I hope the new academic year is off to a good start.  As many of you know, on October 17-20 the annual conference of the Association of Literary Scholars, Critics, and Writers (https://alscw.org) will be held on campus.  The ALSCW is a unique mix of scholars and creative writers at various stages of their careers, all participating in seminars and plenary panels together.  I served as president of the ALSCW in 2016, when I succeeded Marjorie Perloff, who earned her PhD in our department and went on to have an amazing career as a professor at the University of Southern California and Stanford University. After my term ended, the organization asked me to stay on as executive director. We held the 2016 annual conference at Catholic University and have held subsequent annual conferences at the University of Dallas, Baylor University, Vanderbilt University, the College of the Holy Cross, Yale University, and the University of Houston.  In 2025 we’ll be at the Ohio State University and in 2026 we’re at the Johns Hopkins University.  As usual, this year we have a large contingent of Catholic University faculty, students, and alumni participating.  If you’re a student or faculty member at Catholic and not presenting a paper, you’re welcome to attend any event besides the banquet free of charge.  On Thursday, October 17 from 7 to 8 pm the Platon Karataev group (https://platonkarataev.com) will perform and on Friday evening Ryan Wilson will host a poetry reading featuring Mary Jo Salter (https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/mary-jo-salter), Matthew Buckley Smith (https://www.matthewbuckleysmith.com/), and Christopher Childers (https://www.christopherchilderspoet.com).  Novelist Lysley Tenorio (https://writingseminars.jhu.edu/directory/lysley-tenorio) will be the featured artist at the banquet, which includes a three-course dinner, wine, beer, and soft drinks (there’s an $85 charge).

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Ryan Wilson (https://ryanwilsonpoetry.com/) for his outstanding work at Catholic University. Ryan excelled as a teacher, writer, and editor.  When the national headquarters of the ALSCW relocated to Catholic in 2015, he played an indispensable role. He’s gone on to become a force in contemporary American letters, and in the fall of 2024 became an associate professor at the University of St. Thomas, Houston. 

Congratulations, Ryan!  We will miss you!

Ernest Suarez
David M. O'Connell Professor of English
Executive Director, Association of Literary Scholars, Critics, and Writers
Chair, Department of English