Students confer at literary conference

Four students had the unique opportunity to present their findings at the South Atlantic Modern Language Association (SAMLA) conference last week.  

The students were accompanied by professors Dr. Ben Robertson, Professor Anna Orlofsky and Dr. Ekaterina Kobeleva.  

“It’s really good public speaking experience and looks good on a CV or resume,” Robertson said. “They did very, very well. 

“I’m just so proud of them for having done this.” 

The four students who had the opportunity to present at the conference were Thomas Kay, Anais Shelley, Ileana Lampon and Madeline Birge. Most of them spent months preparing their presentations.  

The conference lasted from Nov. 6 through Nov. 8 and was held in Atlanta, Georgia. This year’s theme was “Knowledge,” which, according to southatlanticmla.org, encouraged presenters to think about the growing dehumanization and systemic marginalization of humanities studies worldwide.  

It seeks to counteract the pervasive technological paradigms that increasingly mediate human experience by rekindling communitarian affects, emphasizing empathy, shared understanding and collective agency. 

“I absolutely believe that conferences have become integral to my degree and higher education,” said Birge, a senior English major from Enterprise, Alabama. “I have presented at three other small conferences local to Troy; however, SAMLA is the largest I have ever presented at.  

“I find that conferences really enable you to see what others in your field are doing and help develop ideas of your own. I think that even if you do not plan to pursue academia, it’s a good place to boost your confidence, improve your presentation skills and convey your thoughts effectively.” 

Birge said literacy comprehension doesn't just apply to academia.  

“Literacy has always been a means of furthering your education,” Birge said. “I don’t believe that always means an academic education – being able to analyze information and form your own opinion is really key to moving through the world.  

“Individuals who can engage meaningfully with literature can see the thoughts of others and build connections. I believe these connections between literacy and literature are invaluable in effective communication.” 

The students also got the chance to hear from other presenters and panels.  

“Once my presentation was done, I spent the rest of my time attending other people's presentations, which was really fun because I got to hear about a lot of other people's research, but it didn't come with any of, like, oh, you have a test or you need to remember this and memorize it,” said Lampon, a senior English and graphic design major from Enterprise, Alabama. “My favorite panel was. . . at the end of the first day.  

“It was my favorite because I was the only audience member, and that was very nice because I got to learn extra and talk one on one with them, and it became more of a conversation about their research rather than just a presentation.” 

Students are encouraged to join conferences. 

“I would say that it is scary starting out,” said Shelley, a senior majoring in English from Danzey, Alabama. “It feels like a lot because you want to do a good job and you want your research and work to be good. 

“I fell in love with research conferencing at the Cat Conference, held by Dr. Robertson and Professor Weddle in the English department, which was an online conference. Looking for online events may be another way to try dipping your toe into this setting without having to worry about travel expenses or large conference fees. Overall, the late, great Carrie Fisher said, ‘Stay afraid, but do it anyway,’ and that's really what it always comes down to for me.” 

The students credit the English department alongside the College of Arts and Humanities for the opportunities afforded to them and their success.  

“The English department faculty are so incredibly generous with their time and support,” Birge said. “The support that can be found there is an experience I hope all students at this university find.” 

The next literary conference will be in San Francisco for the Pacific Ancient and Modern Language (PAMLA) conference. One Troy student will present at this conference.