Chaired by Eliza Braden, the conference showcased faculty excellence, student research and USC highlights

More than 170 attendees met in the Pastides Alumni Center for the annual National Council of Teachers of English Assembly for Research (NCTEAR) conference. The theme, “we are each other’s harvest; we are each other’s business; we are each other’s magnitude and bond,” was inspired by the work of Pulizter Prize for Poetry winner, Gwendolyn Brooks. 

Eliza Braden, Ph.D. opened the conference as the event’s chair. Interim Dean Angie Baum gave a welcome and Representative Jermaine Johnson also delivered remarks. Patriann Smith, Ph.D. gave the opening keynote and a reception followed at the South Carlolina State Museum.

Graduate students, early-career scholars and educators participated in workshops throughout the weekend. Graduate students and early-career scholars were paired with associate and full professors; attendees heard from editors of scholarly journals and educators had the opportunity to talk with editors of practitioner journals and learn how to translate their classroom ideas into scholarship or field narratives. Gloria Boutte, Ph.D. gave the second keynote presentation. Spelman College’s Natasha Thornton, Ph.D., concluded the conference with a final keynote.

Preconference offerings included visits to model classrooms at one of the Professional Development Schools, Jackson Creek Elementary School. A second preconference option was a tour of the university’s Anne Frank Center — the only North American partner site of the prestigious Anne Frank House.

The conference planning committee consisted of College of Education faculty: Faculty planning committee: Gloria Boutte, Meir Muller, Cathy Lilly, Julia Lopez Robertson, Yang Wang, Kamania Wynter Hoyte, Janice Baines, Susi Long and Toni Williams. Graduate students on the planning committee included Kerwin Johnson, Tempestt Johnson, Tyler Santiago, Shazia Hamid, and Lan Jin.