A Letter from MLA Executive Director Paula M. Krebs Urging Support of Convention Attendance
January 2024
Dear Colleague,
Please consider supporting the participation of your faculty members at the annual convention of the Modern Language Association, which will take place in New Orleans this coming January. In-person and online sessions give faculty members and graduate students different options for attending.
The convention brings together scholars, teachers, and writers from a variety of humanities fields to share their work; pursue professional development opportunities; and learn about the latest research in language, literature, cultural studies, and writing studies. Attendees will benefit from workshops designed to help them grow as scholars, writers, departmental leaders, external reviewers, and humanities advocates. They’ll be invited to provide or receive mentorship, to network with other scholars, and to hone their pedagogical skills. They’ll be able to discover the latest publications in their fields and engage with scholarly press editors. And they’ll be prepared to use what they learn to help strengthen your department and institution.
The convention is also the MLA’s annual governance meeting, where members participate in the Delegate Assembly, decide policy, and gather to hear the Presidential Address and Presidential Plenaries on topics of urgent importance to the profession.
We at the MLA strive to make the convention a rewarding experience for members at every stage of their careers. Research sessions inform attendees about the latest work in their fields, as well as in fields adjacent to or even far from their own—that aspect of the convention, along with all the professional development training, makes this convention different from smaller, specialized gatherings. Professional development sessions offer help to graduate students and department chairs and guidance to those looking for grants or publishers.
We see the convention as a valuable experience for anyone in the humanities, and we hope you will extend professional development funds to your faculty members to enable them to attend.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Paula M. Krebs
Executive Director