Contact: Public Relations
(863) 680-4118

English department holds Wesley Ryals Awards 
and introduces its 2003 literary magazine

LAKELAND, Fla. (March 17, 2003) - The Florida Southern College English department will host its annual Wesley Ryals Awards presentation and the unveiling of the 2003 issue of Cantilevers, the college's literary and visual arts magazine. The event takes place March 27 at 7:00 p.m. in the Melvin Art Gallery. 

This year's guest speaker and Cantilevers guest poet is Phyllis McEwen, a Tampa poet and performance artist. She is co-founder of the Black Madonna Artists' Collective and poetry editor of The Forum, published by the Florida Humanities Council. She appeared on campus in 2002 as a member of the Irritable Tribe of Poets. McEwen is known for her interpretative performances as well as for her accomplishments as a poet and editor.

All literary submissions to Cantilevers are automatically entered in the Wesley Ryals contest, which features individual awards as well as permanent recognition for winners in prose and poetry on a plaque in the English/Arts office. This year's winners will be chosen from over 100 submissions by Florida Southern students, faculty, staff, and alumni. The selections are made anonymously by an independent judge.

This year, the awards ceremony will also feature the announcement of the winners in the first annual Florida Southern College Writing Contest for high school students. Submissions were accepted from all juniors and seniors attending high school in Polk County. Prizes consist of FSC scholarships and gift certificates from Barnes & Noble. Winners are chosen by English department faculty.
(more)

Refreshments will be provided at the event. For further information, please contact: 

Dr. Rebecca Saulsbury at 863-680-4348, rsaulsbury@flsouthern.edu or 
Dr. Bernard Quetchenbach at 863-680-4221, bquetchenbach@flsouthern.edu. 

About Florida Southern College
Florida Southern is a four-year, private, co-educational liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The college offers more than 40 undergraduate majors and a master of business administration degree accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Located in Lakeland, Fla., the college is home to the largest, single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in the world.

###