The Language and Literature Department invited all students interested in learning more about the English major to the Willow Bowl last Wednesday. The event was put on in accordance with the college’s recommendation, to try to combat the problem of lower student enrollment that the school is experiencing.

“With this meet and greet we are not only trying to recruit to our English program but also we believe that students who are more involved are more likely to be retained,” Rodney Cupp, associate professor of the Language and Literature Department, said.

The event allowed students to meet with the professors in a more casual setting to discuss any concerns or questions the students might have about anything regarding the department or major. It also allowed students who were unfamiliar with the department to get to know more about the professors and fellow students within the major.

“We think it’s good for the students to meet with the professors, meet other English majors and become more involved with the department and the people within it,” Cupp said.

The meet and greet coincided with Words in the Willow Bowl, a poetry event that the department puts on four different times during the year. The goal of it was to draw more attendance from the people around Wayne State, but also to give students unfamiliar with the major an idea of creativity in writing that can be explored within this particular major.

“The idea was if we put the meet and greet right before Words in the Willow Bowl it might attract more students,” Cupp said.

Just for coming to the event students were also given a book published by the WSC Press “Words like Rain” which is a celebration of poetry at Wayne State College. The book offers poems from former students, along with a history of the English program at Wayne State College.

The department offers a wide variety of majors dealing with literature and creative writing. A main goal of the department is to get students to think more critically in their writing and reading. Skills that are necessary to have, for whatever field of study a student is in.

“Our department’s emphasis is on getting students to think critically, whether it be in reading or writing,” Cupp said. “These are transferable skills, meaning that they are not only useful in English but in other fields as well.”

The department invites students who are interested in English, either as a major or minor, to come and talk to them about any questions or concerns they may have.

“Students who have any interest in terms of writing or books, they should definitely come talk to us,” said assistant professor Chad Christensen.

“There are a lot of opportunities here and a lot of clubs you can get involved with, within the English Major.”