On the 12/20/23 edition of Dr. Andy’s Poetry and Technology Hour:
Dr. Andy is joined by Father Andrew Lazo, where the two discuss ministry and poetry, specifically in the works of C.S. Lewis. Lazo shares the presence of humor in his journey as a high school teacher-turned-priest, as well as in his studies of Lewis. He then shares the Lewis poem, “The Nativity” and discusses the premise of his own podcast. Jane Beal joins the episode and imparts the discipline that is necessary to write, and the practices of reflective writing and thought mapping. Beal also discusses how her role as a midwife shapes her perspectives and emotional responses. She reads a series of haikus about the Descanso Gardens and a poem titled “Epiphany.” Dr. Andy and Alexandria Rockey explore the usefulness of technology, as well as the usefulness of striving towards accessibility within academic courses. As a professor at Bakersfield college, she follows principles in her teaching and in school policy that foster an open line of communication between students and educators.
The Rev. Andrew Lazo is an internationally-known speaker and writer specializing in C.S. Lewis and the Inklings. Andrew earned his BA (with Honors) from UC Davis Masters in Modern British Literature from Rice University where he was a Jacob K. Javits fellow in the Humanities. He is a frequent speaker around the U.S. and U.K. and has written several articles on C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien and co-host of Pints with Jack, a weekly podcast on the works of C. S. Lewis.
Dr. Jane Beal is Professor of English Literature and recent past Chair of the English Department at the University of La Verne in southern California. She is also a Lecturer in the University Writing Program at UC Davis. She received her BA, MA, and PhD in English with specializations in medieval and early modern literature. She also received a Certificate in Midwifery from Mercy in Action College of Midwifery. She has taught at Wheaton College, Colorado Christian University, and the University of La Verne, as well as UC Davis, and served as a midwife in the U.S., Uganda, and the Philippines. During the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, she completed a graduate Certificate in Narrative Medicine and an MFA in Creative Writing at Bay Path University. Her poetry collections include Sanctuary (2008), Rising (2015), and Song of the Selkie (2020) as well as seven haiku micro-chaps, Journey, Garden, Bliss, Wide Awake and Dreaming, In the Santa Cruz Mountains, Songs of Water, and Wilderness. She has created three audio recording projects combining poetry and music, “Songs from the Secret Life,” “Love-Song,” and “The Jazz Bird.” Her publications focus on medieval history of the world, the Polychronicon; a medieval dream vision poem called Pearl; and the mythology of J.R.R. Tolkien
Alexandria Rockey is a professor in Academic Technology at Bakersfield College. She has a PhD in Education from UC Davis. With more than 10 years of experience as an educator in K-16 contexts, she has expertise in teaching and researching mobile design, online education, and emerging technologies. Alex is passionate about the potential of online education and mobile-friendly course design to transform access to higher education.
The Poetry Night Reading Series, taking place on first and third Thursdays of the month at 7 PM. Our January 4th event will be an entirely open mic.
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