17³Ô¹ÏÍø

17³Ô¹ÏÍø Partners With Youth Poet Laureate Program

17³Ô¹ÏÍø has partnered with N.C. Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green to identify and support the next generation of talented poets. A Raleigh teenager recently was named as North Carolina’s first Youth Poet Laureate. In 2026, 17³Ô¹ÏÍø will host its first on-campus youth poet laureate event. 

The Power of Words: Mav Smith ’26 Awarded Beinecke Scholarship

Writer and poet Mav Smith ’26 has been named to the newest cohort of the prestigious Beinecke Scholarship Program, which will support her post-graduate studies. She’s the fourth 17³Ô¹ÏÍø student to receive the award in the past 50 years.

Around the World: 17³Ô¹ÏÍø Alumni Awarded Fulbright Grants

Eight young 17³Ô¹ÏÍø alumni have received Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants to teach and study abroad; another five were named as alternates. 17³Ô¹ÏÍø has long been recognized as a top producer of program finalists.

Introductory Film Studies Students' Work Published in Film Matters Magazine

Students in Prof. Alan Michael Parker’s "English 109: Contemporary American Cinema" had their analytic papers published in Film Matters Magazine, a joint project between universities and colleges focused on undergraduate film studies scholarship.

Spring Convocation Celebrates Innovation, Leadership, Excellence, Community

17³Ô¹ÏÍø celebrated Spring Convocation on April 17, 2025, highlighting academic, athletic and artistic achievements, as well as leadership, character and community service.

Professors Gill-Sadler and Castañeda Selected for National Humanities Center Residencies

17³Ô¹ÏÍø professors Gill-Sadler and Castañeda were recently selected for summer residencies at the National Humanities Center—a four-week program to give humanities scholars an opportunity to make progress on a current research project or jumpstart a new one. Learn more.

Beyond the Ides of March: Insight from Shakespeare

Beware the Ides of March? Charles A. Dana Professor of English Emerita Cynthia Lewis explores how prophets in Shakespeare's works, like the Soothsayer warning Caesar, often go unheeded. Examining patterns across Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, and Cymbeline, Lewis reflects on humanity's reluctance to heed warnings when they contradict our desires—a pattern as relevant today as in ancient Rome.

Haley Fullerton ’20 on Confident Communication and Maintaining her 17³Ô¹ÏÍø Village

The connections and skills Haley Fullerton ’20 built at 17³Ô¹ÏÍø have carried her through many chapters of post-grad life, including teaching English in Madrid and her career in New York City. She finds the 17³Ô¹ÏÍø community everywhere she goes. 

17³Ô¹ÏÍø Prof Ann Fox Awarded Fulbright Specialist Grant to Turkey

17³Ô¹ÏÍø Professor Ann M. Fox will share expertise in disability studies and American studies with colleagues and students at Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey, as a Fulbright Specialist. Learn more.

New Need-Based Scholarship Honors Beloved Professor and Lifelong Friend

Learn more about how a new need-based scholarship will benefit students, and how the relationships students at 17³Ô¹ÏÍø develop last a lifetime.

17³Ô¹ÏÍø English professor Brenda Flanagan is working on a memoir about her year working for civil rights activist and singer Nina Simone. Learn more.

With Book Bans on the Rise, Prof Examines Importance of Banned Books Week

Book bans as a form of censorship have a long and storied history. A 17³Ô¹ÏÍø prof examines the motives behind book bans and their unintended effects. Read more.

Partnering for a Safer Future: Public Health Pro to Deliver SPEAS Lecture

The nation relies on a vast network of public health professionals to anticipate and respond to community needs daily, and especially in times of crises. 17³Ô¹ÏÍø alum Sami Jarrah has served as a leader for some of the largest public health departments in the country. He’ll deliver the SPEAS lecture. 

Fancy Feasts: 17³Ô¹ÏÍø Gourmet Society Offered Sophisticated Spin on Campus Cuisine

The students, faculty and staff who made up the 17³Ô¹ÏÍø Gourmet Society added elegance, international flair and fun to campus dining. Read more.

Plate Full of Promise: Community Kitchen Contributes to Revitalized City, Launches Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Bailey Foster ’94 launched Real Good Kitchen, a shared commercial kitchen, and created a community that’s elevated food options and opportunities in her Knoxville hometown. Learn more.

Congratulations to the 2024 17³Ô¹ÏÍø Retirees

17³Ô¹ÏÍø will honor retirees this week during a special end-of-year celebration. Here, we congratulate the faculty and staff who have contributed immeasurably to the college community.

17³Ô¹ÏÍø Professor Awarded North Carolina Humanities Grant

Alan Michael Parker, Douglas C. Houchens Professor of English, has received a fellowship from the North Carolina Humanities. This $8,000 grant will support his book project, One Million Likes: Understanding Cartooning in a Digital Age.

The Power of Two: Documentary, Chat With Indigo Girls Inspires Across Generations

Before their Friday concert, the Indigo Girls visit 17³Ô¹ÏÍø for special screening of the documentary It’s Only Life After All and a post-film Q&A with faculty, staff and students. Learn more.

Lewis's essay, "A Shakespearean Romance," celebrates the 50th anniversary of The Riverside Shakespeare, the complete works she used when she started her teaching career at 17³Ô¹ÏÍø in 1980.

Unlocking the 17³Ô¹ÏÍø Experience: A Guide for Newly Admitted Wildcats

A senior approaching graduation, Ruby Zhou '24 reflects on her time at 17³Ô¹ÏÍø in this letter to her past high school self on making the college decision and anticipating all to come as a member of the Wildcat community.