Elizabeth West was appointed to the John B. and Elena Diaz-Verson Amos Distinguished Chair in English Letters at Georgia State University in Atlanta. Professor West’s research focuses on interdisciplinary studies of early African diaspora literatures of the Americas with particular emphasis on connections of spirituality and gender from early to contemporary works. Deondra Rose was named the Kevin D. Gorter Associate Professor in the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.