It’s the beginning of March and in a few days I will be boarding a plane headed to Key West, Fl. It’s my first “college spring break;” the first time my final destination has been somewhere other than home in Gloucester.
!["Like many scholars and practicing writers who also teach," writes Lisa Russ Spaar, "I do so because I loved being a student and am grateful for the ways in which teaching invites a lifetime practice of intellectual, creative rigor and (re) visiting texts in fresh ways." Described by colleague Michael Levenson as a "teaching legend," Spaar is praised by students for giving them "new ways to think about poetry and the recurring themes of love, death, truth, beauty, God and time."
A former student writes, "She expected us to move fluidly between critical and writerly lenses. In this way, Professor Spaar not only supported my developing sensibility as a writer, but also as a young scholar." English department chairman Jahan Ramazani summarizes: "Lisa Russ Spaar is a stunning teacher, one of the very best at the University and quite possibly anywhere in the country."
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“Is courage artifice? / As though to answer were within my means,” Lisa Russ Spaar writes in her poem, “Midas Passional.” It is this characteristic acceptance of the unknown that has set Spaar apart from many of her colleagues.
Whenever I play the classic “random fact” icebreaker game, I always manage to surprise people with one fact.
When my sister Jennifer was born nearly 20 years ago, I didn’t quite understand the concept of having a sister.
It’s been a couple months since I’ve seen my parents, but this past weekend they came to visit me.
Every phase of my life has come and gone with certain eating woes I only later learned to appreciate. Once upon a time, all I had to do was sit in my high chair and watch people act like idiots to get me to open my mouth.
Without any way to circumvent the point, I’ll go ahead and write bluntly. An old friend died this weekend.
1. The texter: I don’t know what it is, but during my semi-annual, once-every-never workouts I always come across this guy.
Name: John Year: Second School: College Major: Economics and Mathematics Sexual orientation: Straight _U.Va.
All people have their own ideas of happiness. Around here, happiness is that feeling you get when you’re running completely late and somehow make it to class on time, or when you finally get to the front of the counter at Christian’s after waiting in line for what seems like an eternity.
The University’s chapter of Dance Marathon, a renowned philanthropic organization that has divisions at universities and colleges all across the country, held their annual event Saturday at both Memorial Gym and Boylan Heights.
I used to be entirely indifferent toward U.Va. basketball. It wasn’t personal; I’m actually indifferent about most sports.
I’ll be honest: I didn’t receive any chocolates, roses or plush toys this most recent Valentine’s Day due to the absence of a significant other.
I have lived through 21 Virginia winters. For 21 years I have known, for the most part, what my December, January and February will look like.
The University Guides hosted their 24th Annual Colonnade Ball Friday, Feb. 22 at the Jefferson Theater on the Downtown Mall — proving the Wahoo staples of service and a good time are a surefire recipe for resounding success. The event originated in 1989 as the U-Guides’ central student-run fundraiser, initially supporting the restoration of the Colonnades behind Lambeth Field Apartments.
This may be the week all of Grounds goes insane. Between elections, midterms and the millions of applications that are due between now and spring break, there is way too much to do and essentially five minutes to get it all done.
My first experience with a bowl of the Vietnamese master class soup pho — pronounced “fuh” — was at my first serious girlfriend’s house.
There’s always a point in the middle of February, in the midst of the grey skies, cold mornings and early nightfall that I begin to feel like I can’t really keep up anymore.
The strongest guidance I ever received came to me at the ripe age of 11 in a VHS recording of “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” While my initial appreciation for this cinematic tour de force was the result of the ingenious and humorous scheming of the male lead, I later recognized that when it comes to defining a successful life, even the ideals of Confucius appear insignificant next to the world according to Ferris.
Yo Ed, The weather is so unpredictable lately that I can’t even get dressed in the morning. Some days I have my bean boots on and it don’t even rain, then when I take out my super fresh Keg Kill tank, it decides to snow that day, and the worst is when I have to wear my Wallabee’s with lax shorts.
