{"id":6037,"date":"2023-12-07T00:51:17","date_gmt":"2023-12-07T00:51:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/160-the-words\/?page_id=6037"},"modified":"2025-10-05T17:48:41","modified_gmt":"2025-10-05T17:48:41","slug":"the-words-december-2023","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/home-2\/the-words-december-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"The Words: December 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"112\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2021\/09\/9812B5AF-01A1-4DA2-833F-9756BA0B26C0-300x112.jpeg\" alt=\"The Words\" class=\"wp-image-3602\" style=\"width:636px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2021\/09\/9812B5AF-01A1-4DA2-833F-9756BA0B26C0-300x112.jpeg 300w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2021\/09\/9812B5AF-01A1-4DA2-833F-9756BA0B26C0-768x288.jpeg 768w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2021\/09\/9812B5AF-01A1-4DA2-833F-9756BA0B26C0.jpeg 966w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Alumni Spotlight: Curatorial Assistant Nora Stewart \u201821<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">by Zo\u00eb R. Scheuerman &#8217;24<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some people might find it stressful that an English degree doesn\u2019t always match a particular career path the way that, for example, a computer science or premed degree (stereotypically) does. However, the English major\u2019s flexibility and wide-ranging career paths speak to the universality of English skills, not their supposed nebulousness or alleged lack of value. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/home\/the-words-december-2023\/alumni-spotlight-curatorial-assistant-nora-stewart-21\/\">Read about Nora&#8217;s postgrad journey here&#8230;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"887\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG20230326153213_Original-887x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Nora Stewart '21 \" class=\"wp-image-6169\" style=\"width:187px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG20230326153213_Original-887x1024.jpg 887w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG20230326153213_Original-260x300.jpg 260w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG20230326153213_Original-768x887.jpg 768w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG20230326153213_Original-1330x1536.jpg 1330w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG20230326153213_Original-1774x2048.jpg 1774w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 887px) 100vw, 887px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/Tim-OBrien-in-Conversation-with-Seniors-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Author Tim O\u2019Brien speaking with Macalester English seniors seated around tables during his campus visit\" class=\"wp-image-6069\" style=\"width:337px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/Tim-OBrien-in-Conversation-with-Seniors-1024x683.jpg 1024w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/Tim-OBrien-in-Conversation-with-Seniors-300x200.jpg 300w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/Tim-OBrien-in-Conversation-with-Seniors-768x512.jpg 768w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/Tim-OBrien-in-Conversation-with-Seniors.jpg 1504w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Author Tim O\u2019Brien \u201868 Meets with English Seniors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">by Patrick Coy-Bjork &#8217;24<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On November 15th, Macalester alumnus and well-known author Tim O\u2019Brien returned to Mac\u2019s campus as a part of the book tour for his latest novel, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">America Fantastica<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. During this visit, the English department hosted a coffee and lunch in which current English seniors could converse with O\u2019Brien regarding his experience studying at Mac and his subsequent career in the world of literature. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/home\/the-words-december-2023\/author-tim-obrien-68-meets-with-english-seniors\/\">Read more about O&#8217;Brien&#8217;s visit here&#8230;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Letters From Abroad: Marley&#8217;s Study Abroad Reflection!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">by Marley Craine &#8217;25<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The end of the year means that many study abroad programs are starting to wrap up &#8211; which is exciting for those of us missing friends abroad, but definitely bittersweet for traveling students! Marley studied in Morocco this semester. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/home\/the-words-december-2023\/letters-from-abroad-marleys-study-abroad-reflection\/\">Read more about her experiences here&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_3319-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Marley Craine riding a camel in the Moroccan desert during her study abroad program\" class=\"wp-image-6043\" style=\"width:176px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_3319-768x1024.jpg 768w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_3319-225x300.jpg 225w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_3319-1152x1536.jpg 1152w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_3319-1536x2048.jpg 1536w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_3319-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fall Capstone Presentations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">by Birdie Keller &#8217;25<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">With the end of the semester approaching comes a flurry of homework and final deadlines. Amidst chaos and stress is (what I consider) the best night of these final few weeks\u2014capstone presentations! It is always so inspiring to see what these amazing senior English majors have been working on all semester. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/home\/the-words-december-2023\/fall-capstone-presentations\/\">Read about this semester&#8217;s amazing projects here&#8230;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_0383-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Macalester English seniors lined up in front of a projector screen presenting their capstone projects\" class=\"wp-image-6147\" style=\"width:339px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_0383-1024x768.jpg 1024w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_0383-300x225.jpg 300w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_0383-768x576.jpg 768w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_0383-1536x1152.jpg 1536w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_0383-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/Ghazal-Ali-Article-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"Professor Sarah Ghazal Ali stands beside her husband, holding a baby, both smiling warmly.\" class=\"wp-image-6115\" style=\"width:297px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/Ghazal-Ali-Article-1024x683.jpeg 1024w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/Ghazal-Ali-Article-300x200.jpeg 300w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/Ghazal-Ali-Article-768x512.jpeg 768w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/Ghazal-Ali-Article-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/Ghazal-Ali-Article-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Q &amp; A With Professor Sarah Ghazal Ali<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">by Ahlaam Abdulwali &#8217;25<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Last semester, the English department hired and welcomed Professor Sarah Ghazal Ali. Her upcoming poetry collection <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Theophanies <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">is the 2022 Alice James Award Editor\u2019s Choice. Professor Ali starts teaching classes here in the fall semester of 2024, and we wanted to check in to hear more about Professor Ali\u2019s life since being hired at Mac. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/home\/the-words-december-2023\/q-a-with-professor-sarah-ghazal-ali\/\">Read Professor Ali&#8217;s updates here&#8230;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_4902-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"Two students sit close together, hugging and smiling in front of a wall with posters.\" class=\"wp-image-6063\" style=\"width:212px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_4902-768x1024.jpeg 768w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_4902-225x300.jpeg 225w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_4902-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_4902-1536x2048.jpeg 1536w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_4902-scaled.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Charley&#8217;s Parting Words<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">by Charley Eatchel &#8217;23<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The English department&#8217;s office manager and Words contributor, Charley Eatchel &#8217;23, graduates in December &#8211; oh no, that means imminently! In preperation for their goodbye, Charley was kind enough to hash out some parting words&#8230; pun maybe intended. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/home\/the-words-december-2023\/charleys-parting-words\/\">Click here to read their heartfelt goodbye&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cool Classes for Curious Collegiates!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">by Chlo\u00eb Moore &#8217;24<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As we start wrapping up this semester (eek!), we&#8217;re all starting to think about what courses we&#8217;ll be taking in the spring. To give our readers some food for thought during hibernation, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Words<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> is highlighting some new and exciting courses being offered next semester. Even if you&#8217;ve already registered, it&#8217;s great to have options in mind for Add\/Drop. We have an exciting range of topics coming up in the Department; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/home\/the-words-december-2023\/cool-classes-for-curious-collegiates\/\">read on to learn more&#8230;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Letters From Abroad: Lucy&#8217;s Study Abroad Reflection!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">by Lucy McNees &#8217;25<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Alongside Marley, the&nbsp;<\/em>Words&nbsp;<em>also reached out to Lucy McNees &#8217;25 about her experiences abroad! Lucy has been studying at the British American Drama Academy in London. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/home\/the-words-december-2023\/letters-from-abroad-lucys-study-abroad-reflection\/\">Here are Lucy&#8217;s thoughts on her experience!<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_6537-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Lucy McNees posing in front of a colorful Shakespeare mural while studying abroad in London\" class=\"wp-image-6049\" style=\"width:207px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_6537-768x1024.jpg 768w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_6537-225x300.jpg 225w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_6537-1152x1536.jpg 1152w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_6537-1536x2048.jpg 1536w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/IMG_6537-scaled.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">US Poet Laureate: Ada Lim\u00f3n Reading<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">by Chlo\u00eb Moore &#8217;24<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On November 8th, US Poet Laureate Ada Lim\u00f3n visited the University of Minnesota to offer a reading from her latest collection from Milkweed Editions, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Hurting Kind<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/home\/the-words-december-2023\/us-poet-laureate-ada-limon-reading\/\">Read a rundown of the event here&#8230;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"769\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/Ada-Limon-Reading.jpeg\" alt=\"US Poet Laureate Ada Lim\u00f3n speaking at a podium during her reading at the University of Minnesota\" class=\"wp-image-6119\" style=\"width:231px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/Ada-Limon-Reading.jpeg 769w,  https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/603\/2023\/12\/Ada-Limon-Reading-225x300.jpeg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Student\/Faculty Accolades<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">by Chlo\u00eb Moore &#8217;24<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/home\/the-words-december-2023\/student-faculty-accolades\/\">Read the monthly roundup of student and faculty achievements here!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Alumni Spotlight: Curatorial Assistant Nora Stewart \u201821 by Zo\u00eb R. Scheuerman &#8217;24 Some people might find it stressful that an English degree doesn\u2019t always match a particular career path the way that, for example, a computer science or premed degree (stereotypically) does. However, the English major\u2019s flexibility and wide-ranging career paths speak to the universality [&hellip;]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":913,"featured_media":0,"parent":305,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6037","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6037","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/913"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6037"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6037\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11263,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6037\/revisions\/11263"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/305"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/the-words\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6037"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}