Success, with Your Help

Greetings, fellow literati. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to you as the new development contact for the Department of English. I have spent the past five years working in higher education as a development professional at UCLA and Loyola Marymount University. My last position was at the United Negro College Fund here in Minneapolis. I have a bachelor's degree in English from Texas A & M University. I am excited to be working with such a stellar program and faculty.

The success of the department is driven not only by the outstanding leadership of its faculty, but by the dedication and support of alumni and friends like you. Thanks to your generosity, two graduate student fellowships--the Michael Dennis Browne Fellowship Fund and the Edward M. Griffin Fellowship Fund--have recently reached endowment level, which ensures support in the years to come. This achievement is especially important in our financially uncertain times.

Without your support, students like Matt Burgess, a 2009 graduate of the Creative Writing Program, would have a more difficult time reaching their potential. This fall Matt published his first novel Dogfight, A Love Story, which has received great reviews, including one in the New York Times Book Review. Matt raves about his experience here as a student and a teaching assistant: "I had wonderfully generous teachers like Charlie Baxter and Julie Schumacher, and my peers in the program were all encouraging and talented and very serious about books. We didn't have to compete for funding, which freed us up to root for one another and to support one another's projects."

Please continue to join me in making educational dreams a reality for young adults lucky enough to be part of such a thriving department. Maintaining a connection with you is very important to us. Feel free to contact me at 612-626-5140 or kparker@umn.edu if you have questions or would like information on how you can help the department continue its success.