> PROGRAMS AND ORGANIZATIONS

COMMUNITY LITERACY OUTREACH INITIATIVE (CLOI)
Do you want to connect your education in the classroom with issues going on in the “real world”? Do you have a desire to work in the community, to serve others, and to get to know diverse segments of the population? The Department of English offers many exciting opportunities for students to engage in academic and community service-learning. In fact, our department houses more “service-learning faculty” than any other department in the entire university. While the nature of our service-learning projects can change every semester—as faculty have developed interesting projects collecting the biographies of African American war veterans, reading to residents at an assisted living facility, and working with kids in an after-school program in a facility that includes a pottery studio and a bicycle repair shop—there is one ongoing project that the English department engages in every semester: CLOI.

The “Community Literacy Outreach Initiative” partners USM English majors with students and adults in East Hattiesburg in an effort to enhance community literacy. Our students go directly into an elementary school and an after-school program to work with at-risk youth on reading, writing, and arts appreciation. We also work with adults in a book club that focuses on strengthening community literacy and arts-engagement. The English Honor Society, Sigma Tau Detla often partners with CLOI to engage in service projects, and individual students may volunteer as well, even if they are not specifically enrolled in a service-learning course. Although some students are nervous at first about taking on a service-learning course, an astonishing 100% of students who have participated in CLOI describe it as a wonderful experience, and many choose to continue to participate long after their course has ended. For information on how to participate in CLOI, contact the coordinator, Dr. Linda Pierce Allen.

SIGMA TAU DELTA
Sigma Tau Delta Logo
Sigma Tau Delta's central purpose is to confer distinction upon undergraduate, graduate, and professional students of English. One of the largest members of the Association of College Honor Socities, Sigma Tau Delta has over 600 active chapters, more than 900 faculty sponsors, and inducts over 7,000 new members yearly. Our group is comprised of students majoring or minoring in English who have achieved a 3.0 GPA, students who are not majoring or minoring in English who have at least 12 hours of English credit with a 3.0 GPA, and various faculty members. The USM chapter, Alpha Nu Gamma, focuses on building relationships within the English department and organizing activities that will benefit its members, the English department as a whole, and the university community. Past and current events include social activities such as our membership induction ceremony, our holiday party, and our t-shirt sale; philanthropic activities such as a semester-long fundraising drive for the "hurricane family" we have sponsored; and academic endeavors such as our literacy program (reading children's books to second graders at Hawkins Elementary School) and the "literary jeopardy" tournament we are organizing for spring. For more information, contact Dr. Luis A. Iglesias.

FACULTY GRADUATE RESEARCH COLLOQUIUM
The Faculty/Graduate Research Colloquium (FRGC) was founded in September, 2006 by Dr. Molly Clark Hillard, with the goal of showcasing the department’s research achievements. The FGRC features faculty and graduate student speakers each month. Speakers present a conference-style paper, and Colloquium moderators facilitate Q&A. The FGRC provides department members with a forum to develop and celebrate works in progress. It also aims to professionalize graduate students by providing them with an opportunity to both observe and practice the format of the conference presentation.

ENGLISH GRADUATE ORGANIZATION
The English Graduate Organization (EGO) provides unique opportunities for students to organize and participate in professional development workshops and activities, to network and socialize with their peers and the faculty, and to become involved in special interest committees created by graduate students to advance the interests of the English graduate community. EGO's membership is made up entirely of English graduate students and its interests are those specific to its members. To become a member, please contact EGO president Ann McNair.

HUB CITY WRITING CO-OP OF HATTIESBURG
The Hub City Writing Co-op is a free service for any seeking help or feedback on any type of writing project. Its mission is to foster expression, learning and literacy in a nurturing and safe space in order to meet the writing needs of the community. For more information, click here.