Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

Karen KovacikKaren Kovacik

In the past few months, Dr. Karen Kovacik has gained respect and recognition both at home and abroad, with the title of Indiana Poet Laureate and a prestigious fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. 

When she officially takes on the job of state poet in January, 2012, she plans to "defend Hoosiers," by developing a blog to educate the public about the many unsung Indiana writers and by working with schools and libraries across the state to promote poetry reading and writing.

The NEA fellowship will support Kovacik’s translation into English of the work of Polish poet Agnieszka Kuciak, drawing from both published and unpublished material. Such work will be an extension of the connection Kovacik has already established with Polish writers.

She is currently translating and compiling an anthology of eighteen Polish women poets with the help of another award, an Indiana University New Frontiers grant that supports the work on the collection during her sabbatical leave this semester.

Kovacik says she focuses on women poets in her translations because Polish poetry in English translation has been essentially a "men’s club," with the exception of Wislawa Szymborska, and "women have not been translated enough."  One benefit of her award is the opportunity to travel to Poland.  First-hand research helps her to see the land from which the poetry came, talk to Polish poets, and gather feedback on her translation.

Translation is no walk in the park.  She says, "It’s like putting together a puzzle, and until the puzzle is beautiful and complete, you’re working on a nitty-gritty, painstaking level." She begins a translation by reading the piece and looking up highly connotative words for all of their uses, both antiquated and contemporary.  She then begins the drafting process of writing a translation and submitting the work to peers and colleagues for feedback.  She might even show it to the original poet, if possible, or a native speaker because, as she says, "In order to do something well, you have to open yourself up to feedback in both languages." Such a process of composition and revision is what leads Kovacik to a finely crafted translation.

At IUPIU, Kovacik’s responsibilities and accomplishments include her appointment as Professor of English and Director of Creative Writing.  She is the recipient of many awards, including a Fulbright Research Grant to Poland, the Charity Randall Citation from the International Poetry Forum, and an Arts Council of Indianapolis Creative Renewal Fellowship.  She is also the author of several collections of poetry including Metropolis Burning (Cleveland State 2005), Beyond the Velvet Curtain, winner of the Stan and Tom Wick Poetry Prize (Kent State University Press 1999), Nixon and I (Kent State University Press 1998), and Return of the Prodigal (Poetry Atlanta Press 1991).  Her poems and stories have also appeared in Glimmer Train, Chelsea, Massachusetts Review, and Salmagundi. 

Kovacik was born in East Chicago, IN and grew up in Highland, an area of the state known as "The Calumet Region" because of its proximity and closer connection with Chicago.  She reflects on her stomping grounds, saying, "People that grow up in the region don’t necessarily see themselves as much a part of Indiana as the rest of the state does." The region, it seems, was more of a melting pot, an eclectic mix of cultures, something that has influenced Kovacik throughout her teaching and writing career.

Coming from a family where almost no one attended college, Kovacik knew she wanted to break that pattern.  And though neither of her parents was fortunate enough to attain a college degree, she says, "We were always encouraged to read.  My parents placed high premium on learning." Kovacik attended Butler University for two years before transferring to Indiana University’s Bloomington campus, graduating in 1981 with dual Bachelor’s degrees in English and Spanish.  After graduation, Kovacik found work in her field as a writer and graphic artist for the IU Foundation.  She received her M.A. in Creative Writing from Cleveland State University in 1990, and her Ph.D. from Ohio State University in 1997.  With her formal education finished, Kovacik accepted a job offer from IUPUI and came back to Indiana. 

Through her commitment to teaching and hard work in publishing, Kovacik is an influence on-and inspiration to-her students.  "Take one of KK’s classes;" insists Caitlin Wash, student and creative writing major, "she’s the type of professor that makes college worthwhile and fun."

 

by Nicholas R. Hazelgrove

 

Former Spotlights

 

Mary Sauer—Retired Senior Lecturer

Ulla Connor—Professor of English

Estele Ene—Professor of English

Mary Jo Pride—Retired English Instructor

Denise Beck—English Instructor

Ken Davis and Richard Turner—Former Professors of English

Jane Schultz—Professor of English

Christian Kloesel—Former English Department Chair

Thom Upton—English  Department Chair

Mitchell Douglas—Assistant Professor of English