McKendree Professor Will Judge Poetry Contest State Finals
Lebanon, Ill. — Dr. Jenny Mueller, associate professor of English at McKendree University,
will be a judge for the Illinois state finals of the Poetry Out Loud competition in
Springfield on March 14.
Poetry Out Loud is a national recitation contest that encourages high school students
to learn about great poetry, master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and
learn about their literary heritage. It is co-sponsored by the Poetry Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts
and coordinated with arts agencies in all 50 states. Each state agency helps high
schools set up their own contests and then creates regional finals, which culminate
in the state finals. Winners at the state level go on to compete nationally in Washington,
D.C., April 29-30. They also receive a cash prize and their schools receive a stipend
for the purchase of poetry books.
Dr. Mueller teaches poetry and creative writing at McKendree and advises “The Montage”
student literary magazine. Her poetry has been published in numerous journals, magazines
and anthologies.
-McK-
