Welcome to the Millikin University English Department! Millikin offers three English majors—writing, literature, and English Education—each emphasizing an innovative contemporary approach of learning by reflective action. We celebrate student performance as writers, readers, and teachers of English—offering an educational journey through great works of the past, exploring intriguing writings of the present, and preparing students to write, edit, publish or teach in the future. See our
Majors page for details.
Latest News
Conant Award Winners
The 2009 Conant Awards were announced at Honors Convocation. The winners are:
Literary Creation
Winner: "Hard Shoes" by Kelle Sills
Honorable Mention: "Los Immigrantes" by Kelle Sills
"at autumn's edges" by Natalie Perfetti
Literary Interpretation
"Earthbound Creatures: Archetypical Oppression in "Under the Feet of Jesus" by Natalie Perfetti
Conant English Department Award: Natalie Perfetti
Conant Society Achievement Award(s)
Galen Broaddus, Courtney Thompson, and Natalie Perfetti
Congratulations winners!
English Faculty Win Awards
Alpha Lambda Delta Teacher of the Year
Prof. Judi Crowe
JMS Educator of the Year
Dr. Anne Matthews
Honors in English

Seven graduating English majors are to receive Honors in English. Pictured in back: Galen Broaddus, Lauren Krage, Kelle Sills, and Kerry Dueker. In front: Courtney Thompson, Natalie Perfetti, Sam Sinkhorn.
Congratulations on your well-deserved honor!
Decaturian Wins Awards
At the 2009 Illinois College Press Association competition, The Decaturian, advised by Dr. Priscilla Meddaugh, brought home 8 awards, for of them 1st place. Winning awards were:
Adam Kosberg, Column, First Place
Alex Reed, Feature Story, First Place
Justin Allen, Sports Column, First Place
Kristin Ackmann, Sports Photo, First Place
Britteny Dunson, Editorial, Second Place
Ben Dillow, News Photo, Second Place
Samantha Sinkhorn, Feature Story, Honorable Mention
Amy Ackerman, Sports Column, Honorable Mention
Congratulations to the entire Decaturian staff!
Postcard Exhibit & Lecture
Feb. 2-6, 2009
Kirkland Lower Gallery
Lecture by Carmella Braniger & Katie Myers-Wiesen
Feb 2, 2008, 6:00
Kirkland 128
What happens when a community of students, faculty, and staff come together to confess their secrets? In Fall 2008, the entire Millikin campus was invited to post a secret on a postcard. The secret could be a regret, hope, fantasy, belief, fear, betrayal, erotic desire, confession, funny experience, childhood humiliation, or unseen kindness. “Reveal anything!” we said. And you did.
Experience the power of creativity, community, and expression. Please join Hardy Professor Dr. Carmella Braniger, Research Fellow Katie Myers-Wiesen, Staley Library Faculty Debbie Campbell & Joe Hardenbrook, students of Queers & Allies, and students from Collage as we celebrate identity and diversity through unmasking and sharing with each other who we really are.
Photo-Haiga Exhibit
Staley Library
Feb. 3-15, 2009
Haiku Poets Reading Friday, February 6, 3:00 p.m.
What happens when a haiku poet and a photographer let their arts blend together into a new aesthetic experience, the photo-haiga? Find out at Drs. Brook's and Meddaugh's exhibit, where they explore the ways haiku and photography can work together in order to ask us to unmask ourselves in order to feel and see with the freshness of simply being alive.
Check out the online exhibit.