creative Writing faculty member, Nicholas Gulig, at work in the classroom. Gulig was named State Poet Laureate of Wisconsin for 2023-24.
Marilyn G Annucci
Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3233 |
(262) 472-5042
Daniel G Baumgardt
Associate Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3214 |
(262) 472-5051
Michael Y Bennett
Associate Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3270 |
(262) 472-5037
Maija Birenbaum
Associate Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3253 |
(262) 472-7398
Seth T Copeland
Lecturer
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3271 |
(262) 472-7392
Deborah M Fratz
Associate Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3231 |
(262) 472-1047
Nicholas A Gulig
Associate Professor, Addl Pay Instructional
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3220 |
(262) 472-1041
Anna T Hajdik
Senior Lecturer
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3221 |
(262) 472-1242
Rossitza P Ivanova
Associate Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3267 |
(262) 472-7399
Jonathan B Ivry
Associate Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3207 |
(262) 472-5061
Donald C Jellerson
Associate Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3217 |
(262) 472-1979
Tanya Kam
Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3229 |
(262) 472-4976
Evelynn Elise Kersting
Lecturer
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3254 |
Elizabeth Lamb
Department Assistant
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3209 |
(262) 472-1036
Jessica Lauer
Assistant Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3260 |
(262) 472-5054
Elena L Levy-Navarro
Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3227 |
(262) 472-5047
Joshua D Mabie
Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3239 |
(262) 472-1738
John McGuigan
Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Mccutchan Hall 218 |
(262) 472-5057
Amy L Menzel
Lecturer 2
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3269 |
(262) 472-5062
James S Miller
Professor, Addl Pay Instructional
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3241 |
(262) 472-5058
Patrick J Moran
Professor, Addl Pay Instructional
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3273 |
(262) 472-5773
Erica L Moulton
Assistant Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3256 |
(262) 472-1081
Jason J Nado
Lecturer 1
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3252 |
(262) 472-5041
Rick Oehling
Senior Lecturer
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3272 |
(262) 472-5046
Heather Osborn
Lecturer 2
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3250 |
(262) 472-5077
Olesya Ostapenko
Senior Lecturer
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3258 |
(262) 472-5040
Dana E Prodoehl
Associate Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3219 |
(262) 472-7397
Asmahan Sallah
Associate Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3225 |
(262) 472-5052
Micah-Jade C Stanback
Assistant Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3251 |
(262) 472-5055
Jeff A Sternstein
Lecturer 1
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3261 |
(262) 472-5056
Barrett E Swanson
Associate Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3216 |
(262) 472-1033
Janine M Tobeck
Associate Professor, Addl Pay Non-Instruction
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3215 |
(262) 472-5039
Lisa Ulevich
Senior Lecturer
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3255 |
(262) 472-7391
Jonathon B Walter
Lecturer 1
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3259 |
(262) 472-7393
Holly J Wilson
Associate Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3218 |
(262) 472-1040
Trudi D Witonsky
Associate Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3237 |
(262) 472-1045
Mark J Zunac
Associate Professor
Department(s): Literature, Writing, & Film
Laurentide Hall 3213 |
(262) 472-1056
There are numerous scholarship opportunities available to students, both through the university, the College of Letters and Sciences and the Literature, Writing, and Film Department. To make life a little easier, all of the university's scholarship applications and requirement listings are available online.
- Corinne E. Forster Scholarship
- Edie Thornton Memorial Scholarship
- Joe and Becky Hogan Scholarship
- Kristine Grimsrud Memorial Scholarship
- Ray Griffith Memorial Scholarship
- Silver/Savage Literature, Writing and Science Scholarship
- Jack Heide Creative Writing Award
- Jack Heide Outstanding Major Award
- The Burrows Award
One of the easiest ways to get involved at UW-Whitewater is to join a student organization. Our campus offers more than 200 organizations, including Professional Writing Core.
For more information visit the Involve Student Portal.
The Muse, our annual literary magazine, features art, poetry, essays, short stories and more.
For more information, visit The Muse, Literary and Arts Magazine.
The Film Analysis Guide is a beginner's guide to the terms used by filmmakers and analysts alike to describe how films are made. In this guide, you'll find terms for describing such things as:
- Camera positions, movements, composition and focal length (cinematography)
- Set, lighting and costume design (mise-en-scene)
- Cuts, dissolves, fades and eyeline matches (editing)
- Sound design
The Creative Writing Festival workshops cover a wide range of topics including poetry, novels, creative nonfiction, and juvenile fiction. Students can learn new writing techniques, explore different genres, and gain insights from published authors. The festival also provides a space for networking and building connections with fellow writers and professionals in the industry.
Students are strongly encouraged to gain practical experience in writing, editing and publishing through internships, which are available in public and private organizations. Organizations that have worked with English interns in recent years include:
- Winkhaus Corporation, Whitewater
Write, edit and prepare press release for an international corporation - University of Wisconsin Press, Madison
Proofread and copyedit longer literary projects - Motorcycle Product News, Madison
Edit, proofread and write articles about motorcycles and accessories - Cygnus Publishing, Fort Atkinson
Copyedit, write, and proofread article for trade publications - Nasco, Fort Atkinson
Write and prepare documents for education material - News and Public Affairs, UW-Whitewater
Write press releases, stories for The Reporter; do research and conduct interviews. - The Week, Walworth County, Delavan
Copy editing, feature stories, interviews. - WHAD, Wisconsin Public Radio, Milwaukee
Work on talk show production, news reporting, community outreach. - Milwaukee Public Museum
Writing public service announcements, news releases, feature stories. - Celebrate Midwest, Milwaukee
Handle reader correspondence, photo copying, filing, editing, fact checking. - City of Milwaukee
Various positions. Work approx. 20 hours per week. Must pass a medical exam and an oral exam. - Shepherd Express, Milwaukee
Possible freelance story assignments. - Feminist Voices, Madison
Write stories, reviews, etc. - Johnson Hill Press, Fort Atkinson
Copy editing, product descriptions, press releases, possible feature articles. - Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, East Troy
Editing, report writing, research. - a/b: Auto/Biography, UW-Whitewater English Department
Copy editing, journal production. - Whitewater Chamber of Commerce
For more information, contact the Languages and Literatures Department, in Laurentide 3112, at x1036 or english@uww.edu.
Possible Internship Opportunities:
- Dow Jones
- Lands End
- The Magazine Internship for Juniors: Sponsored by the Magazine Publishers of America www.magazine.org/asme.internship-program
- The Washington Center
The UW-Whitewater Creative Writing faculty are a distinguished group of writers who actively publish in their chosen genres.
Marilyn Annucci (MFA, University of Pittsburgh) is the author of two chapbooks: Waiting Room, which won the 2012 Sunken Garden Poetry Prize, selected by Tony Hoagland (Hill-Stead Museum, 2012), and Luck (Parallel Press, 2000). Her work has appeared in various journals online and in print, including Verse Wisconsin, Prairie Schooner, Southern Poetry Review, North American Review, Wisconsin People & Ideas, Poetry Daily, and Indiana Review.
Patrick Moran (MFA, Iowa Writer's Workshop) is the author of four books of poetry: The Book of Lost Things (Augury Books, 2012), Tell a Pitiful Story (MWPH, 2011), Doppelgangster (Main Street Rag Press, 2012), and Rumors of Organized Crime, Poems & Plays' 2013 Tennessee Chapbook Prize winner. He is also the author of "The Ampersand: Casual Vortex or Engraver's Shortcut," which appeared in the 2013 September issue of The Writer's Chronicle. His poems and translations have appeared in many journals, including the New Republic, The Antioch Review, The Prairie Schooner, The Southern Review and The Boston Review.
Holly Wilson (MFA, Wichita State University and PhD, Florida State) has published fiction in Narrative Magazine, Redivider, Northwest Review, Opium Magazine, Short Story, The Portland Review, and Eye-Rhyme: Journal of New Literature. Her story "Night Glow" won Third Place in Narrative's First-Person Story Contest and was anthologized in 2009's New Stories from the South. An excerpt from her first novel, The Lonely, was published by Narrative Magazine in 2014. She was a 2009 Kingsbury Fellow at Florida State University and a 2009 Tennessee Williams Scholar at Sewanee Writers' Conference.
English
Major/Emphasis, MinorStorytelling has been a key form of human communication, commentary, and creative expression since the beginning of recorded history, and an understanding of its nuances and creation is essential to fully understand the human experience. Analyze texts of many different cultures, backgrounds, and styles, as well as learn to create and refine your own works. This well-rounded study of the English language will prepare you for many successful career paths.
English (Creative Writing)
Major/Emphasis, Minor, Certificate (Undergraduate)Are you passionate about creatively expressing yourself through the art of writing? With an emphasis in Creative Writing, you will be given an outlet to fully immerse yourself in your craft with courses focused on writing fiction and poetry, screenwriting, multicultural literature and drama, and putting pen to paper to workshop the hundreds of ideas bouncing around in your mind.
English (Literature)
Major/Emphasis, MinorUnlock the world of the written word through an emphasis in Literature, exploring the common themes and detrimental differences of vast array of works and genres. Learn how to engage with literature critically and thoughtfully through courses on subjects such as African-American, Asian, British, Middle-Eastern, African, and American literature, as well as the study of biblical and Shakespearean influence on English texts.
Film Studies
Major/Emphasis, Minor, Certificate (Undergraduate)Discover new worlds and perspectives as you analyze movies and cinematic visual styles and assess the historical development of film and related types of media as evolving art forms. You'll also delve into the ways in which history and representations of culture reflect or respond to questions of ethics and social justice.
Professional Writing and Editing
Certificate (Undergraduate)The undergraduate Professional Writing and Editing certificate helps students in all majors and with all career goals advance their abilities to write clearly and effectively.
Professional Writing and Publishing
Major/Emphasis, Minor, Certificate (Undergraduate)Every industry — from business, to government, to education, to the arts and beyond — is in need of writers who can develop, create, edit and publish clear and compelling written content and communications.