After the unofficial English club went under a few years ago, new students decided to bring it back to campus this year. The club is currently in the process of being officially recognized, but there are still a few hurdles left to face.
A new start
A small but determined group of students at WSU are working to create a new English Club. In past years, there was an unofficial club pertaining to English, but that eventually fell through and no longer exists. This time around, students are making this club official, with the goal of creating a space to discuss, create and give back to the world of literature and writing.
Andrew Slusser, the soon to be president of this new club, is an English major with a focus in creative writing. He has many ideas for the future of this club, some based on previous events and others being completely new.
“The intention for this club is just to create a space where not just English majors, but all [WSU] students can come, share their work, talk about what they’ve been doing and get feedback on their work," Slusser said.
Slusser hopes to create a space that differs from the writing center. He wants this club to focus on all sorts of writing, whether it is creative writing, writing for fun or more serious writing. His long-term goal once the club gets on its feet is to host events and give back to the community through donations and fundraisers.
His goals include: “Building another book-nook in more accessible places…doing events like national novel writing month, which is basically just a big workshop…having book sales… and working with local libraries has been something that I'm keenly interested in.” Slusser explained.
The club will be open to all WSU students, and students from different departments and disciplines are invited to attend.
Finding love for reading and writing
Gabrielle Christner, who is getting her Master's degree in English, talked about the opportunity this presents for students.
“I know a lot of creative STEM students who just don't get that opportunity [to write creatively]," Christner said.
This club is open to all undergraduate and graduate students alike, and hopefully builds a community based around the shared interests in reading and writing.
Christopher also hopes that this club can help students foster their love for reading and writing again. With the rise of AI, some college students no longer do much writing at all.
She talks about how writing for deadlines and assignments can take the joy out of it, and with this club she hopes people will return or find their passion for writing of all kinds.
Autumn Duckworth, another English graduate student, expressed excitement for the future of the club and the opportunities that will come with it.
“I think it’ll be fun to, like, create a space for other people that are either in English or just students that are interested in the same type of stuff, where they can come and hangout and share their works and also ideas," Duckworth said.
With the new space available to students, club members hope to see more interest in reader and writing across campus.
Getting involved
As the club starts to get officially underway, many are ready to get the club out there. With the prospect of a safe and encouraging place for creative writing and a place to discuss all things books, it is a club open to anyone who is interested.
If there is any interest in joining, the club currently meets in Allyn Hall, room 410 at 3:30 on Tuesdays.
Students should also keep an eye out on Engage for when the club officially gets registered.
