So, so glad that Penn State was willing to make space for this vital conversation. Alas, I could only catch one panel, but I did manage to hear great talks by Paul Erickson of AAS, Patricia Hswe of Penn State Library fame, and the inimitable Rebecca Schuman on their various paths — from happy and intentional to painful and indirect — to so-called alt-ac careers. I unfortunately missed the Q&A (had to go teach), but the conversations were unusually and refreshingly intimate and honest.

Kudos to Sean Goudie and the Center for American Literary Studies for putting this together.