L to R: Duane Milne, Ph.D.; Melanie Kisthardt, Ph.D.; Courtney Gambrell, Sister Susan Cronin, IHM, Ph.D.

Immaculata University’s Courtney Gambrell of Newtown Square, PA, presented her poster “Demystifying Charles Chesnutt’s Tales of Conjure” at the Undergraduate Research at the recent Capitol Conference in Harrisburg.

Gambrell was one of 36 students representing 17 colleges and universities from across the state who gathered with faculty and Pennsylvania legislators and staff to share their research. The goal of the conference was to demonstrate that research is important to the educational development of college students and that they can make valuable contributions that enrich the knowledge, cultural heritage, and economic well-being of Pennsylvania.

Charles Chesnutt was a 19^th-century author who was the first African-American writer to be published in The Atlantic Monthly. Chesnutt wrote many of his stories in regional dialect, and Melanie Kisthardt, Ph.D., chair of Immaculata’s English/Communication Department, noticed that her students were struggling to understand the unfamiliar language and phonetic spellings. Wishing to honor Chesnutt’s literary achievements and to extend the longevity of the literature so that its meaning would not be misunderstood, Gambrell began translating the stories into modern English.

Under Kisthardt’s direction, Gambrell spent two years working on four of Chesnutt’s “conjure” short stories. In them, ex-slave Julius McAdoo describes incidents in which slaves turned to “conjure,” or voodoo, to endure the inhumanity of slavery. This emphasis on voodoo made the slaves feel empowered and linked them to their African roots.  In addition to the close reading necessary for her translations, Gambrell researched “local color” literature, Chesnutt’s diaries and letters, and the presence of voodoo in America and the Caribbean as a result of the African diaspora.

Immaculata University is a Catholic, comprehensive, coeducational institution of higher education, located on the Main Line between Malvern and Exton, 20 miles west of Philadelphia.

For more information, please contact Lynn Giltinan at 610-647-4400, ext. 3245 or lgiltinan@immaculata.edu. Register online for the April 9 event or for the June 18 or July 16 events at www.immaculata.edu/transfer-tuesdays.

Immaculata University offers more than 60 majors, minors, certificate, and pre-professional programs, including athletic training, business, nursing, health care management, emergency planning and management, finance, criminology, education, and information technology. Immaculata offers flexible accelerated and online degree programs as well as courses delivered online, on-campus, off-site, or in a blended format.

Immaculata University is a Catholic, comprehensive, coeducational institution of higher education, located on the Main Line between Malvern and Exton, 20 miles west of Philadelphia.

Registration begins at 1 p.m., and the program concludes at 5 p.m. For more information, please contact the College of Undergraduate Studies Office of Admission at 610-647-4400, ext. 3060 or admiss@immaculata.edu, or register online at http://www.immaculata.edu/admissions/cus/openhouse.

The College of Undergraduate Studies offers more than 60 majors, minors, certificate, and pre-professional programs, including athletic training, business, fashion merchandising, criminology, education, and nursing. Students can participate in an array of leadership opportunities, service projects, internships, and athletic activities. In addition to scholarships and financial aid, Immaculata offers four-year fixed-rate tuition, helping undergraduates plan their college expenses.

Immaculata University is a Catholic, comprehensive, coeducational institution of higher education, located on the Main Line between Malvern and Exton, 20 miles west of Philadelphia.

Representatives from the Office of Admissions and the Division of Nursing will be available to discuss the program, review admission requirements, and provide tours of the nursing facilities. For more information, please contact Christopher Mayerski, nursing admission counselor, at 610-647-4400 ext. 3044 or cmayerski@immaculata.edu.

Immaculata University has been educating nurses for more than 25 years, providing an award-winning holistic health care program, as recognized by the American Holistic Nurses Association. Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Immaculata’s B.S.N. program addresses the needs of a changing health care delivery system and promotes nursing as a key role in primary health care and the continuum of care from health promotion to disease management.

The College of Undergraduate Studies offers more than 60 majors, minors, certificate, and pre-professional programs. Students may participate in an array of leadership opportunities, service projects, internships, and athletic activities. In addition to scholarships and financial aid, Immaculata offers four-year fixed-rate tuition, helping undergraduates plan their college expenses.

Immaculata University is a Catholic, comprehensive, coeducational institution of higher education, located on the Main Line between Malvern and Exton, 20 miles west of Philadelphia.

These two events, held in the Lillian Lettiere Center, will provide an overview of the admission process, academics, financial aid and scholarships, as well as time for questions and answers. For more information, please call 1-877-42-TODAY or e-mail admiss@immaculata.edu. Learn about more campus visit opportunities and admission events at www.immaculata.edu/visit.

The College of Undergraduate Studies offers more than 60 majors, minors, certificate, and pre-professional programs, including athletic training, business, fashion merchandising, criminology, education, and nursing. Students can participate in an array of leadership opportunities, service projects, internships, and athletic activities. In addition to scholarships and financial aid, Immaculata offers four-year fixed-rate tuition, helping undergraduates plan their college expenses.

Immaculata University is a Catholic, comprehensive, coeducational institution of higher education, located on the Main Line between Malvern and Exton, 20 miles west of Philadelphia.

For more information, please contact Chris Mayerski, transfer coordinator, at cmayerski@immaculata.edu or 610-647-4400 ext. 3044. Learn about more campus visit opportunities and admission events at www.immaculata.edu/visit.

The College of Undergraduate Studies offers more than 60 majors, minors, certificate, and pre-professional programs, including athletic training, business, fashion merchandising, criminology, education, and nursing. Students can participate in an array of leadership opportunities, service projects, internships, and athletic activities. In addition to scholarships and financial aid, Immaculata offers four-year fixed-rate tuition, helping undergraduates plan their college expenses.

Immaculata University is a Catholic, comprehensive, coeducational institution of higher education, located on the Main Line between Malvern and Exton, 20 miles west of Philadelphia.

This event will be held in the Lillian Lettiere Center, and students may stop by any time between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. For more information, please contact Chris Mayerski, transfer coordinator, at cmayerski@immaculata.edu or 610-647-4400 ext. 3044. Learn about more campus visit opportunities and admission events at www.immaculata.edu/visit.

The College of Undergraduate Studies offers more than 60 majors, minors, certificate, and pre-professional programs, including athletic training, business, fashion merchandising, criminology, education, and nursing. Students can participate in an array of leadership opportunities, service projects, internships, and athletic activities. In addition to scholarships and financial aid, Immaculata offers four-year fixed-rate tuition, helping undergraduates plan their college expenses.

Immaculata University is a Catholic, comprehensive, coeducational institution of higher education, located on the Main Line between Malvern and Exton, 20 miles west of Philadelphia.

The event will include an overview of academics, campus life, athletics, financial aid and the admission process, with time for questions and answers. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy Christmas cookies and hot chocolate, live piano music, and the 25-foot decorated Christmas tree in the Rotunda.

For more information, contact Jennifer Yost, admission counselor, at jyost1@immaculata.edu or 610-647-4400 ext. 3017. Register for a session and learn about more admission events at my.immaculata.edu/visit.

The College of Undergraduate Studies offers more than 60 majors, minors, certificate, and pre-professional programs, including athletic training, business, fashion merchandising, criminology, education, and nursing. Students can participate in an array of leadership opportunities, service projects, internships, and athletic activities. In addition to scholarships and financial aid, Immaculata offers four-year fixed-rate tuition, helping undergraduates plan their college expenses.

Immaculata University is a Catholic, comprehensive, coeducational institution of higher education, located on the Main Line between Malvern and Exton, 20 miles west of Philadelphia.

To accommodate adult undergraduates’ needs, Immaculata offers flexible accelerated and online degree programs as well as courses delivered online, on-campus, or in a blended format. Professionals can earn degrees in fields such as financial management, nursing, health care management, information technology, communication, and emergency planning and management, completing their coursework in a convenient schedule that fits with their work and family responsibilities.

To RSVP for the Open House or to get more information about programs for adult students, contact Lynn Giltinan at 610-647-4400, ext. 3245 or lgiltinan@immaculata.edu.

The event will include an overview of academics, campus life, athletics, financial aid and the admission process, with time for questions and answers. All visitors will receive a guided tour of the campus including stops at academic buildings, athletic facilities, the dining hall, and the library.

For more information, contact Jennifer Yost, admission counselor, at jyost1@immaculata.edu or 610-647-4400 ext. 3017. Register for a session and learn about more admission events at www.immaculata.edu/visit.

The College of Undergraduate Studies offers more than 60 majors, minors, certificate, and pre-professional programs, including athletic training, business, fashion merchandising, criminology, education, and nursing. Students can participate in an array of leadership opportunities, service projects, internships, and athletic activities. In addition to scholarships and financial aid, Immaculata offers four-year fixed-rate tuition, helping undergraduates plan their college expenses.