English Festival Welcomes Fulbright Scholar: Photogallery

Guest speakers, film, and interactive theater were all highlights of the English department’s biennial English Festival on April 30 and May 1.

Faculty and students welcomed Dr. Okaka Dokotum, a Ugandan professor and Fulbright Scholar at Northern Illinois University. Dokotum’s research focuses on African film adaptations of African literary work. He visited campus last December for a conversational interview time with host Dr. Michael Vander Weele, professor of English.

The festival began with a viewing of Djiril Diop Mabety’s film “Hyenas” on Thursday evening. Friday followed with a lecture by Dokotum, a luncheon in the Fireside Room, and a poetry reading. During the lecture, Dokotum spoke about his research on Hollywood and African films. He read various selections of poetry on the themes of politics and love.

On Friday evening, students attended a theater performance by Albany Park Theater Project in Chicago. The play, “Learning Curve,” takes the audience through an immersive experience of a Chicago public high school.

“I enjoyed the English festival because of the variety of events offered,” said Sara Henreckson ’15 of Hillpoint, Wisconsin. “Dr. Dokotum’s involvement ranged from a lecture to poetry reading. It was interesting to see both the depth and breadth of his work.”