The Rocket

Issue date: 3/23/07 Section: Focus

Mark O'Connor [Click to enlarge]

There is an old adage, "Those who cannot do, teach."

While sometimes this saying may be true, this is not the case at SRU.

Many professors, in addition to teaching, also practice their various fields of expertise. Some are even awarded for it, as was the case for assistant English professor Mark O'Connor.

O'Connor was just recently awarded the Pennsylvania's Council on the Arts Individual Creative Artist Fellowship Award.

O'Connor won his award in the creative nonfiction essay category after submitting a number of his essays.

The PCA, which was founded in 1966 by then Gov. William D. Scranton, fosters the excellence, diversity and vitality of the arts in Pennsylvania. The PCA Fellowship Award is given to outstanding artists in all different aspects of the fine arts.

The awards gave range in categories from folk and traditional arts to blues and jazz music.

Recipients are selected following a rigorous evaluation process in which qualified arts professionals review submitted work samples and support materials. The review process is anonymous.

O'Connor's winning nonfiction essay dealt with nicknames in a bilingual family.

He said that he drew inspiration for his essay topic from his experiences with his own family.

"My mother is from Columbia," O'Connor said.

While O'Connor has been a professor at SRU for four years, he used to live in Texas. However, the PCA Fellowship Award was not the first recognition O'Connor has received for his work.

"While I was in Texas, I won the Houston Council Art Scholarship," O'Connor said. Even though this is not his first award, O'Connor was still thrilled to win. "I got a phone call from my state representative," O'Connor said. "It was an incredibly exciting phone call."

The PCA Fellowship Award was established to further the arts in Pennsylvania, and O'Connor believes the council is doing its job.

"I do believe that the PCA program is helping out the arts in Pennsylvania," O'Connor said. "It's a program that boosts people up and encourages them. It really does give people a chance to practice their art."

Along with the award comes a $5,000 scholarship.

O'Connor also said he plans to use the award stipend to relax.

"I think I'm going to take this summer off," O'Connor said. "I usually teach a summer class but I think I'll use the money to take time to just write. That's the best thing."

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