You may have noticed a slight change…that’s because we are excited to announce our name change from Andalusia Institute to the Flannery O’Connor Institute for the Humanities (thanks to the Flannery O’Connor Trust for allowing us to use the name). We feel like this name change will allow us to distinguish ourselves from the historic property (Andalusia), and it will also allow us to increase our programming.

Flannery O’Connor once wrote that a good story “hangs on and expands in the mind,” and in that same vein, we feel that this name change will allow the institute to really expand—expand the reach of our audience and expand our programming. We hope to continue to offer a variety of programs for fans of Flannery O’Connor, to support scholars, and hopefully inspire the next Flannery O’Connor. We think this name change will open up even more possibilities for the Institute. Finally, I want to thank our strategic planning team who gave up their time this summer to help us envision the future of the institute and suggested the rebranding.

Dr. Jordan Cofer

The farm is celebrating and you're invited! Birthday weekend events include:

• 03/21: Musician Colin Cutler performs at 6 p.m. at the Interpretive Center. He will also perform at Buffington's in downtown Milledgeville from 9-11 p.m.
• 03/23: Birthday celebration! Tours will be free, and we'll have our standard birthday celebration with a cake cutting and singing. The Interpretive Center is also opening a new exhibition on Flannery's miniature collection Saturday.
• 03/25: Stay tuned for details on a virtual event focusing on Louis Cline.

Writing workshops for spring 2024 have begun! Join us for writing and podcasting activities for 5th graders at the following times and locations:

• Allen's Market, Monday & Wednesday 4:00-5:15 p.m.
• Mary Vinson Memorial Library children's theater, Tuesday & Thursday 4:00-5:15 and 5:30-6:45 p.m.
• Mary Vinson Memorial Library local history room, Saturday 12:00-2:00 p.m.

Parents/guardians should attend workshops with students. Registration is free and materials are provided!

Please reach out with any questions at 478-445-0816 or jessica.mcquain@gcsu.edu

Jessica McQuain, Writing for Success project coordinator

Featuring storytelling by local 5th-grade students as well as interviews with authors like Mary Carpenter, Chika Unigwe, Kerry James Evans, Laura Newbern, Kerry Beth Neville, and more!

This conference on Flannery O'Connor's life and works, sponsored by the Andalusia Institute at Georgia College, by the Flannery O'Connor Review, and by Andalusia Farm: the Home of Flannery O'Connor, will be held September 12-15, 2024 on the Georgia College campus in Milledgeville. Our conference is part of the world-wide celebration of Flannery O'Connor's centennial.

Speaking slots are limited. Send your paper proposal of 100-200 words, on any aspect of O'Connor's life and works, to Marshall Bruce Gentry at bruce.gentry@gcsu.edu by May 15, 2024. The conference program will be finalized and announced by July, 1 2024.

Be on the lookout for updates about our conference planning by visiting the website of the Flannery O'Connor Institute at https://www.gcsu.edu/oconnorinstitute. Please feel free to share the announcement by saving the poster below and sharing with your networks.

Conference Organizing Committee:

• Marshall Bruce Gentry, English Dept., Georgia College (Committee Chair)
• Jordan Cofer, FOIH, Georgia College
• Matt Davis, Andalusia: the Home of Flannery O'Connor, Georgia College
• Robert Donahoo, English Dept, Sam Houston State University
• Kerry Neville, Creative Writing, Georgia College
• Katie Simon, English Dept, Georgia College

Because of the generous financial support from NEH, we will not charge a fee for registration. This conference has been made possible by a major grant (EH-288088-22) from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

We need workers and volunteers to help with "Flannery O'Connor's Second Century: Looking Forward, Looking Back," the conference we will be hosting at Georgia College from Sept. 12 to Sept. 15, 2024.

We need help with such things as running the conference check-in table, escorting speakers, helping with technology in meeting rooms, and providing transportation. To apply for a job as a GCSU student worker, go to GCSUJobs and look for position no. 269308. To apply for a casual labor position (for those not currently enrolled at GCSU), look for position 269326. Questions and resumes may be sent to Bruce Gentry at bruce.gentry@gcsu.edu.

The O'Connor Book Club will continue discussing O'Connor's letters in spring 2024. We had a great time at January's book club! Meetings will take place both in person at the Georgia Writers Museum in Eatonton at 2:00 p.m. and via Zoom at 7:00 p.m. Please register for the Zoom link. No registration is necessary for the in-person event but we do recommend you arrive early to treat yourself to refreshments from the coffee shop.

Mar. 21: Letters written in 1961 and 1962, pp. 425-503 in The Habit of Being

Click here to sign up for March

Apr. 25: Letters written in 1963 and 1964, pp. 503-96 in The Habit of Being

Click here to sign up for April

Bruce Gentry, Andalusia Institute Fellow