Office: Keezell 207
Phone: 540-568-6103
Email: bleegek@jmu.edu
Courses: On sabbatical Fall 2013
Specialization:
Creative Nonfiction Writing, Food Writing, Travel Writing, African American Literature,
and Contemporary Poetry
Education:
MFA., Nonfiction Writing Program, University of Iowa, 2004
M.A., Humanities, University of Chicago, 2001
B.A., English and Art History, James Madison University, 1996
Nonfiction Publications:
"Possible Us,” The Wilson Quarterly, 2012. Web. 4 September 2012.
"Feeding the Future,” The Wilson Quarterly, 2012. Web. 27 April 2012.
“Stop,” The North American Review, Summer 2010.
“Doucement,” Barnstorm, Spring 2007.
“Obedience,” The Missouri Review, Spring 2006.
“Out of Obscurity: A Peace Corps Volunteer’s Journey in Benin,” Montpelier. Winter 2002.
“Seamus Heaney and Eavan Boland: Revision in a Nationalist Tradition,” James
Madison University Undergraduate Research, 1996.
Publicity:
"Story Corps: The Peace Corps Experience.” Interview aired on Wisconsin Public Radio. November 7-11, 2011.
"On Bringing the King Corn Guys to the Valley,” WMRA, 2010. Web. 13 September 2010."
Presentations:
"Come and Eat,” College English Association Annual Conference, March 2012.
“A Star to Follow,” Peace Corps and Africa Conference, University of Wisconsin–Madison, March 2011.
“Of Nude Photographs; Or, How I Got Snowshoes,” College English Association Annual Conference, March 2010.
“The Memory Between Us,” Women’s Studies Research Group, James Madison
University, March 2008.
“Will the Scaffolding Hold? Building the Nonfiction Book Out of Disparate Pieces,”
NonfictioNOW Conference, University of Iowa, 2007.
Book Reviews:
“What’s for Dinner in Africa.” Review of Stirring the Pot: A History of African
Cuisine
by James C. McCann. The Wilson Quarterly, Summer 2010.
“The Country They Lost.” Review of When a Crocodile Eats the Sun: A Memoir
of Africa
by Peter Godwin and Rainbow’s End: A Memoir of Childhood, War
and an
African Farm by Lauren St John. The Iowa Review, Winter 2007/2008.
Honors:
Innovative Diversity Efforts Award, James Madison University, 2008
Nominee, Pushcart Prize, 2007
Jeffrey E. Smith Editors’ Prize in Literary Nonfiction, The Missouri Review, 2006
T. Anne Cleary Fellowship, travel research fellowship, University of Iowa, 2003
Stanley Foundation Fellowship, travel research fellowship, University of Iowa, 2002
Iowa Arts Fellowship, full tuition scholarship, University of Iowa, 2001–2003
Ruth Murray Prize for the essay, “Rituals of Initiation in Benin, West Africa,” Center
for Gender Studies, University of Chicago, 2001
First Place Honors Thesis in the Department of English, James Madison University, 1996
First Place Poetry Prize, James Madison University, 1995 & 1996
First Place Fiction Prize, James Madison University, 1994 & 1995
|
