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greenlee

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About greenlee

  • Birthday August 31

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    Buffalo, NY
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    English

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  1. Carla Mazzio is actually on leave this semester, and Carine Mardorossian is the DGS this year. I'm sure whatever you send to the DGS will go to her, but also, Joyce Troy is a great contact too, since she basically runs the department and takes care of everything.
  2. Sorry about not getting back to you sooner, I've been bogged down with work! Your topic sounds interesting! I actually think there's a class next semester discussing urban spaces in the 20th Century American novel. I'm always surprised by how diverse the faculty specialties are. You have everything from psychoanalysis to Marxism to Emily Dickinson to diasporic/postcolonial. I have to pick my classes for next semester soon and I have no idea what to take! But to answer your first question, right now I'm reading Scenes of Subjection by Saidiya Hartman, as well as Cities of the Dead by Joe Roach and Munoz's Disidentification. I'm also looking at films (Isaac Julien's The Attendant and Marlon Riggs' Tongues Untied). The paper I'm writing for one of my classes explores the family discourse surrounding the performativity of the "Mammy" figure in the white Southern imagination, and how that performance informs how black queer bodies are conceptualized in diverse queer communities (ie, do both performances make whiteness legible? Is blackness transformed, or just elided, through these performances?) And as for anxiety-reducing tricks, I don't know if I can help you, haha. The application process was so stressful for me, but UB always got back to me promptly by phone or email if I had any questions about what I needed to do. I got in off the waitlist, and Graham Hammill (director of grad admissions) was always so wonderful about staying in touch with me. He called me at 8 in the morning on April 15th to personally tell me I'd gotten in, haha. So I guess, if you have questions, know that UB is good about answering them and being available.
  3. Yeah, UB was pretty emphatic about paper copies of transcripts, etc, but I think you have to also complete an online portion where you can upload e-copies of your SOP and writing sample as well, so it's not entirely paper-based. At least, it wasn't when I applied last year! And my thing right now is queer theory, specifically the genealogy of performativity in racialized bodies. Ugh, that sounds super pretentious AND boring, but I get to read a lot of stuff about trauma, disidentification, slavery, diasporic queer communities, etc. UB is HUGE on theory (I think it's ranked like top 10 in the country for lit criticism?) so there's no end to the stuff I want to take and learn about. Plus, it's a completely open curriculum so I can take Comp Lit, American Studies, WGS, etc, and have it go towards my degree. Pretty cool. What about you?
  4. Yeah, I don't think it would be a problem to see if you can get your LORs to give you sealed envelopes so you can send it in yourself. One of my professors did that--she gave me six separate sealed envelopes with her name and the school name, so I could send the right one to each school (she was a total lifesaver). No matter what school I applied to, I always gave my LORs a stamped and addressed envelope, so they could mail it themselves. I think as long as you give them enough advance warning about when you need the letters in, you'll be okay. And UB does require a lot of hard copy stuff, no idea why.
  5. Hey there! I'm at UB right now. As far as I can remember, I could actually upload my SOP and writing sample online, along with general biographical info/CV. I think I mailed in my transcripts and hard copies of my SOP and writing sample, had my GRE scores sent there, and I had to ask my LORs to mail in their materials on time (though UB would notify me every time they received stuff from a specific professor.) I agree that it is antiquated, but at least UB doesn't ask for the GRE subject test? Haha. I'm probably forgetting the particulars, but if you have any questions, let me know!
  6. I can personally tell you that SUNY Buffalo is extremely flexible. We just had our PhD orientation last week, and met with the DGS. Basically, you can take anything you want. There have been graduates of the English PhD program who have taken Comp Lit classes almost exclusively. Also, there doesn't seem to be any pressure to concentrate on a particular time period. You can do self-directed reading, get credit for student-run study groups, and can take lit classes extensively rather than intensively (you do the reading but don't write a final paper). If you want to have a minor field, just take two related classes and you've got one. The only thing the program seems to ask for is that you justify (in writing) the choices you make in terms of classes, and have the self-control/capacity to create a cohesive focus for orals/dissertations. I know I didn't provide you with any new options, but if you ever have questions about UB, I'll help you out.
  7. Couldn't agree more! The Einstein quote you mentioned really emphasizes the biggest point: that moral systems explored by humanism are most relevant when applied to systems of technological development. Humanism and technology (and by extension, natural and physical science) are not only not opposed, they seem intended to coexist in a symbiotic relationship. The author of the article, Damon Horowitz, gave a talk at a TED conference a while ago on this subject, and his main thesis was that culturally (in the West), technology and knowledge of tech is privileged over the humanities, since tech can produce tangible development, often increasing at an exponential rate (for example, the "boom" in IT, with smartphones, etc), whereas study of the humanities is more nebulous and intangible. Therefore, the more privileged system garners more respect, in the economic sense at least. It seems to echo to classic "theory vs. practice" argument. Humanities can provide explosive "theories" on how to be human, and tech can provide the "practices" that will hopefully enable better humans. And Horowitz proposes that since technologists are more culturally privileged at the moment, it's beholden to them to become familiar with humanist inquiry, since the amount of power you have doesn't necessarily entail how well you wield it. That's one of the reasons, I think, why Horowitz does not explore the option of humanists becoming better acquainted with STEM (although I agree with you, they should!): he's trying to underline the fact that since people in STEM fields often wield more cultural power, they wouldn't normally be chastised for disregarding humanist inquiry, whereas many people pursuing degrees in the humanities are admonished (most often by people in their own field!) about their decision. The scolding usually goes: "It's a waste of time, a waste of money, what's the worth of what you're doing?" Both in and outside academe, the humanities are often discussed snidely and with no small amount of derision. I really agree with you that "liberal arts" should include as much STEM as the humanities, though. There's no real excuse for not requiring more of it.
  8. Just stumbled across this article yesterday. Not so much about finding a job as it is about being a good human, and it's more aimed toward people with tech jobs, or just people who think the humanities are a waste of time when it comes to employment, knowledge-seeking, or just plain living. And obviously, not all tech-oriented people think that, nor are tech and the humanities mutually exclusive. Still, I think it's relevant. Thoughts? http://chronicle.com...gist-to/128231/
  9. This is my view and you can take it or leave it, but I don't think you should be applying to PhD programs in English with a 3.0 GPA (I'm assuming on a 4.0 scale). That's a lot lower than what 90% of the applicants will be bringing to the table. People with pristine academic records and perfect GRE scores get routinely rejected from Ivy/top 20 programs, and while I'm sure there are some anecdotal cases of people getting into their dream programs with lower GPAs/GRE scores, more often than not, it's a crap shoot. The competition for spots in funded PhD programs is fierce, and the fierceness seems to be amplified when it comes to English. Having a low GPA could cause some adcomms to simply eliminate you before they even read your application. Also, while school rankings are somewhat important, the individual people/faculty you wish to work with are much more important. You might find that someone you really admire is not at an Ivy or top 20 school. Personal fit is paramount. If you really want to apply to PhD programs, producing a stellar statement of purpose and writing sample could go a long way. And solid GRE scores are helpful. That being said, I don't know how you'd feel about this, but perhaps you should research Masters programs before deciding to go straight for a PhD. A 3.0 GPA would be an obstacle for you if you apply to many grad programs, MA or PhD, but an MA would give you the opportunity to raise your GPA and narrow your focus, so if you decide to apply to PhD programs, you'll have a clear topic you want to concentrate on. What periods of African American/American lit are you interested in? Antebellum? Modernist? What authors, what movements, what critical lens do you find engrossing? I'm sure you have particular articles/works written by scholars you admire; where do they work? Those are questions you can ask yourself when you're wondering what schools are right for you.
  10. All the schools mentioned have stellar programs, especially Cornell. I'm good friends with one of the profs who teaches in the grad program (he's my former landlord), and he's beyond brilliant and a great guy, so I'd recommend looking into the program. For the record, his name is Rick Bogel, and from what he's told me about his work, he focuses quite a bit on critical theory, more specifically neo-formalism, intersections between philosophy and lit, deictics, etc. And while all the previously mentioned programs are definitely amazing, I'd also suggest that you check out schools not in the top 15-20 range, because there's some great scholarship happening in places you might not expect. For example (and yeah, maybe I'm a bit biased since I'm starting this fall), SUNY Buffalo has a great reputation for critical theory, including queer, postcolonial, and psychoanalytic theory (the poetics program is also pretty rad). The structure of the program is also really innovative; there are no course requirements, and you're strongly encouraged to take courses in comp lit, philosophy, women's/gender studies, American studies-- anything you want, basically. There's also the option of concentrating specifically in a sub-field, and that could be a particular critical lens, or interdisciplinary in nature. I'm a theory nerd myself (queer theory/anti-realist philosophy in particular), and I cannot wait to get started at UB. Do some research on specific scholars that you love, find out where they are, and go from there. Look for great people to work with, because they're all over the place, not just in big-name schools/departments. And as for your insecurities about your undergrad's reputation, I want to tell you not to worry about it. I went to one of the tiniest colleges in the country, with FOUR faculty members making up my whole English department, and I was lucky enough to get into four out of the six schools I applied to this year. It's much more about the work you're capable of. I think it's smart of you to start early, and give yourself plenty of time to work on your statement of purpose and your writing sample, which will showcase your ability and matter so much more than the name of your college when all is said and done. Good luck!
  11. Hey all! I hope those of you who're heading to programs soon are having fun getting ready (or pulling their hair out from stress) for this year. I'm moving to Buffalo in a few weeks, and while it's all a bit overwhelming, I'm excited about getting settled. Over the past few weeks I've been getting to know some of the people in my cohort (via listservs, Facebook, etc), and so far I'm the only incoming PhD student that I know of with just a BA, as well as one of the youngest. Some of the current PhD students are married with kids. I'm only 22 and I just got my BA a year ago, and while I applied to both MA and PhD programs this year, since I got into a PhD program that was a great fit for me (off the waitlist! I danced around my apartment in ecstasy for at least twenty minutes), I decided to forgo the MA and just do the PhD. Is anyone else in this forum in my situation? Is this a common occurrence? I think the students heading to the PhD program with an MA already in hand will definitely have a leg up on me in terms of knowing the atmosphere/politics of a grad program, time management, and research techniques. For those of you with MAs, is there anything I can do before the semester starts to prepare myself? Any time management tips, books, etc? I'll never be able to gain two years worth of hard-won experience in two months, but if there's any advice to be had, I want to hear it. I should mention that this semester will be the first time I'll be teaching, so those of you with teaching experience, chime in with anything you want to say! I've already ordered some books from Amazon about teaching comp courses (The St. Martin's Guide to Teaching Writing and The Writing Teacher's Sourcebook), but individual advice would be great! Thanks everyone!
  12. I heard that bit about office hours on Elmwood too, and I think it's fantastic. It'd probably help me feel like less of a gibbering mess around profs if I've got some caffeine and hipsterdom nearby I also heard that Talking Leaves Books on Main Street and Elmwood carries a lot of textbooks for classes, so that'll be hella convenient. I CANNOT wait for the registration stuff to come. I've been looking online at the fall classes and salivating. I can't wait to get started! Might as well feel this optimism for as long as I can!
  13. Casa di Pizza, Bob & John's, Just Pizza and Jacobi's all have amazing wings, if my memory serves. The reason I love Elmwood so much is that it's just a wonderful atmosphere; very cozy, and quiet if you live on the right street. It's one of the safest parts of the city as well. And while it's not five minutes away from North Campus, it's maybe 15-20 minutes by car. I plan on using the 24/7 shuttle between North and South quite often, since I'll be moving with my girlfriend and we only have one car between us. All my classes are on the North Campus, so I can totally relate to your preference for living nearby, especially if you have night classes. I don't know too much specifically about places around North Campus (except Campus Manor Apartments, which is apparently terrible, according to a friend of mine in the UB Bio PhD program) . I can tell you the campus Housing offered by UB is insanely expensive, but it does cover all utilities, and is often fully furnished. A studio apartment at the Villas is $940 a month, which would be 2/3 of my monthly stipend, but it has the advantage of being close to what you'd need. The "student ghetto" of University Heights near South Campus is where a LOT of undergrads live, but there is some crime there. No murders or assaults or anything like that, but some theft, and a fair amount of weed selling. I lived in the area during school breaks when I was in college, and my bike was stolen, and a few cars in my apartment building's parking lot were broken into. However, I walked the area by myself late at night frequently and was never bothered, and it's not the most dangerous part of Buffalo by a long shot (stay away from the East side). All in all, if you don't see yourself having the time or inclination to get into the "trendy" parts of Buffalo (which, let's be honest, you and I won't have the time! I cringe to think of how busy I'll be), on campus housing is a good option for you, since you'll be close to classes, teaching, research, etc. But do take a little bit of time to explore the city a bit even if you choose not to live there. I'm huge fan of Buffalo, and I can't wait to move back. It's just got such a great vibe.
  14. No problem, I'm curious to see how many people from GradCafe will be at UB this fall! As for the wings question, when I was growing up everyone I know just called them wings, haha. I don't eat them anymore (I'm a vegetarian trying to go back to veganism, with very little luck, I love cheese too much), but some of the best wings I had in Buffalo came from Bob & Johns, a great place on Hertel Ave that I totally recommend. I've heard that since North Campus is so huge (over 1,000 acres), parking/mobility can be a problem, which is why the 24/7 shuttles sound like a good idea, since I'm planning on living in the Elmwood area (the places around North Campus trend to be expensive or sketchy, or both).
  15. Hey there! I'll be in the English PhD program at UB this fall too! I actually grew up in Buffalo, too, so if you have any questions about the area I could probably help you out. I'm hella excited about UB, it's a great program, and the city's pretty awesome. I couldn't wait to leave it in high school, and now I realize all the cool shit it's got going on. I'm currently wasting away in central AZ right now, and I'm actually looking forward to actual seasons and precipitation.
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