Tag: C Diffenderfer

Madeline Brainerd

WWI Nursing in Literature vs. Real Life Experiences

Real WWI nurses experienced much more in comparison to the character Catherine Barkley and other nurses portrayed in A Farewell To Arms by William Faulkner. Real WWI nurses experienced strenuous and poor working conditions, mental health problems, gender discrimination, love, and loss.

I intend to argue my thesis by using examples from the novel A Farewell To Arms and comparing the characters’ experiences to real accounts from WWI nurses. I will be using articles written about WWI nurses, first hand accounts, and letters. I will also be using peer reviewed articles analyzing the novel I am using, which will help explain examples from the story. Topics that I will discuss are mental health, gender roles, and the overall experience of life as a war nurse. WWI nurses experienced many challenges, they witnessed horrific injuries and death, which the novel barely brushes the surface of. They also experienced adversities due to being a woman and how soldiers viewed them. The novel and some of the articles I am using, paint an interesting picture of how relationships between soldiers and nurses were at the time.

ENG 499, Senior Capstone

Connie Diffenderfer

Pomajevich 103

11:30 AM – Noon

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Victoria King

Building connections through blogging: Tidbits from a TCK

In this presentation I will first define the term, “Third Culture Kid” and identify obstacles they may face when transitioning to their passport country. In the remainder “Tidbits from a TCK” to connect with other third culture kids transitioning to the US. It deals with a variety of topics such as delayed milestones, anxiety over elections, new friendships, feeling like an outsider, and accepting ourselves in all the uniqueness of our experiences. Ultimately, I argue that writing is a mechanism through which we can encourage, support, and bond with others, and that by doing so in a digital space—such as a blog—these connections can span the globe.

WR 121, English Composition

Connie Diffenderfer

Pomajevich 103

10:30 – 11 AM

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Grace Kitchens

An Introduction to Anne Bradstreet

This presentation introduces the first American published female poet, Anne Bradstreet. It gives a brief biography of her life by looking at her education, family life, and lived experiences. It also helps give context to her work by discussing the culture that it was written in. After discussing the main themes of her poetry, it dives deeper into her wrestle with Puritanism and her faith. Bradstreet struggles with her ties to the world, namely her husband and children, that according to Puritan thinking, pull her away from the heavenly (and Godly) mindedness. After inviting the audience to wrestle with these questions as well, it is concluded that poetry can aid in this wrestling by helping you slow down, process, and formulate words for your experience and beliefs.

ENG 211, Survey of American Literature

Connie Diffenderfer

Pomajevich 103

11 – 11:30 AM

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Leah Anderson

The Self as an Unreliable Narrator

Unreliable narrators in literature are a fascinating and complex literary technique, and they can reflect the equally fascinating and complex ways we sometimes unreliably narrate our own stories, especially as we relate to others. Examining unreliable narrators in fiction provides insight into the phenomena as it exists in the “real world”: our world. This paper considers the works of Edgar Allen Poe, Agatha Christie, William Faulkner, and Jane Austen to examine how the unreliable narrator can be portrayed as conscious or unconscious of their unreliability, and how this effects the way they view and interact with others, and how others view and interact with them. This discussion also evaluates how readers accept what they read as true, regardless of the narrator’s reliability, and how it affects the way they interpret the story as a whole. Finally,  the ideas of a misinformed reader, an unreliable narrator, and our own stories and lives are brought together to demonstrate that unreliable narrators do not just exist in fiction; they also exist in the real world, and all of us, at some time or another, consciously or unconsciously, are unreliable in our own stories. 

ENG 499, Senior Capstone

Connie Diffenderfer

P103

2:30 – 3 PM

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Benjamin Randol

The Care Farm Consultation Project

As part of my honors thesis, I will present my work as part of the group business capstone project. I will explain, week by week, what I accomplished as team leader as well as the work of the other team members. For additional work, I will also give a small presentation on the history and legal protections of whistleblowers in the United States as a foreword to the capstone presentation. 

BUS 499, Business Strategy and Policy

Pete Diffenderfer & Connie Diffenderfer

P103

10 – 11 AM

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Madeline Brainerd

Child development and Reading Aloud Go Hand in Hand

My English service practicum has focused on the benefits of reading aloud with children. This presentation brings together scholarly research and my own experiences volunteering with students at the Creswell Clubhouse, which serves students ranging from kindergarten through sixth grade. The Clubhouse is a nonprofit afterschool and summer camp program for the kids of Creswell. As part of my English service practicum, I read aloud with them and help them with homework and packets provided by the program. Throughout the semester, I have been noting my observations, especially as they relate to the importance of reading aloud and how it enhances a child’s development. I am so grateful to have this opportunity because not every child experiences one-on-one reading time at school or at home. I have discovered just how important reading with children is, and how many benefits there are in doing so.

ENG 395, Service Practicum

Connie Diffenderfer

Bucher Room

10 AM – Noon

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