Medieval Institute

Medieval Institute
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5432 USA
(269) 387-8745

Events

The Medieval Institute sponsors visiting lectures and social events throughout the year, as well as workshops on pedagogy and professional development for MA students. We work in collaboration with The Medieval Research Group and the Goliardic Society, which organize events open to all interested medievalists in a variety of venues. 

We also seek to foster fellowship and intellectual exchange among students and faculty at 51¸£ÀûÉç and with members of the Kalamazoo community interested in Medieval Studies. If you have questions regarding any of the events listed, please contact us. 

Spring 2025 Events

All workshops meet on Fridays from 1:00pm–2:30pm in the RRC, unless otherwise noted.

  • January 12
    • Spring advising meetings with Professor Berkhofer 
    • Required for all Medieval Institute MA students
  • February 7
    • Expressing Values through Practice: Teaching Philosophies in the Classroom with Professor Lofty Durham
    • Required for all GAs assigned to teaching, but open to others who would like to attend 
  • February 21
    • Applying for PhD Programs with Professors Schulman and Berkhofer
    • Open to all Medieval Institute MA students, alumni, and graduate students in affiliated departments 
  • March (date TBD)
    • Loew Series Workshop
    • Digital Humanities and Teaching Old French Literature with Professors Lynn Ramey and Jake Abell
    • Required for all GAs assigned to teaching, but open to others who would like to attend 
  • January 24, 2025
    • Colloquium, 6:00pm–8:00pm, Off-campus
  • February 28, 2025
    • Colloquium, 6:00pm–8:00pm, Off-campus
  • March 28, 2025
    • Colloquium, 6:00pm–8:00pm, Off-campus
  • April 25, 2025
    • Colloquium, 6:00pm–8:00pm, Off-campus

Fall 2024 Events

  • August 23, Medieval Institute Graduate Student Orientation
    • 9:00am–4:30pm, Walwood Hall
    • New MAs and all TAs
  • August 30, Graduate Handbook review
    • 1:00pm–2:30pm, RRC
    • New MAs only, followed by individual advising meetings
  • September 6, Welcome Reception
    • 5:00pm–7:00pm, Walwood Lobby & RRC
    • All students, staff, faculty, and friends
  • November 1
    - Goliardic Society* Fall Lecture, 6:00–8:00pm, Alfred B. Connable Board Room
    - Dr. Joseph Derosier, “From Colonial Fantasies to Trans Protagonists: Ethics and Practice in Medieval Romanceâ€
    - *This event is organized and sponsored by the Goliardic Society

All pedagogy workshops meet on Fridays from 1:00pm–2:30pm in the RRC.

  • September 6
    • Subject: Grading, part 1
    • All first-time MDVL 2000 TAs
  • September 13
    • Subject: Grading, part 2, and discussion of plagiarism 
    • All first-time MDVL 2000 TAs
  • October 4
    • Subject: Designing and writing prompts and exams 
    • All first-time MDVL 2000 TAs
  • October 11, Groundwork for Effective Teaching Practices 
    • All TAs, led by Prof. Lofty Durham
  • November 8, Best Practices in Teaching: Ideas and Implementation
    • All TAs, led by Prof. Lofty Durham
  • August 30
    • Studium, 10:00am–12:00pm, Zhang Legacy Collections Center
    • Colloquium, 6:00pm–8:00pm, Off-campus
      - Presentation by Will Rogers and Alisa Heskin 
  • September 6
    • Studium, 10:00am–12:00pm, Zhang Legacy Collections Center
  • September 13
    • Studium, 10:00am–12:00pm, Zhang Legacy Collections Center
    • Quaestio, 3:00pm–4:00pm, Zhang Legacy Collections Center
      - Presentation by Molly Lynde-Recchia and Marjorie Harrington on a new facsimile of MS Bodley 264 from the Zhang Special Collections
  • September 20
    • Studium, 10:00am–12:00pm, Zhang Legacy Collections Center
    • Colloquium, 6:00pm–8:00pm, Off-campus
      - Presentation by Hunter Morgan
  • September 27
    • Studium, 10:00am–12:00pm, Zhang Legacy Collections Center
  • October 4
    • Studium, 10:00am–12:00pm, Zhang Legacy Collections Center
    • Colloquium, 6:00pm–8:00pm, Off-campus
      - Presentation by Paige Clark and Katarina Rexing
  • October 11
    • Studium, 10:00am–12:00pm, Zhang Legacy Collections Center
    • Quaestio, 3:00pm–4:00pm, Zhang Legacy Collections Center
      - Presentation by Jana Schulman
  • October 25
    • Studium, 10:00am–12:00pm, Zhang Legacy Collections Center
  • November 1
    • Studium, 10:00am–12:00pm, Zhang Legacy Collections Center
    • Colloquium, 1:00pm–2:30pm, Alfred B. Connable Board Room (112E Walwood)
      - Presentation by Luigi Andrea Berto
  • November 8
    • Studium, 10:00am–12:00pm, Zhang Legacy Collections Center
    • Quaestio, 3:00pm–4:00pm, Zhang Legacy Collections Center
      - Presentation by Nathan Tabor
  • November 15
    • Studium, 10:00am–12:00pm, Zhang Legacy Collections Center
    • Colloquium, 6:00pm–8:00pm, Off-campus
      - Book Review Workshop with Emily Brown, Alisa Heskin, Kylie Owens, and William Rogers
  • November 22
    • Studium, 10:00am–12:00pm, Zhang Legacy Collections Center
  • December 6
    • Studium, 10:00am–12:00pm, Zhang Legacy Collections Center
  • November 4
    - Kalamazoo College Dept. of Classics Lecture Series, 4:30pm, Olmsted Room, Mandelle Hall
    - Dr. Katherine Krauss, "Rereading the Past: Virgil in Late Antiquity"