Passion and Practicality: A Liberal Arts Podcast

Join hosts Paul Witcover and Jacob Powers as Word for Word celebrates SNHU instructors and award-winning poets Carla Sameth and Stephanie Wytovich in our first-ever all-poetry event!    

Eric Onkenhout, SNHU Creative Writing Alumnus and Freelance Writer joins us to give us an idea of what a typical workday looks like as a freelance writing professional. Eric speaks how he was able to leverage his current position into a writing role, as well as how it important to be accurate when writing. 

Dr. Luke Peterson teaches Arabic and Middle Eastern history at Southern New Hampshire University and Duquesne University. In this episode, Dr. Peterson discusses his new book, The U.S. Military in the Print News Media: Service and Sacrifice in Contemporary Discourse, which “analyzes the history of the popular discourse in the United States concerned with the U.S. military and its engagement in foreign wars from the Spanish-American War through to the U.S. invasions of Iraq and the War on Terror.”
This episode was recorded live on April 18, 2024 and originally broadcast on the Working Historians podcast feed. 

Word for Word is proud to host the winners of the 2023 Penmen Review Fall Fiction Contest for a virtual reading of their winning work! 
First Place: “I found a genie in a bottle of Glenlivet 12 year,” by Tayler Kastros Second Place: “Dark Water,” by Gabe Converse Third Place: “Sleeping Beauty,” by RE Bunch Fourth Place: “Beasts,” by Ness Wheeler Fifth Place: “Rat-a-tat,” by Mackenzie Bodily 
Every fall for the past nine years, writers of all genres and experience levels have submitted stories to the Penmen Review Fall Fiction Contest. This year, judges evaluated nearly 700 anonymized entries before submitting their top picks to the public for a final vote. 

Join host Paul Witcover as Wireside Chat welcomes longtime MFA instructor Jason Morgan! Writing as J. Lloyd Morgan, he is the bestselling author of Going Down the Far Well and the fantasy trilogy The Bariwon Chronicles, among other novels. We'll discuss Jason's writing journey and the importance of theme in his work and in fiction generally.

Nicole Fenner, CEO of Sister Girl Publishing joins us to give us an idea of what a typical workday looks like as a liberal arts professional after starting her own publishing company. Nicole speaks about the importance of being well-rounded and continuously growing your creative skill set. Feel free to connect with Nicole on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-fenner83/ , TikTok or Instagram @sistergirlcollection , Handshake at https://app.joinhandshake.com/edu/employers/923010/overview  or her website at www.sistergirlcollection.com  

In which hosts Melissa Hart and Paul Witcover are joined by MFA instructor and award-winning author Heather Hepler to discuss how to build a career in Middle Grade and Young Adult fiction. How do these genres differ? Where do they overlap? Heather draws on her experience writing in both genres to shed light on what can be a confusing literary landscape.

In which Paul Witcover, Associate Dean of the Online MFA, is joined by Jacob Powers, Associate Dean of the online BA and MA Creative Writing programs at SNHU, and Derrick Craigie, Senior Associate Dean overseeing all online Creative Writing programs at SNHU, for a Q&A. A must-listen for anyone considering a graduate degree in creative writing at SNHU!

Ryan Gravatt, CEO and Owner of Raconteur joins us to give us an idea of what a typical workday looks like as a liberal arts professional, as well as how to make yourself stand out in an interview. Ryan speaks about his “rule of three’s” as it pertains to your career journey, as well as different paths to think about as a profession within the Liberal Arts niche. Feel free to connect with Ryan on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryangravatt/overlay/contact-info/

Word for Word is honored to welcome acclaimed writer Elizabeth Hand, multiple award-winning author of the Cass Neary mysteries, the supernatural thriller Hokuloa Road, the folk-horror classic Wylding Hall, Waking the Moon, and many other novels. Her most recent novel, The Haunting on the Hill, is the official sequel to Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House. Join us as Hand reads from her work and takes questions from the audience.