Coauthored by Kenneth Surles, Anniston Ward, and Ryan Murphy

Commentary presented by Miriam Gershow, Novelist & Associate Director of Composition, Department of English

Reported by Alice Evans

by Katie Warden, PhD candidate, Department of Sociology

by Amanda Morris, PhD Candidate, Department of Human Physiology

At conferences, I am often asked, “Why are you interested in studying older adults?” My answer is simple; I believe aging is the future. 

by Alia Yasen is a PhD candidate in the Department of  Human Physiology

By Margaret Bostrom, PhD candidate, Department of English

by Lacey M. Guest, Master’s Student, Department of History, and Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies

by Lola Loustaunau, PhD candidate, Department of Sociology

“One time I hurt my back, because the work there is really heavy, and I remember she [the human resource director] made me cry, gave a warning and wouldn’t let me go to the doctor, and I felt so bad,” said Mercedes, a bakery worker, while seated on her couch. It’s an icy winter morning and we have been talking for a while. Although I had asked about work injuries the answer that Mercedes gave me went beyond stating that she had, in fact, injured her back while working. 

by Angela Rovak, Doctoral Candidate, Department of English

Even before she turned ten years old, Octavia E. Butler knew she was destined to be a writer. In an interview with The New York Times in 2000, Butler recalls that,