Special Recognition: Jill Christman, Professor of English; Mark Neely, Professor of English; and Todd McKinney, Teaching Professor of English

Special Recognition: Jill Christman, Professor of English; Mark Neely, Professor of English; and Todd McKinney, Teaching Professor of English

River Teeth Learning Lab

In 2019, Ball State University became the new institutional home for River Teeth: A Journal of Nonfiction Narrative, a premier publisher of creative nonfiction and literary journalism for over twenty years. The publication and its associated projects include a biannual print journal, digital distribution through Amazon Kindle and the international database Project Muse, a weekly online journal of micro-essays called Beautiful Things, an annual nonfiction book contest, a presence at the Association of Writers and Writing Programs annual conference, a social media platform, website, and daily operations. River Teeth and Beautiful Things receive over 2,000 submissions per year and publish approximately 24 print essays and 50 online micro-essays per year, plus various online content. The River Teeth Learning Lab is an ongoing project with the goal to engage as many students as possible with the work of the journal and its associated projects.

While the lab is not considered "immersive," it offers Ball State students a unique opportunity to develop key literary publishing, project management, design, marketing, and social media skills delivered through a modular format. These scaffolded opportunities prepare students for fully immersive experiences later and serve as a model for other disciplines. Congratulations, Jill, Mark, and Todd, on this Special Recognition, and best wishes as you continue preparing students for immersive publishing experiences in the English department and beyond.