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SLL’s Michael Blanchard Publishes New Poetry Collection

Submitted by: Macy Cloninger, mcloninger@cub.uca.edu on 03/11/2026

On March 9, Kelsay Books released a new poetry collection from Michael Blanchard, an adjunct professor in ÿմվ’s School of Language and Literature. Titled The Things of This World, the new book has been described as a celebration of and meditation on the power and fragility of the physical world that allows us to experience beauty, love, joy, and also sorrow.

In one early review, an editor of Southern Literary Review champions the collection as Blanchard’s “most powerful collection to date” and notes, “He gracefully blends the philosophical, the reflective, and the personal, all with a scholar’s eye for the telling detail and a poet’s ear for the music in language. With his precise control over form, he creates free verse rich in sensory imagery, discovery, and intellectual depth—haunting, immersive, and exacting. Rooted in Southern sensibilities, these poems frequently meditate on memory and aging but also reach further to conjure landscapes both physical and emotional.”

North Carolina poet Michael Hettich, inaugural recipient of the School’s Hudson-Fowler Prize in Poetry, adds, “Blanchard’s poems bring us into the presence of a genuinely humane person, a poet who speaks with the modesty of deep experience and well-honed craft. This poet practices what might be called a spiritual poetry, a poetry that opens our eyes and hearts to profound mysteries of being. His explorations of the transformational moments of perception and memory remind me at times of the Chinese masters and at others of the Christian mystics—but always the poems resonate with his own unique and carefully-modulated voice.”

Blanchard joined the ÿմվ faculty in the fall semester of 2018 as part of what was then the English Department. In addition to his teaching duties, he serves as editor of SLANT, the School of Language & Literature’s international journal of contemporary poetry. He is also an active member of the Poets’ Roundtable of Arkansas, the state’s unofficial poetry society, and was elected to the board of that group in April of 2005.

The Things of This World is Blanchard’s fifth book, beginning with his debut collection, Naming the Silence, in 2017. His poetry has also appeared in Alabama Literary Review, Quarry, Voyeur, Cave Region Review, MockingHeart Review, Stone Poetry Quarterly, and Streetlight Magazine, among others.

 

W(h)ine and Cheese

Submitted by: Teresa Burton, tlb90003@uca.edu on 03/11/2026

Staff Senate is hosting W(h)ine and Cheese on Tuesday, March 17 from 4-6 pm in Buffalo Alumni Hall.
Please join us.

 

Future-Ready Bears

Submitted by: Teresa Burton, tlb90003@uca.edu on 03/11/2026

Staff Senate is implementing a new program this Spring. Future-Ready Bears is a program
designed to assist our fellow campus staff with back-to-school supplies. The program is open to
all ÿմվ and Aramark employees who meet the qualification requirements. Look for the black
donation bins in Bernard Hall, Burdick Hall, and Harrin Hall. Donations are now being accepted.
Please review the attached flyer to see the supply wish list.
If you have any questions, please contact Shalia Delph (sdelph@uca.edu) or Brandy Davis
(bdavis66@uca.edu).
Thank you for supporting Staff Senate and our fellow staff members.

 

Bear Biographies Call For Books (with a story to tell)

Submitted by: Lori Hunt, vhunt1@uca.edu on 03/10/2026

The ÿմվ Bear Biographies planning committee is delighted to announce the 2026 Bear Biographies: A Library of Lived Experiences event will take place this year at ÿմվ on the second floor of Torreyson Library April 7th, 2026 from 12:00pm to 4:00pm.

We are calling on all members of the campus & local community who have a story to tell and would be interested in serving as “books” at the event. Books submit a proposed title and description of their story and sign up for a 2-hour shift during which they have a series of 20-minute conversations with participants in the Bear Biographies event. The goal of Bear Biographies is to discover more about each other and build a stronger community!

If you’re interested in telling your story, complete the book volunteer form. Not sure what to talk about, or how to phrase your title or description? Don’t worry! Complete the form and a member of the planning committee will reach out to you to assist with brainstorming. An orientation will be offered the week before the event to go over what to expect at the event.

Additional information about this year’s event and all the ways you can get involved as a book, an event volunteer, or a participant can be found on our LibGuide.

Virtual Open House with the Arkansas Coding Academy

Submitted by: Leslie Coger, lcoger1@uca.edu on 03/09/2026

Join our Virtual Open House to learn how Arkansas Coding Academy can help you take the next step into tech.

During this live online session, you’ll get an inside look at our programs, curriculum, and the skills you’ll gain to prepare for a career in technology. Our team will walk you through upcoming course offerings, what to expect from the learning experience, and how our bootcamps are designed to help students build real-world coding skills.

What you’ll learn:

Overview of Arkansas Coding Academy programs and curriculum
How the hybrid learning experience works
Upcoming course dates and enrollment details
Live Q&A with our team

We’d love to meet you at our virtual open house and help you take your first (or next) step towards your future in tech!

Register Below!

GEAR UP Days at ÿմվ are seeking ÿմվ Presenters!

Submitted by: Brittney Smith, bsmith22@uca.edu on 03/06/2026

GEAR UP Day is an immersive, on-campus experience that will serve approximately 3,300 rising high school freshmen and sophomore scholars from across Arkansas. The purpose of the day is to expose students to a wide range of career pathways, while helping them understand the skills, training, and real-world applications that lead to sustainable and in-demand careers.

As a presenter, you would facilitate a 45–60 interactive and engaging minute session.