Professor Profile
Dr. Graley Herren
Tyler Burgei
Contributing Writer
xavier.edu
Dr. Graley says that Irish literature is his greatest passion.
Dr. Graley Herren began teaching at Xavier University in 1998, and he has taught an array of classes for the English department since then.
Q) What classes have you taught since you came to Xavier?
A) I’ve taught a bunch of classes including Modern Drama, Modern Irish Literature, Modern British Literature, Playwrighting, Studies in Fiction, and Lit. and the Moral Imagination.
Q) What have been the main focuses of the Lit. and the Moral Imagination courses you have taught?
A) Well, there have been a few different ones. I have focused on drama, inspiring students to recognize the ethical and moral dilemmas in the field. Also, I play with the notion of how history is constructed; I attempt to show how plays can blur the lines between what’s objective fact and what’s fiction or put a spin on the truth to serve a certain agenda.
Q) You mentioned that you teach Irish and British Literature. How did you become involved with those subjects?
A) Actually, I never studied Irish literature very vigorously in college. I recently wrote a dissertation on Samuel Beckett, an Irish playwright, and when I came to Xavier, the department noticed that and asked me to teach a course on Irish literature. Since then, it has become my greatest passion. That’s led me to get involved in the Irish Study Abroad program.
Q) What does the Irish literature study abroad program involve?
A) Every summer, Tim White and I spend about two or three weeks in Ireland teaching Irish literature to the students who come along. It’s really a great opportunity to get to travel to the places that inspired great Irish literature; you get to absorb the literature in a way that is not really possible in a classroom.
Q) How else are you involved outside of the classroom?
A) I’m a member of the Know Theater, which is a local contemporary theater company that was actually founded by a Xavier alumnus. I also attend the Board of Comparative Drama Conference and will be editing a newsletter called the Beckett Society (the same Beckett I wrote my dissertation about).
Q) Can you tell us about your family and hobbies or other interests?
A) My wife and I live in Mount Washington with our six-year-old son, Dylan (named after Bob Dylan) who is in kindergarten in Mount Washington. I really like baseball, especially the Reds…I’m actually a Fantasy Baseball genius. Many people don’t know that teaching English is just a hobby; my true talent lies in my knowledge of baseball.
Q)What is your favorite and least favorite part of your hobby?
A) My favorite part about teaching is captivating the audience and getting to talk about the literature that I love. My least favorite part is grading. It’s not the feedback part that I don’t like; that’s obviously a very important part of teaching. I just don’t like standing in a position of judgment, giving a final grade for an assignment.
Dr. Herren says he doesn’t really have any words of wisdom for students, but he is passionate about what he does and enjoys teaching a great deal.
Tibetan monks visit XU
Erika Bresee
Photo Editor
Erika Bresee
Xavier was host to Tibetan Buddhist monks last week who designed and created a sand mandala on the first floor of MacDonald Library.
Xavier Univesity was host to half a dozen Tibetan Buddhist monks last week as a part of an interfaith program presented by the Brueggeman Center for Dialogue. Beginning at noon on Tuesday, April 10, the monks designed and created a sand mandala on the first floor of MacDonald library.
The mandala was displayed to students and visitors as the monks worked ten hours a day to complete their sacred art by Saturday afternoon.
With the assistance of a translator, one of the monks spoke to a group of students on Tuesday evening explaining the current situation in Tibet. He contemplatively described that China invaded Tibet in 1959, and the new government immediately began suppressing the dominant religion of Buddhism.
Countless ancient Buddhist temples and monasteries were destroyed and Buddhist monks and nuns were forced to flee into exile or face torture and death at the hands of their new government. Most Tibetan monks fled into the neighboring country of India, where they found refuge.
Erika Bresee
Tibetan monks perform a closing ceremony to dissassemble their sand art mandala on Saturday, April 14th. The monks demonstrated their art form at the library from Tuesday, April 10 until April 14.
The Buddhist monks who were visiting from Drepung Gomang Monastic College in Mundgod, India are traveling around the United States to raise awareness and understanding about their current exile from Tibet.
Upon completing their sand art mandala, they ended the week with a closing ceremony where they ritually disassembled the mandala. Before the monks celebrated the deconstruction of the mandala with chanting and music, President Father Graham spoke to visitors who crammed between bookshelves to witness the closing ceremony. Afterwards, visitors were encouraged to come forward to receive a bag which contained some of the sand from the mandala.
Throughout the week, a live webcam marked the progress made by the monks. Although the webcam has been disabled, the website still shows an aerial view of the finished masterpiece and time-lapse photos from last week will soon be made available at
www.xavier.edu/mandala.
Police Notes
April 10, 10:55 a.m.— A student reported that they were almost struck by a reckless driver in the Commons parking lot. The suspect was contacted and advised to slow down while driving in the parking lot.
April 11, 1:30 a.m.—Campus Police responded to an ash receptacle fire outside of Husman Hall. Several students were cited for underage consumption and disorderly conduct.
April 11, 1:00 p.m.—Campus Police warned two subjects who were passing out literature about a ‘keg party’ at a local bar and escorted them off campus.
April 11, 2:41 p.m.—A non-student attempting to remove a wheel lock from their vehicle was cited for criminal damage and possession of criminal tools. The suspect was escorted off campus.
April 11, 8:00 p.m.—An RA in Husman Hall reported that the sliding glass window at the RA desk had been damaged.
April 12, 3:00 a.m.—Campus Police responded to a disturbance in the Commons. Two students involved in a domestic argument were warned and sent to their rooms.
April 12, 9:20 p.m.—Campus Police assisted Residence Life in investigating a strong odor of marijuana coming from Kuhlman Hall. A suspect was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia.
April 13, 1:58 p.m.—A student reported the theft of a wallet from an unlocked room in Brockman.
April 13, 2:50 p.m.—A student reported that their vehicle had been keyed in the C-1 parking lot.
April 13, 9:53 p.m.—A student reported that they were approached by a suspect on Herald Avenue and solicited for money. The suspect was later identified as a scam artist and charged with theft by deception.
April 14, 3:55 a.m.—Campus Police responded to a possible fight in progress in the Commons. Two students were warned and sent to their rooms.
April 14, 12:45 p.m.—Campus Police arrested a non-student for trespassing and obstructing official business in the Bookstore.
April 14, 10:00 p.m.—Two students were cited for the attempted theft of planters outside of the Gallagher Center.
April 15, 2:35 a.m.—Campus Police discovered that a parking meter outside of the Williams College of Business had been pulled out of the sidewalk.
April 16, 2:50 p.m.—A student reported the theft of an unattended cell phone from the basement of Gallagher Center on April 13 at about 4:00 p.m.
Police Note of the Week
April 14, 3:50 a.m.—A student in Brockman Hall reported that a suspect had ransacked their room and covered their belongings in baby powder.
Katie Rosenbaum
Campus News Editor
Relay for Life
Xavier will be hosting Relay for Life at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 20 until noon. Saturday, April 21. The event is a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, which researches cures and treatments for cancer. There will be music, food and entertainment throughout the night. Events include the Survivor Lap at 6 p.m. and the Luminaria Ceremony at 10 p.m. To register or volunteer please visit www.acsevents.org/relay/oh/xu or contact hallidaygl@xavier.edu.
Senior Thesis Artists’ Reception
There will be a Senior Thesis Artists’ Reception at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 20, in the Cohen Center. The exhibit includes graphic design, photography, fiber arts and painting pieces. The event continues through April 27, and gallery hours are weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information call yontz@xavier.edu or call x3811.
All Honors Day
All Honors Day will be celebrated starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 21. This is the 15th annual All Honors Day program. Students are being recognized for their academic, athletic and leadership excellence on this very special day. For more information go to http://www.xavier.edu/allhonorsday or contact alexanderdm@xavier.edu.
Paul Farmer: Ethics/Religion & Society Lecture
As a part of the Ethics/Religion & Society Lecture, Paul Farmer will speak at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 23, in the Schiff Family Conference Center. Mr. Farmer is the Director of Harvard Medical School’s program for infectious diseases and is the inspiration for the Tracy Kidder book, “Mountains Beyond Mountains.” For more information contact melcher@xavier.edu or call x2043.
Soul Shoes at Ryan’s Pub
Ryan’s pub will be hosting the band Soul Shoes at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 21. There will be $1.00 drafts, $.35 wings and free popcorn for all those attending.
Jesuit MBA National Day of Service
At 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 21, the MBA program will partake in the national Jesuit MBA day of service. They will be cleaning up McEvoy Park in Finneytown. MBA students may RSVP to Jen Bush of the MBA Office at bush@xavier.edu.
Yogathon
There will be a Yogathon at noon on Monday, April 23, on the greenspace. The goal is for each participant to complete as many sun salutations as they can. All proceeds go to Vamos Adelante and Open Windows, two literacy programs in Guatemala. For more information, contact Rachael Dalsing at dalsingra@xavier.edu.
Day Of Silence
The Xavier Alliance will be hosting a Day of Silence beginning at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18. The Day of Silence is an annual event held to bring attention to anti-GLBT bullying, harassment and discrimination in schools. Students and teachers nationwide will observe the day in silence to echo the silence that GLBT and ally students face every day. Everyone is encouraged to be especially quiet at noon for one minute, in order to demonstrate the power of silence.
