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5 WINTER 2020 T C N J M A G A Z I N E VOLUME 24 NO. 2 John P. Donohue David W. Muha Publishers Renée Olson Editor Kara Pothier MAT '08 Associate editor Kelly Andrews Art director Christopher Hann Liz Leyden Emily Nunn David Pavlak John T. Ward Contributors Lauren H. Adams Bill Cardoni Andrew Cislak Dustin Fenstermacher Peter Murphy Photographers Peter Arkle Tim Marrs Kathryn Rathke K. L. Ricks Illustrators TCNJ Magazine is published three times per year (fall, winter, and spring) by The College of New Jersey, Division of College Advancement, PO Box 7718, Ewing, NJ 08628-0718. The opinions expressed in these pages are those of the contributing writers and not necessarily those of The College of New Jersey. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Office of Alumni Engagement The College of New Jersey PO Box 7718 Ewing, NJ 08628-0718 tcnjmagazine.com Comments from our readers are important to us. Send an email to magazine@tcnj.edu, or write to: Editor, TCNJ Magazine, Office of Communications, PO Box 7718, Ewing, NJ 08628-0718. All comments are subject to editing for clarity and length and must include the name and address of the writer, as well as a phone number for confirmation. professor? Who inspired you? Who put you on a path you never imagined? LEFT TO RIGHT Juda Bennett Chair and professor, Department of English Salient fact Used his psychological savvy when broaching the idea of writing a book about Morrison to his colleagues — and it worked. Education PhD in American literature, Washington University in St. Louis Winnifred Brown-Glaude Associate professor of sociology, chair, Department of African-American Studies Her superpower Brought decadent cupcakes from The Gingered Peach in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, to book club meetings — but never took a bite herself. Education PhD in sociology, Temple University Roxane Gay Author and cultural critic Where to find her On Twitter, where she has more than 600,000 followers What she wears A portable Scrabble board with shoulder straps (she plays competitively) Other employment Visiting associate professor, Yale University, New York Times contributing op-ed writer Cassandra Jackson Professor of English Safety zone She thinks of the book club as group therapy because there aren't a lot of other places where she can sit in a place and tell her truths. Education PhD in English, Emory University MEET THE "TRUTH BE BOLD" CONTRIBUTORS This issue's cover story (page 20) is an arresting interview with the four faculty-authors who wrote The Toni Morrison Book Club (2020). And who better to interview them but Roxane Gay, whom The New York Times asked to write about Morrison upon the icon's death last year. Piper Kendrix Williams Associate professor of English, African-American studies Clean slate Before the book's release, Williams shared her writing about dating white boys while in high school with her mother, a theologian who hadn't been privy to these stories at the time. Education PhD in English, Rutgers University Imagery Lauren H. Adams Photographer What she reads Memoirs. Her favorite being Educated by Tara Westover (that is, until she reads Book Club). Education BFA, University of the Arts, Philadelphia Tim Marrs Illustrator Where to find him At his home overlooking the sea on England's southern coast His work Mixes drawing and photography, using print and digital techniques Featured in The Guardian, Entertainment Weekly, Nike, Brand Jordan, Saatchi & Saatchi Listen to the podcast Bennett, Brown-Glaude, Jackson, and Williams recorded their interview with Roxane Gay via Skype. Listen to the full discussion at tcnj.edu/Morrisonpodcast. SEND 500 vivid words, max, and photos to magazine@tcnj.edu LEAVE voicemail at 609-771-3071 POST to Instagram or Twitter with #TCNJfaveprof Selected submissions will be used for an upcoming issue of TCNJ Magazine. Tell us why your professor still lives in your heart by February 29, 2020 >

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