The Spring 2026 theme is Common Grounds: The People, Places, and Ideas That Connect Us. With this theme, we invite students to explore the interconnectedness in our communities despite our personal experiences that we sometimes think separate us, and the ways in which these common grounds function as a tether connecting us to one another. We encourage presenters to identify spaces of unity and partnership within shared spaces and among themselves and to show these using narratives and experiences in a variety of different media. Though this is an English Department event, we encourage all majors to share the work being done in their disciplines as it relates to this theme by submitting a proposal at the link here.
Both undergraduate and graduate students are invited to submit a proposal to present their scholarly work, including creative pieces, research studies, and teaching materials. Students may participate in a panel reading or poster presentation and may submit panel proposals as an individual or group (more instructions about how to submit as a group on the submission form). Each presentation is 15 minutes, and panels are followed by a question-answer session moderated by a faculty member.
Practical Criticism Midwest will be held in the Student Center on Friday, March 20, 2026. Questions can be directed to the student chairs, Ashleigh Cochran (ashleigh.cochran@bsu.edu) and Makayla Edwards (mjedwards@bsu.edu). We look forward to reviewing your work soon!