As summer turns to fall, most ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ students are rushing to get their textbooks, parking permits and class schedules in order. But this semester, English literature major Emily Aycrigg is packing her bags with 17th-century attire for a conference in Victoria, Canada, where she will meet hundreds of Jane Austen fans from around the continent.
Aycrigg has won first place in the undergraduate division of the 2022 Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) Annual Essay Contest for her paper, βThe Old Well-Established Grievance: Generational Conflict in Austenβs Sense and Sensibilityβ out of more than 200 papers submitted. She has been awarded a check for $1,000, a Norton Critical Edition of every Jane Austen novel and a free invitation to JASNAβs annual general body meeting. There, she will discuss Austenβs work with fellow βJaneitesβ while attending presentations, banquets and even a regency-era ball.
While now an accomplished student, Aycrigg recalls struggling through her first bachelorβs degree in political science, philosophy and economics. But after graduating and teaching middle school English for several years, she found a renewed love for learning, which spurred her to enroll at ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ for a second degree to pursue her true passion: literature.
βOnce I got back on my feet and found a career I enjoyed, I thought: Iβd really like to go back to school and study the subject I love at a university Iβm proud of,β Aycrigg says. βAt ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½, I realized how much fun school actually is, getting to read interesting things and have cool discussions with cool people.β
A lifelong reader, Aycrigg grew up reading Jane Austen. Now as a student in the , she has discovered the value of analyzing classic works from a variety of perspectives.
βYou can simultaneously read for enjoyment, and for the broader cultural context, which I find fascinating,β Aycrigg says. βOne of the things Iβve learned from my literature degree at ΒιΆΉΣ³»΄«Γ½ is that just because youβre asked to critically analyze a text you used to have an uncomplicated love for, doesnβt mean that you canβt still love that text. Itβs just that youβre being taught to look at it through multiple lenses.β
The paper Aycrigg submitted to JASNAβs essay contest was the final assignment for the course British Authors: Jane Austen, taught by senior lecturer Kathleen Hohenleitner, who encouraged her students to apply. According to Hohenleitner, Aycrigg was extremely proactive in the class, always collaborating with her peers in discussions.
βEmily is an excellent writer, thinker and researcher,β Hohenleitner says, βbut what I most admire about her is how actively she engages with her peers and their ideas in every class she takes, whether in person or online. Every class she takes is better because she is in it. I think she richly deserves this award.β
Whatβs next in store for Aycrigg? Graduate school, she says. Ever the learner, Aycrigg hopes to continue her education with a doctoral degree, and keep doing what she loves: reading, writing and talking about books.
Aycriggβs paper can be read on the of the JASNA website.
±«°δΉσβs English literature bachelorβs program helps students develop the ability to read discerningly, think critically and write clearly. This track encompasses the study of literature in its historical, cultural and theoretical contexts. Students learn about the ways of people and society, as well as develop a lifelong pleasure to be found in this art form. The degree track is offered fully online and also on campus, providing an opportunity to learn where and how individuals want.
