Editor's note: This story was updated to correct the title of  Marc Lucht, director of the Undergraduate Research Institute.

BLACKSBURG, Va., April 13, 2015 – Shining a spotlight on students’ best writing and artwork for a seventh year, Philologia, the undergraduate research journal of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at Virginia Tech, will be unveiled April 15.

“This year’s journal breaks new ground,” said editor-in-chief Demetria Lee of Leesburg, Virginia, a junior majoring in English, political science, and philosophy. “We are publishing our first non-English essay and our first paper from a student not from Virginia Tech.”

A piece in Spanish, written by a group of foreign language students, is a reflection on 10 contemporary Hispanic works with an accompanying essay-style analysis. A paper by a junior at Duke University is also included in this year’s edition.

“This seventh edition has been challenging,” Lee said. “I am proud of the staff and grateful for everyone’s hard work and dedication.”

“Philologia” is Greek for “love of learning.” This year’s journal is about 100 pages of articles with full-color photos and graphics, all written, edited, and designed by students. Including research manuscripts, feature articles, and creative scholarship such as poetry and artwork, Philologia is the result of planning that began in the summer of 2014 with a call for students to submit their work.

Managing editor Margaret Smith of Old Tappan, New Jersey, said about 30 submissions were offered for the 2015 edition. “We were pleased that we could choose from a range of subjects for this year’s journal,” said Smith, a senior English major.

Her job was to monitor the production schedule, make sure deadlines were met, and communicate with the journal’s staff, which also included associate editors and designers:

  • Sophomore Jade Alston of Fredericksburg, Virginia, a political science and philosophy major
  • Senior Tyler Gass of Haymarket, Virginia, a political science major;
  • Freshman Tina Homayoun of Portland, Oregon, an economics and international studies major
  • Junior Elizabeth Howe of Yorktown, Virginia, an English major;
  • Sophomore Ren Nicholson of Binghamton, New York, a communication major;
  • Junior Daniel Nozick of Rockville, Maryland, an English major;
  • Junior Emily Oliver of Timonium, Maryland, a history and Spanish major; and
  • Sophomore Emily Walters of Round Hill, Virginia, an English major.

Smith expressed appreciation to the student staff and the faculty, especially Marc Lucht, director of the Undergraduate Research Institute; and Ryan Rideau, assistant director of the institute and director of Undergraduate Diversity Initiatives.

“Without the teamwork of our staff and the guidance of our advisors, we never could have kept production on track,” Smith said.

The Philologia unveiling and celebration will be at 4 p.m. on April 15 in the Newman Library multipurpose room on the first floor. The event is free and open to the public. Visitors may park in any faculty, staff, visitor, or student parking space if they have a valid visitor parking permit and if the space is not restricted by signs. Visitor parking permits are available at the Visitor Center, 925 Prices Fork Road, during regular business hours or at the Virginia Tech Police Department in the Maintenance Complex off Southgate Drive at all other times. Go here for more parking information.

 

 

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