INK! announces itself, loudly, just with its name –it's a student organization for any and all aspects of English and the literary arts.
And while writers have been stereotyped as quiet and reclusive, INK! works out in the open. The organization puts on reading events called Piranha's Parlor, where students read their stories and poetry.
INK! may seem to lend itself to a niche group, but the undergraduate English association isn’t limited to writers. The president of INK!, Ainsley McWaters, insists the group is incredibly diverse.
“There is a wide variety of ages,” McWaters said in an email. “We have some freshmen as well as some super super seniors. All of our events are advertised as open to all majors and ages. We focus on creating a community within the English program, but also incorporating the rest of the university and welcoming them to participate in events with us.”
INK! is working towards a number of goals and projects for this year, from service opportunities s to professor talks with the likes of Catherine Keyser and Qiana J. Whitted. They focus on incorporating the entire community, which is why the Piranha's Parlor event is so important.
“There is a poem by James Dickey called ‘Shark’s Parlor,’ and that is what the graduate English students call their read-aloud night of their work,” McWaters said. “Since we’re the baby sharks, we call our event Piranha’s Parlor! Basically, anyone can sign up and they read some of their work aloud to an audience. It seems like it might be intimidating and judgmental, but it really isn’t. Everyone that attends is really laid back and appreciative of the immense diversity of the work we get.”
Ladson Harvin, a sixth-year history and English student, has yet to share his own work but loves listening to those who have.
"Whether a reader wants to share something comedic or something dramatic and personal, attendees are always attentive, respectful, and interested," Harvin said.
Their biggest USC-supported event is the annual undergraduate literary conference. Every spring, students are encouraged to submit a paper to be judged by a panel of professors and judges.
And it need not be a creative piece — McWaters said students can read a term paper, if they wish, so long "as long as it holds some literary relevance."
Works must be submitted by mid-March, as the event will be held April 17, 2015.
Other upcoming plans include a tour of the Special Collections Library at Thomas Cooper, opportunities for working at Richland Library, and a movie night.
"My advice to prospective members is to take the first step and introduce yourself," Harvin said. After all, he only found out about INK! by walking up to the information booth at last year's organization fair on Greene Street. "I think joining a new club can feel daunting sometimes, but INK! has been incredibly welcoming to me and others."