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Ouachita students honored for their work published in “Assayers 30”
By
MacKenzie Hall
For more information, contact OBU’s news bureau at newsbureau@obu.edu or (870) 245-5208
ARKADELPHIA, Ark.— Three Ouachita Baptist University students
received awards for their nonfiction work featured in “Assayers 30,” the annual
publication by Ouachita’s Department of Language and Literature.
The top three winners from this year's publication are Cora
Saddler, a senior English and Spanish double major from Cabot, Ark.; Sydney
Motl, a sophomore English major from Arkadelphia, Ark.; and Sabaoot Esho, a
junior graphic design and psychology double major from Erbil, Iraq. Their work
was chosen by a panel of faculty members led by Dr. Doug Sonheim, professor of
English and holder of the Clarence and Bennie Sue Anthony Chair of Bible and
Humanities at Ouachita.
Other students whose submissions were included in “Assayers 30” are
Aubree Seibert, a senior chemistry, biology and applied physics triple major
from Wylie, Texas; Lizzie Horton, a freshman from Arkadelphia, Ark.; Meredith
West, a sophomore kinesiology/leisure pre-professional studies major from
Sherwood, Ark.; and Elaina McKenzie, a senior English major from Gulfport,
Miss.
Submissions from 2021 graduates Ashley Harrison, a communications
& media/film and Spanish double major from Argyle, Texas, and Russell
Wallace, a biology major from Bryant, Ark., were also included.
“Assayers” began 30 years ago as a tool to
teach nonfiction writing and research skills to Composition 101 students,
though submissions are not limited to this class. The collection includes both
personal and research essays from students.
Saddler was awarded first place for her essay, “The
Bartleby Dilemma,” on the short story “Bartleby, the Scrivener” by Herman
Melville.
“My essay is about the story of ‘Bartleby, the
Scrivener’ and the ways people—both in the book and critics of the work
itself—have, I think unfairly, interpreted Bartleby as a symbol or concept that
ultimately reflects anything but Bartleby himself,” Saddler said. “My goal was
to bring back his humanity and try to argue for an interpretation of Bartleby
with more emotionality and sympathetic imagination.”
Saddler said she hopes readers will learn the
importance of keeping an open mind and not be defined by their past selves.
“I hope readers are encouraged not to let other
people define their sense of self, and that they keep an open mind and do the
same for others,” she added. “We are more than the work we put out, and we
don't have to be defined by the people we used to be. Bartleby defies easy
categorization, and I think we do too.”
Motl won second place for “The Art of a Woman,” a research essay
that analyzes a painting by Italian artist Artemisia Gentileschi.
“The painting is called ‘Judith Slaying Holofernes’ and it depicts
Judith, a Jewish woman, beheading an Assyrian general who is attempting to
invade her town,” Motl said. “What is interesting about Artemisia’s depiction
is that Artemisia herself was raped and chose to bring that to trial; when
keeping that in mind, the details that only a woman who has experienced
violence herself can paint really come to life.”
Through her essay, Motl sought to bring awareness to
victims of sexual assault or abuse through knowledge of gender.
“I would love for more to be aware of the new
perspective that a thorough knowledge of gender can provide,” she said. “Having
the ability to view art, literature or the world through the lens of gender can
bring a whole new awareness of the issues facing those around them, especially
victims of sexual assault or abuse.”
“‘Knowing My Mama’ is a comparison between me and my mom. When COVID-19 hit, I couldn't go back home to Iraq; I was really sad, and it brought me down,” reflected Esho. “It got me thinking about who my mom was before she had me and how when she was in college; she was away from home and family because there was a war going on. It's basically me drawing strength from my mom and her story.”
Esho was inspired by a newspaper editorial by Edna
Lepucki that describes the connection between mothers and their daughters.“This
writer had asked all different girls to send pictures of their mamas before and
after they gave birth. It was talking about how those women were the same women
that they were before,” Esho said.
The award winners and other writers featured in “Assayers
30” were honored at a brief ceremony on Sept. 2.
Dr. Jennifer Pittman, acting chair of the Department
of Language and Literature, said she sees the value of sharing this work with
the Ouachita community.
“I think it’s really important for the students who
write to showcase what they have done because they all work really hard on
those papers,” Pittman said. “I also think it is important for students in the
community to see their classmates’ writing and see that good work can be done
in all the classes.”
For more information about “Assayers 30,” contact Dr.
Doug Sonheim at sonheimd@obu.edu or
(870) 245-5554.
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