In the English and Communication Studies Department, we strongly encourage students to take advantage of experiential learning opportunities: participating in Service Learning courses, writing for University publications, studying abroad. Opportunities such as these facilitate student-centered learning by helping participants integrate practice and theory. Students have the chance to learn in various hands-on environments and then integrate those experiences with what they are learning in the classroom. These integrative moments lead to meaningful conversations and reflections about ethical, moral, spiritual, social, political, and artistic challenges we face in a globalized society.

Publications

The Rattler
The Pecan Grove Review

Internships

Offered for course credit in EN, EA, and SE, internships reinforce academic work by providing students with a range of opportunities for pre-professional workplace experience. Open to juniors and seniors. Internships must follow general University guidelines and be approved by the Internship Coordinator. A second internship may be taken as an elective to further develop skills acquired in the first internship or to acquire different skills. For information, contact Dr. Camille Langston, clangston@stmarytx.edu.

Clubs/Honor Societies

Sigma Tau Delta
This a national English Honor Society has had a chapter, Upsilon Psi, at St. Mary’s since 1989. The chapter is mainly honorific, rewarding those who do well in their English courses with the opportunity to demonstrate that earned competence to prospective graduate schools and employers. It functions under the direction of Dr. Richard Pressman, Professor of English. (rpressman@stmarytx.edu) To learn more about Sigma Tau Delta, visit the organization at www.english.org.

Lambda Pi Eta
As a national Communication Honor Society, Lamba Pi Eta encourages and promotes professional development in the field of communications. Members are recognized for their outstanding achievement as a Speech Communication or English-Communication Arts major. To learn more about Lambda Pi Eta and the National Communication Association, visit them at www.natcom.org/nca.

The St. Mary's Society of Poets and Writers
Established in 2000 by Eric Cruz, the Poets and Writers generally meet once a week and hold public readings twice a semester, usually at the JavaCity Amphitheater. In these meetings, members read their own creative work or that of artists who have inspired us. Sometimes though, if none of the members have anything to read, a few of us will just break out guitars and play songs or just talk about poetry and ideas that could fuel a work of art.

The Book Club
The Book Club provides a relaxed setting for reading texts that you will not likely encounter in your classes. The group consists of students, faculty and staff who choose, read, and discusses two books per semester and several more each summer. If you are interested in reading for fun, contact Dr. Kathleen Maloney, Assistant Professor of English. (kmaloney@stmarytx.edu)

Service Learning Center

To learn more about Service Learning (curricular) and Community Service (co-curricular) programs, as well as Spring Break Immersion Trips, at St. Mary’s, please visit the Center at www.stmarytx.edu/slc.

Study Abroad

To learn more about Study Abroad programs at St. Mary’s, please visit the International Education office at www.stmarytx.edu/studyabroad.