The University of Arkansas at Monticello Homepage

Several undergraduate students and faculty members from the University of Arkansas at Monticello presented at the 2024 Arkansas Philological Association (APA) Conference, held at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith on November 8-9, 2024.

This year marked the 51st meeting of the APA. Attendees included teachers and scholars with a shared interest in words, languages, literature, criticism, film and teaching.

The nearly 50 conference presentations covered a range of fields such as literature, politics and society, exploring diverse views of this year’s theme: Food and Culture. Eight UAM faculty and students presented at the conference and were joined by presenters from universities in Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri and Pennsylvania.

The UAM student presenters included Cada Collins, Arley-Beth Cravey, Destiny Forrest, Samantha McGlaughlin and Kailley White. Faculty members Sarah Bloom, associate professor of English at UAM, Dr. Kate Stewart, professor of English and director of the Master of English program at UAM, and Dr. Kay Walter, professor of English at UAM, also shared their scholarly work at the conference.

Cada Collins, a freshman English major at UAM, reflected on sharing her research with other scholars, stating, “My first experience at the 2024 APA Conference was incredible. As a nervous freshman, I was immediately welcomed by kind and encouraging people, which made me feel more confident presenting. The audience was highly engaged, asking thoughtful questions and sparking great discussions. I even revised my paper based on feedback received during the session. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with experienced professionals, and I’m already looking forward to the next conference.”

Samantha McGlaughlin, a junior English major at UAM, added, “Presenting at the conference was a great way for me to learn how to interact with professionals about literary topics. The conference was a welcoming environment for undergraduates, and I gained confidence in my ability to present a paper. Listening to other presentations also exposed me to fields of study that intertwine with literature I hadn’t previously explored, and now I’m interested in them.”

Dr. Walter served as the president of the Arkansas Philological Association and concluded her one-year term at the conference. “As the president of the 2024 APA, I am delighted to have presided over a conference that showcased the talents of scholars of language and literature in Arkansas, including tenured faculty from universities across the region, talented graduate students and promising undergrads,” Dr. Walter said. “My own five students made presentations that evoked lively discussion. Their success reflects well both on their instruction and on UAM.”

For more information about the conference, contact Dr. Kay Walter at walter@uamont.edu or 870-460-1578.