Welcome Read 2023
The English Department's Welcome Read program, this year funded by a National Endowment for the Humanities grant, includes two texts: March: Book Three and Nathan McClain's poetry collection, Previously Owned. Both texts invite connections between civic responsibility/social activism and readers' new identities as college students.
Thanks to the NEH grant, and additional funding from the Kuperberg Holocaust Center, Drs. Beth Counihan, Ilse Schrynemakers and Prof. Sybil White have secured free books for students, set up an on-campus Poetry Treasure Hunt, scheduled a September kick-off lecture series, and provided October "meet the author" opportunities for students. The program will culminate in a November celebration featuring student dance interpretations of 1 960s protest music. ( Special thanks to Prof. Emily Berry and Dr. Steve Dahlke .) Please see the calendar of events below.
Welcome Read Event Schedule
These events are funded by a National Endowment for the Humanities grant and the Kupferberg Holocaust Center —and organized by the following English Department faculty: Dr. Beth Counihan, Dr. Ilse Schrynemakers, and Sybil White.
AUGUST
Poetry Treasure Hunt
Wednesday, August 30, 2023 from 12:00 PM to 02:00 PM (and ongoing) | Humanities Quad/Campus Fair
Students use campus maps to locate poetry stations, scan QR codes & retrieve candy treasure.
SEPTEMBER: Kick-off Week Speaker Series
One-hour lectures and workshops (during class meeting times) to introduce the context for March.
Meet and Greet with President Mangino
Tuesday, September 12, 2023 from 09:00 AM to 10:00 AM | Oakland Dining Room
Wednesday, September 13, 2023 from 03:00 PM to 04:00 PM | H-144
Faculty and students participating in the English Department's Welcome Read program will have an opportunity to be introduced to the Welcome Read texts, interact with President Mangino, and receive free copies of MARCH: BOOK THREE or Nathan McClain's poetry book, PREVIOUSLY OWNED.
Introduction to 1960s America Workshop I with Prof. Hank Williams (Lehman College)
Thursday, September 14, 2023 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM | S-112
Thursday, September 14, 2023 from 01:00 PM to 02:00 PM | S-112
Thursday, September 14, 2023 from 02:15 PM to 03:15 PM | S-112
Workshop on 1960s America I:Introducing the Welcome Read texts with Prof. Hank Williams (Lehman College) and producer of “Suga’ in My Bowl” Jazz radio show, WBAI
Introduction to 1960s America Workshop II with Dr. Zebulon Vance Miletsky (Stony Brook University)
Monday, September 18, 2023 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM | S-112
Monday, September 18, 2023 from 12:15 PM to 01:15 PM | S-112
Workshop on 1960s America II:Introducing the Welcome Read texts with Dr. Zebulon Vance Miletsky (Stony Brook University), Associate Professor of Africana Studies
OCTOBER
KHC/Welcome Read Event: Creating John Lewis’s March III: A Conversation with Nate Powell and Andrew Aydin
Wednesday, October 4, 2023 from 12:00 PM to 02:00 PM | Virtual (Zoom)
Join March: Book Three’s illustrator Nate Powell and editor Andrew Aydin who will share insights and anecdotes about their time spent working on this graphic memoir series with Congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis. This event is part of the Queensborough Community College’s (QCC) Welcome Read and is hosted and sponsored by the Kupferberg Holocaust Center.
Meet the Welcome Read Poet—Nathan McClain
Thursday, October 19 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM | S-111
Thursday, October 19 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM | S-111
Come meet the poet of the book, Previously Owned! Nathan McClain also teaches at Hampshire College and is poetry editor of The Massachusetts Review .
NOVEMBER
Welcome Read Celebration Event
Wednesday, November 15 , 2023 from 12:15 PM to 1:30 PM | M136 and the Well
Working with faculty from the music and dance departments, the Welcome Read Celebration will feature dance interpretations of protest music, food and drinks for students, and other celebratory moments & reflections.
Optional (Virtual and on-campus) Events
Virtual tour of the International Museum of Civil Rights
Share a narrated museum tour that features the actual sit-in counter at Woolworths (where the museum is located) among other artifacts and exhibits.
Class viewing of the documentary Good Trouble
The documentary is available for streaming through the QCC library database.
