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Alison Zeidler works to make St. Louis’ economy stronger

Alison Zeidler works to make St. Louis’ economy stronger

Talk to Alison Zeidler about St. Louis and the 29-year-old’s love for the region is obvious. She wants to see St. Louis thrive. That makes her a natural fit for her work at the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership. Zeidler served as project manager at the partnership until October when she was named assistant vice president of New Market Tax Credits.

Meet Sharon Pruitt, The Current editor-in-chief

Meet Sharon Pruitt, The Current editor-in-chief

Sharon Pruitt’s love affair with writing dates to her childhood obsession with science fiction and fantasy books. Inspired by books like “Ender’s Game” and “The Hobbit,” Pruitt began writing her own stories. As a fifth grader, she edited her school newspaper and later developed a fondness for zines, independent publications with a limited circulation.

Chancellor’s Award recognizes UMSL faculty member’s commitment to students

Chancellor’s Award recognizes UMSL faculty member’s commitment to students

Kathleen Nigro has positively influenced hundreds of University of Missouri–St. Louis students. During her 15 years at UMSL, she has tirelessly worked as a teacher, adviser and community service advocate with the Gender Studies program, Department of English, Pierre Laclede Honors College and several student organizations. Nigro’s passionate commitment to her students has earned her the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in the category of Non-Tenure Track Faculty Member.

Learn from experts, enhance skills with UMSL’s Write Stuff Certificate Program

Learn from experts, enhance skills with UMSL’s Write Stuff Certificate Program

The College of Arts and Sciences and School of Professional & Continuing Studies at the University of Missouri–St. Louis announced its Write Stuff Certificate Program for the upcoming fall and spring semesters. Courses and seminars will begin Sept. 10 and continue through June. The program aims to improve participants’ writing skills as well as their knowledge of the business of writing.

UMSL MFA student serves as cinematographer for film to screen at Tivoli

UMSL MFA student serves as cinematographer for film to screen at Tivoli

When Chris King found out his neighbor Mark Shaw was a film student, he put him to work on the director’s first movie, “Blind Cat Black.” Shaw, now a student in the MFA in Creative Writing program at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, was so helpful that King awarded him an assistant director credit.

UMSL student to earn first Actuarial Studies Certificate

UMSL student to earn first Actuarial Studies Certificate

A variety of studies and media outlets agree: the actuarial field is booming even among these tough economic times. A recent analysis put together by CareerCast, a job search portal that says its analysis is a quarter century in the making, states that growth in the actuarial field is set to outpace all other professions. Keeping true to its commitment to prepare students for the changing job market, UMSL now offers a Certificate in Actuarial Studies through the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. And given the profession’s booming future, it’s perhaps no surprise the first recipient of the certificate, Nicholas Brune, is completing his entire undergraduate curriculum in only three years.

Creative writers to give one last reading as students

Creative writers to give one last reading as students

A day before they graduate from the University of Missouri–St. Louis with an MFA in creative writing, nine students will read their original works. The semiannual MFA Graduate Reading will begin at 7:30 p.m. May 17 at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center at UMSL. The reading is free and open to the public.

UMSL student proves learning is a lifelong endeavor

UMSL student proves learning is a lifelong endeavor

University City, Mo., resident Martin Bergmann (pictured) was by no means new to academia when he came to the University of Missouri–St. Louis in 2001. A career physician, Bergmann earned his BS and MD from Washington University in St. Louis, graduating in 1945. After a stint in the Air Force, Bergmann held a variety of positions in St. Louis-area hospitals culminating in his serving as a senior surgeon of cardiothoracic surgery at Barnes-Jewish Hospital from 1969 to 1998. A little bit older than the typical UMSL student, he will be 91 this May.

Creative writers to give one last reading as students

UMSL’s Natural Bridge celebrates 15th anniversary with literary journal symposium

The comprehensive list of literary journals and magazines compiled on the Poets & Writers website exceeds 800 listings. But if you’re a writer looking to get work published – or just seeking fresh reading material – where do you start? After all, as Poets & Writers points out, “each (literary journal and magazine) has a unique editorial voice, tone, viewpoint and mission.”

Center injects culture into mundane Mondays

Center injects culture into mundane Mondays

Got a case of the Mondays? Suffer no more. A look at the Middle East art scene, poetry of social protest and shared stories of resourceful Ozark families are some of the many cultural events that make Monday Noon Series a cure for the blues.

Creative writers to give one last reading as students

Creative writers to give one last reading as students

A day before they graduate from the University of Missouri–St. Louis with an MFA in creative writing, six students will read their original works. The semiannual MFA Graduate Reading will begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday (Dec. 14) in the E. Desmond and Mary Ann Lee Theater at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center at UMSL. The reading is free and open to the public.

Gender Studies program celebrates new location

Gender Studies program celebrates new location

The Gender Studies program at the University of Missouri–St. Louis has moved up in the world, figuratively and literally. The program recently moved from a space in the partially submerged second floor of Clark Hall to the more spacious 494 Lucas Hall.

‘House’ director looks to adapt UMSL scholar’s novel for film

‘House’ director looks to adapt UMSL scholar’s novel for film

Los Angeles-based director and writer Julian Higgins has emerged as a young talent within the film industry. He’s received wide acclaim for his short film “Thief” and his turn directing an episode of the popular television show “House” in its final season. He’s next looking to make his feature-film directorial debut with a possible adaptation of the novel “The Inverted Forest” by John Dalton, director of the MFA in Creative Writing Program at the University of Missouri–St. Louis.

Writer Seth Fried to read at Hinge Gallery

Writer Seth Fried to read at Hinge Gallery

Each year, the Graduate Writers Association at the University of Missouri–St. Louis works to help grow the St. Louis literary scene through readings by emerging poets and writers. The next GWA reading will feature Seth Fried, author of the acclaimed short story collection “The Great Frustration.”

UMSL sets up ‘one stop shop’ for veteran students

UMSL sets up ‘one stop shop’ for veteran students

As U.S. military presence winds down in Iraq and Afghanistan a whole generation of veterans is returning home and enrolling in universities. Recognizing this trend, the University of Missouri-St. Louis has established a new Veterans Center dedicated to making the transition from military to student life as smooth as possible for veterans coming into the classroom.

Center injects culture into mundane Mondays

Center injects culture into mundane Mondays

Got a case of the Mondays? Suffer no more. Violin and piano duets, narratives of Mound Bayou, Miss., and chess discourse are some of the many cultural events that make Monday Noon Series a cure for the blues.

New Natural Bridge out now

New Natural Bridge out now

Each new Natural Bridge issue has already been read many times over before the University of Missouri–St. Louis literary journal reaches the hands of its subscribers. Issue No. 27, released last week, was no exception.

Novelist’s book makes ‘great summer reading’ list

Novelist’s book makes ‘great summer reading’ list

To paraphrase KMOX (1120), you don’t have to travel far from the University of Missouri–St. Louis campus to find great summer reading. “The Inverted Forest” by John Dalton, director of the MFA in Creative Writing program at UMSL, made the radio station’s list of “Books by St. Louis authors to read this summer.”

Getting through college on the fast track: 20-year-olds graduate from UMSL

Getting through college on the fast track: 20-year-olds graduate from UMSL

Among the more than 1,500 students graduating from the University of Missouri–St. Louis Saturday, four of them stand out for what they have in common. They’ve all earned high honors, entered college at the sophomore level and are 20 years old. (Since 1974, only 217 of more than 60,000 UMSL graduates were 20 years old or younger.) Not surprisingly, they’re highly focused individuals with grand plans.

Creative writers to give one last reading as students

Creative writers to give one last reading as students

A day before they graduate from the University of Missouri–St. Louis with an MFA in creative writing, eight students will read their original works. The semiannual MFA Graduate Reading will begin at 7 p.m. Friday (May 11) in the E. Desmond and Mary Ann Lee Theater at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center. The reading is free and open to the public.

UMSL’s first poet laureate: Jennifer Tappenden

UMSL’s first poet laureate: Jennifer Tappenden

Jennifer Tappenden works by day making small databases for researchers to track study data. By night, the 42-year-old New York native hones her poetry skills while in pursuit of her master’s of fine arts in creative writing at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. She’s scheduled to graduate in December, but before then she’s spending her final year at UMSL as the university’s first poet laureate.

Irish poet talks Yeats

Irish poet talks Yeats

Native Irish poet Eamonn Wall holds a special place in his heart for William Butler Yeats. “I think in some ways, W.B. Yeats’ poetry is kind of the soundtrack of childhood and adolescence in Ireland,” Wall said on a recent episode of “Cityscape” on St. Louis Public Radio | 90.7 KWMU.

Center injects culture into mundane Mondays

Center to kick off National Poetry Month

The Center for the Humanities at the University of Missouri–St. Louis will kick off National Poetry Month in April with a pair of Monday Noon Series events. Jeff Friedman, who has been called “the funniest poet in PoBiz” will give a reading April 2 at UMSL. He will explore poems from his most recent collection, “Working in Flour,” and selections from his new manuscript of parables, fables, tales and comic sketches.

From start to finish: Creative writing students produce Natural Bridge

From start to finish: Creative writing students produce Natural Bridge

About half a year separate new editions of Natural Bridge, the contemporary literature journal published by the University of Missouri–St. Louis. And it takes every bit of that time for a staff primarily composed of students in the MFA in Creative Writing program to produce the issue in print and – for the first time ever – digital formats.