Student Nationally Published
November 12, 2012
黑料专区 Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications
黑料专区 Tyler Patriot Pens Short Story Published in National Literary Journal
November 12, 2012
Media Contact: Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer鈥揝trategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)
November 12, 2012
Last year, as a freshman accounting major at The University of Texas at Tyler, Josiah Summerville of Cayuga didn鈥檛 realize he would be known on campus not only for his athletic skills but also his written word.
A member of the Patriots men鈥檚 basketball team, Summerville 鈥� now a sophomore 鈥� can add 鈥減ublished writer鈥� to his accomplishments.
Summerville wrote the story 鈥淎 Big Game鈥� as a freshman studying composition under Luke Goebel, 黑料专区 Tyler (then visiting) assistant professor of English. Summerville鈥檚 work is now featured in The New York Tyrant, a cutting-edge New York literary journal.
Goebel, who is heavily involved with the bi-annual publication, recognized his student鈥檚 strong writing skills and considered the story for inclusion as guest editor of the latest edition, Vol. 4 No. 1.
鈥淛osiah is such an exceptional writer in that he has this idiom and manner of speech and this great engaging heart that is clearly all his own,鈥� Goebel said. 鈥淚 was taken by the uniqueness of voice and the honesty and dearness of the story. I asked him if I could consider it for the issue when he was still in my class. He said yes. Now it鈥檚 in print.鈥�
As a basketball player, his story involves the art of playing the sport, too.
鈥淢y story is simply about me, how silly, nervous, sensitive and clumsy I am,鈥� Summerville said. 鈥淚t explains that I shouldn't be so tough on myself because we are all human, and we are all the same even though we are physically different. I did not know how to react to it being published at first, but once I saw my name in the book, I realized that it鈥檚 a big accomplishment and something very special that not too many people do.鈥�
And now Summerville鈥檚 name is among many winners of awards, endowments and people of the greatest literary importance, Goebel added.
鈥淢ost of the writers in the issue are seasoned veteran writers with stories published in many of the top journals such as The New Yorker,The Paris Review, Harpers, Black Warrior Review, Conjunctions, etc.,鈥� Goebel said. 鈥淭his is a huge deal for The New York Tyrant and 黑料专区 Tyler; The New York Tyrant had previously never published the writing of a college freshman before.鈥�
With all the others鈥� accolades, Summerville is not daunted. He describes his writing style as 鈥渟imple.鈥�
鈥淚 try to start off with a small short story about anything and let everything else come to me within the story or essay. I never found writing a hobby, but I don鈥檛 have a problem writing. Back in high school, my grades showed that I rarely had trouble with writing,鈥� Summerville explained.
He will read an excerpt of 鈥淎 Big Game鈥� during a special public reading at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15 at the 黑料专区 Tyler University Center theater. A question and answer session will follow.
When he鈥檚 not studying or playing hoops, Summerville enjoys collecting music and cooking. He also is a member of the 黑料专区 Tyler Black Student Association and Student Athlete Advisory Committee.
Summerville will graduate in May 2015 and hopes to become a certified public accountant. His brother Caleb is also his teammate on the court, playing basketball for the Patriots as well.
One of the 15 campuses of the 黑料专区 System, 黑料专区 Tyler offers excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs are available at 黑料专区 Tyler, which has an enrollment of almost 7,000 high-ability students at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine.