Name: Monica Rentfrow
Major: English
Hometown: Alma
High School: Ithaca H.S.
Favorite Classes: Poetry Workshop, Creative Writing,
The Divine Call, Sociology of Family, Studies in the
Novel--classes saturated with discussion.
Favorite Books: Irving's "A Prayer for Owen Meany," Albom's "The
Five People You Meet In Heaven," Brook's "Maud Martha," and about any
booklet of poetry.
Favorite Professors: Dr. Palmer, Dr. Bender, Dr. Stargardt, Dr. Vivian, Prof. Rybicki, Prof. Wendt....notice a trend?
Research Interests: Exploring the portrayal of little people in literature
Future Plans: Pursue Creative Writing at the Master's level beginning in the fall of 2008.
Advice to Students: Talk to your professors as often as possible
about whatever your heart desires, including the non-academic; you're
guaranteed to get a friend out of it.
Monica Rentfrow
Students conducting research side-by-side with faculty has been an Alma legacy for generations. Alma students team up with faculty on scholarly research or to collaborate on creative or performing arts projects. An annual Honors Day features student presentations, performances and exhibits. Many students present such work at regional, national and international meetings.
Faculty Profile
Dr. Carol Bender
Departments: English
Dr. Carol Bender, professor of English, has had a special interest in African-American literature since her guest professorship at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where the faculty she worked with had tremendous expertise in the subject. Much of her professional writing and scholarship focuses on black women writers such as Gwendolyn Brooks and Gloria Naylor.
Her other interest, women’s literature, stems from her curiosity in women’s studies, a program she and a colleague started at Alma in 1992.