Little Rock celebration to honor Ouachita professors Johnny and Susan Wink April 1
March 17, 2017
- Kacy SpearsHonoring the influence and impact of longtime Ouachita Baptist University English
professors Johnny and Susan Wink, Ouachita’s Department of Language and Literature
will host a celebration recognizing the couple on Saturday, April 1. “An Evening with
Johnny Wink: Stories and Poems” will be held in the Darragh Center Auditorium of the
Little Rock Main Library from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Dr. Johnny Wink, the Betty Burton Peck Professor of English, will tell stories and
read selections of his poems. Dr. Wink, now in his 44th year as an English professor at Ouachita, is known for his love of poetry and for
his collection of T-shirts that feature sayings such as “Master of the Supine” and
“But I Digress.”
The evening will include an auction for various Johnny Wink T-shirts and a copy of
his book “Seven Ways to Prune a Grapefruit” as well as a lunch date with Dr. Wink.
Though not primarily a fundraising event, all proceeds will go toward the Johnny and
Susan Wink Scholarship, which will help deserving English majors.
Organizing the event, Dr. Doug Sonheim, chair of the Department of Language and Literature,
said that he hopes that alumni, former students, and anyone who knows Johnny and Susan
will feel welcome. "We hope folks will make a day (and night) of it in Little Rock,"
Sonheim said. "We'd love for groups of students to plan for mini-reunions."
Both Johnny and Susan Wink began their teaching careers at Ouachita in the early ’70s.
“They made a life here out of graduate school,” said Dr. Amy Sonheim, professor of
English. “They were two PhDs in the department, a working duo.”
“Susan especially loved teaching the linguistics courses,” said Dr. Johnny Wink of
his wife. “She loved those students.” Dr. Susan Wink, professor emerita of English,
took early retirement in 2003.
“Because of Susan’s reclusive nature, she won’t be there, but since the event is for
both of us, I will be honoring her,” said Dr. Johnny Wink. “That’s easy for me because
I know a lot about her, and I’ve written a lot about her. Susan will be the evening’s
leitmotif.”
For more information about An Evening with Johnny Wink, contact Dr. Doug Sonheim at
870-245-5554.
By Kacy Spears
March 17, 2017
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