English and World Languages News and Events

ENWL Calendar of Events, Fall 2025

September 4 (recurring) – AAS Reset

Palmer Commons (English Lounge) 12pm-5pm

Beginning Thursday, September 4th, all ENWL majors and minors are welcome to come to the Humanities Hall Commons anytime from 12:00 – 5:00 PM every other Thursday (bi-weekly) to reset from the week and rejuvenate for the days ahead with games, goodies, and great conversation with your peers and friends alike in ENWL. Sponsored by the African American Studies Minor and open to all ENWL majors and minors

Bi-weekly Dates: 9/4, 9/18, 10/2, 10/16, 11/13, and 12/4

September 9 Release Party for The Tower

Farmer Stage 5pm-6pm

Celebrate the release of the new volume of Montevallo’s arts and literary magazine, The Tower. Come by to pick up your copy of The Tower and stay for free food as well as readings of poetry and prose.

September 10 –Scottsboro Boys Museum Panel

Carmichael Library 3:30 p.m.

As part of the Scottsboro Boys Museum’s traveling exhibit, sociologist and criminologist Dr. Christopher W. Bounds will host a cross-disciplinary panel. Participants will include Dr. Carl Doerfler, associate professor of political science, Dr. M. Maxine Morgan, assistant professor of African American literature and coordinator of African American Studies, Dr. Thomas Reidy, historian and executive director of The Scottsboro Boys Museum, and Dr. Kathryn Tucker, assistant professor of U.S. history. For more information, email Bounds.

September 10 – Guest Speaker, Dr. Ezekiel Stear

Humanities Hall Auditorium 5:30 – 6:30

Dr. Ezekiel Stear, Ph.D., Dept. of World Languages, Literatures & Cultures at Auburn University will present his book Nahua Horizons: Writing, Persuasion, and Futurities in Colonial Mexico (University of Arizona Press, 2025)

October 2 – AAUW Event – Tamela Glover from Alabama Arise

Pat Scales Special Collections Room 5pm

AAUW invites you to come and learn more about the 2026 Legislative Agenda of Alabama Arise, a statewide, member-led organization advancing public policies to improve the lives of Alabamians who are marginalized by poverty.

October 6 – Banned Books Week Documentary & Exhibit

Pat Scales Special Collections Room 5pm

Join us for a screening of “Banned Together: The Fight Against Censorship,” which follows three students and their adult allies in their fight to reinstate books pulled from their school libraries. And view the “Gems of the Pat Scales Room” and its accompanying online exhibit, curated by students in ENG 310.

October 16 – International Day of Action for Academic Integrity

Farmer Hall 10am-2pm

Drop by Farmer Hall to pick up some free swag, vote in a poster contest, and weigh in on why academic integrity matters in your field.

October 16 – Freddie’s Frightful Open Mic Night!

University Book Store 6pm-8pm

For the first time ever, the bookstore has partnered with the MADE program to host Freddie’s Frightful Open Mic Night! It will be held at our bookstore on Oct. 16^th starting at 6:00 pm and ending at 8:00pm. We will have a stage for all of you to showcase your talents as well as a raffle you can enter to win our grand prize! We encourage everyone to sign up so you can showcase your singing, story-telling, acting, poetry, stand-up, and more. If you are unsure about your talent being allowed, please reach out to me at 2279mgr@follett.com to get permission. We do encourage you all to dress up but it is not a requirement, although you will get an extra raffle ticket if you do. The guidelines are listed on the sign-up form. If you do sign-up, I will email the showtimes to you the week of.

Please click on the following link if you would like to sign-up:

Freddie’s Frightful Open Mic Night Sign-Up Link

October 20 – BACHE Reading: Poet Chelsea Rathburn

Pat Scales Special Collections Room, 3:30pm-4:45pm

Georgia’s Poet Laureate will give a reading and discuss her work.

October 22-26 – Field Trip: Literary New Orleans

Multi-Day Field Trip. Contact Dr. Mahaffey (mahaffey@montevallo.edu) for details.

October 28 – AL Arise Lunch & Learn

Meri Moon Coffee Shop 11am-12:15pm

Advocates from AL Arise will have lunch with AAS minors and other interested ENWL majors and minors on October 28th from 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM to talk about how their organization engages in community advocacy and outreach to help create a better Alabama. Lunch will be served at Meri Moon and spaces are limited. Contact Dr. Maxine Morgan by October 24th if you would like to join us for lunch by emailing mwilli76@montevallo.edu or aas@montevallo.edu. Sponsored by the African American Studies Minor and AL Arise

October 29 – Halloween Scary Poetry Reading

Palmer Commons (English Lounge), 2pm-3:15pm

Students from Dr. Murphy’s class will share their spookiest lines of verse.

October 30 – AAS Film on the Quad: Sinners (with BASL)

King Hall Quad (inclement weather location: Humanities Auditorium), 7pm-9pm

Get ready for the Halloween and join the African American Studies minor for a chat & screen as we screen Ryan Coogler’s Sinners (with BASL [Black American Sign Language]) October 30th from 7:00 – 9:30 PM on the King Hall Quad. Before the film, the audience will engage in a brief talk with Black Disability Studies scholar, Dr. K. Mar Morgan, about the history and significance of Black ASL and then we will screen the film. Refreshments will be provided, and students are welcome to bring their own. Open to all UM students and sponsored by the African American Studies minor.

November 5 – Poetry@UM: Ben Jackson

J.A. Brown Room, Carmichael Library, 3:30pm-4:45pm

Poet and UM Alumnus Ben Jackson will read from his brand-new collection Dirt Poetry.

November 13 – English 300 Book Swap

Humanities Hall 202, 3:30pm-5:00pm

In partnership with AAS reset – Join English 300 for a free book swap! All extra books will be donated after the event.

November 19, 2025 – Spanish Language Film

Humanities Hall Auditorium, 5:30 p.m.

A showing of the Mexican film Aventura en Río (1953) – Free and open to the public. In Spanish with original English subtitles by Professor Eric Vaccarella.

December 1, 2025 – The Canterbury Tales Afterlives – Presented by ENG 300

Humanities Hall 202, 3:30-5:00 pm

English 300 has focused on The Canterbury Tales and various afterlives this semester. Join the class for a presentation of tales!

December 2, 2025 – Harbert Writing Center Decompression Day with Sigma Tau Delta

Humanities Hall 202, 2-5 pm

Sigma Tau Delta English Honors Society is collaborating with the Harbert Writing Center to provide a decompression day the week before finals week. The purpose of this event serves as a relaxing space for students to study, socialize, and snack while preparing to perform their best on their finals!