Marie Frazee-Baldassarre Professorship
Dr. Marie Frazee-Baldassarre '43, '46 M.A., left a generous bequest to Montclair State University for the creation of an English Department chair named in her honor. After earning a bachelor's degree, Miss Frazee joined the staff at Montclair State as a secretary in the Office of the Registrar. She earned a master's degree from Montclair and a doctorate from Columbia Teachers College. She worked her way through the ranks in the Registrar's Office before joining Academic Advising, where she was the adviser to the then School of Mathematics and Science. She also taught in the Department of Counseling, Human Development, and Educational Leadership.
Marie Frazee-Baldassarre worked for her alma mater for more than 45 years. "The only time I remember Marie asking for anything for herself was when she retired and she sheepishly inquired whether she could take her antique Royal manual typewriter with her into retirement," said former Provost Richard Lynde, who had the typewriter refurbished for her. "She will be remembered by generations of Montclair State alumni who knew her simply as Miss Frazee" (from Alumni Life 2003).
Lucy McDiarmid was appointed the first Marie Frazee-Baldassarre Professor of English. According to Dr. Frazee-Baldassarre's will, "The income of the fund may be used for the salary and related expenses for the professor including pensions, research, books, secretarial expenses and other purposes related to or connected with the work of the professorship." Professor McDiarmid, who took up this post in January 2009, has used the funds available to her for research, for professional travel, and for books and films on Irish subjects, which will be donated to the University upon her retirement.
In addition, McDiarmid has established the Marie Frazee-Baldassarre Lecture Series and the Marie Frazee-Baldassarre Irish Poetry Readings. The purpose of these visits is not only to provide stimulating conversation and lively company for the Marie Frazee-Baldassarre Professor (as indeed they have), but to enrich the lives of Montclair State University students, faculty, and staff by introducing them to many of the best Irish poets and Irish Studies scholars working today. Each scholar delivers a lecture to one of Professor McDiarmid's classes, engaging in discussion with students and faculty for an hour following the talk, and eats lunch or dinner with interested members of the English Department. The visiting Irish poets give a public reading attended by McDiarmid's students as well as those of other faculty teaching poetry courses. The students themselves host the poets at lunch before the reading and at coffee afterwards, so they are able to talk with the poets for an extended period of time and ask them questions about their writing.
Marie Frazee-Baldassarre Lecture Series
Spring 2024
Hugo Hamilton, Dublin
Adam Hanna, University College Cork
Fall 2023
Eve Patten, Trinity College Dublin
Claire Connolly, University College Cork
Spring 2022
Fintan O’Toole, Irish Times and Princeton University
Spring 2021
Linda Connolly, Maynooth University
Maureen O’Connor, University College Cork
Catriona Crowe, National Archives
Emma Dabiri, School of Oriental and African Studies,
University of London
Fall 2020
Lauren Arrington, Maynooth University
Maureen O’Rourke Murphy, Hofstra Univserity
Spring 2020
Margaret Kelleher, University College Dublin
Fall 2019
Geraldine Higgins, Emory University
Roy Foster, Oxford University
Fall 2018
Lauren Arrington, University of Liverpool
Spring 2018
Lucy Collins, University College Dublin
Angela Bourke, University College Dublin
Nicholas Grene, Trinity College Dublin
Fall 2017
Claire Connolly, University College Cork
Theo Dorgan, Dublin
Micheline Sheehy Skeffington, National University of Ireland Galway
Tina O’Toole, University of Limerick
Spring 2017
Yopie Prins, University of Michigan
Fall 2016
Adrian Frazier, National University of Ireland Galway
Spring 2015
Marjorie Howes, Boston College
Patricia Coughlan, University College Cork
Angela Bourke, University College Dublin
Fall 2014
Matthew Campbell, University of York
Spring 2014
Kevin Holohan, Brooklyn
Patricia Coughlan, University College Cork
Fall 2013
Theo Dorgan, Dublin
Heather O’Donoghue, University of Oxford
Spring 2013
Mary Trotter, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Anne Fogarty, University College Dublin
Fall 2012
Margaret Mills Harper, University of Limerick
Spring 2012
Clair Wills, Queen Mary, University of London
Fall 2011
Nicholas Grene, Trinity College Dublin
Yopie Prins, University of Michigan
Spring 2011
Nicholas Allen, National University of Ireland, Galway
Angela Bourke, University College Dublin
Claire Connolly, Cardiff University
Fall 2010
John Waters, Glucksman Ireland House, NYU
Tony Tracy, National University of Ireland, Galway
Spring 2010
James L. Pethica, Williams College
Rhona Richman Kenneally, Concordia University, Montreal
Anne Fogarty, University College Dublin
Maria DiBattista, Princeton University
Nicholas Grene, Trinity College Dublin
Fall 2009
Margaret Kelleher, National University of Ireland, Maynooth
Spring 2009
Adrian Frazier, National University of Ireland, Galway
Margaret O'Callaghan, Queen's University Belfast
Marie Frazee-Baldassarre Poetry Readings
Spring 2024
Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Dublin
Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin, Trinity College Dublin
Elisa Gonzalez, Bard College
Fall 2023
Rosamund Taylor, Dublin
Sasha Debevec-McKenney, Emory University
Spring 2022
Jenny Xie, Bard College
Martina Evans, London
Fall 2021
Saskia Hamilton, Barnard College
Tina Chang, Binghamton University
Paul Muldoon, Princeton University
Spring 2021
Theo Dorgan, Dublin
Paula Meehan, Dublin
Tara Bergin, Newcastle University
francine j. harris, University of Houston
Fall 2020
Jenny Xie, Bard College
Paul Muldoon, Princeton University
Catherine Ann Cullen, Poetry Ireland
Spring 2020
Colette Bryce, University College Dublin
Fall 2019
Leontia Flynn, Queen’s University Belfast
Natalie Diaz, Arizona State University
Fall 2018
Martina Evans, Royal Literary Fund Advisory Fellow
Monica Youn, Princeton University
Spring 2018
Tara Bergin, Newcastle University
Harryette Mullen, UCLA
Spring 2017
Ocean Vuong
Saskia Hamilton
Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin
Colette Bryce
Fall 2016
Vona Groarke
Alan Gillis
Spring 2015
Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill
Fall 2014
Saskia Hamilton, Barnard
Paul Muldoon, Princeton
Fall 2013
Paula Meehan
Bernard O’Donoghue
Fall 2012
Nick Laird
Vona Groarke
Spring 2012
Saskia Hamilton
Dennis O'Driscoll
Fall 2011
Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin
Bernard O' Donoghue
Fall 2010
Vona Groarke
Michael Longley
Fall 2009
Paula Meehan
Harry Clifton
Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin
Bernard O' Donoghue
Events Gallery
Professor Lucy McDiarmid with students in her Contemporary Irish Writing class, April 2024
Professor Adam Hanna before delivering a lecture to students in the Contemporary Irish Writing class, April 2024
Elisa Gonzalez with students in the Women Poets class, April 2024
Poet Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin reads her poetry to students in the Women Poets class, March 2024
Professor Claire Connolly on the Montclair State University campus before delivering a lecture to students in the Irish Revival class
Professor Eve Patten on the Montclair State University campus before delivering a lecture to students in the Irish Revival class
Rosamund Taylor with students in the Women Poets class, October 2023
Poet Sasha Debevec-McKenney with students in the Women Poets class, November 2023
Fintan O’Toole talks about Seamus Heaney to students in the Irish Revival class, April 2022
Martina Evans reads her poetry to students in the Women Poets class, April 2022
Poet Jenny Xie shows a photo of herself as a little girl in China to students in the Women Poets class, April 2022
Poet Paul Muldoon after a reading for faculty and students in Modern British and Irish Poetry, December 2021
Poet Tina Chang reads from her office at Binghamton University for students in Women Poets, November 2021
Poet Saskia Hamilton dines outdoors with students from Women Poets after her reading in October 2021
Poet francine j. harris reads from her home in Texas to students in Women Poets, April 2021
Author Emma Dabiri talks during her interview with Lucy McDiarmid to students in Contemporary Irish Literature, April 2021
Dr. Catriona Crowe lectures from her house in Dublin to students in Contemporary Irish Literature, April 2021
Poets Theo Dorgan and Paula Meehan read from their house in Dublin to students in Contemporary Irish Literature, St. Patrick’s Day, 2021
Poet Tara Bergin reads from her house in Yorkshire to students in Women Poets, March 2021
Actor/Writer Mark O’Halloran, March 2021
Dr. Maureen O’Connor lectures from her house in Galway to students in Women Poets, St. Patrick’s Day, 2021
Professor Linda Connolly lectures from her house in Cork to students in Contemporary Irish Literature, February 2021
Professor Maureen Murphy (top left, barely visible) lectures from her home on Long Island to students in The Irish Revival, December 2020
Poet/Songwriter Catherine Ann Cullen performs her songs from her house in Dublin to students in The Irish Revival, December 2020
Professor Lauren Arrington (top left) lectures from Dublin to students in The Irish Revival, November 2020
Poet Jenny Xie reads from her apartment in Greenwich Village to students in Women Poets, October 2020
Professor Margaret Kelleher (top left) lectures from her house in Dublin to students in The Irish Revival, April 2020
Poet Colette Bryce reads from her house in Newcastle upon Tyne to students in the Art of Poetry, March 2020
Professor Roy Foster with graduate students (and two faculty members; and Maud Gonne in the background) in Modern British and Irish Poetry
Professor Geraldine Higgins with guest professors and graduate students in Modern British and Irish Poetry.
Poet Natalie Diaz with students from the Women Poets class, November 2019
Poet Natalie Diaz with a student from the Women Poets class, November 2019
Poet Leontia Flynn with students from the Women Poets class, October 2019
Poet Leontia Flynn with students from the Women Poets class, October 2019
Poet Martina Evans with students from The Art of Poetry, October 2018
Professor Lauren Arrington with students from the Modern Irish Drama Class, November 2018
Poet Monica Youn with a student from The Art of Poetry, November 2018
Poet Monica Youn with a student from The Art of Poetry, November 2018
Poet Harryette Mullen with students from the Women Poets class, April 2018
Poet Tara Bergin with students from the Women Poets class, March 2018
Poet Tara Bergin signing her book for a student from the Women Poets class, March 2018
Dr. Tina O'Toole, University of Limerick, with students from The Irish Revival, December 2017
Writer and essayist Theo Dorgan, Dublin, with students from Modern Poetry to T. S. Eliot, November 2017
Dr. Micheline Sheehy Skeffington, National University of Ireland Galway, with students from The Irish Revival, November 2017
Professor Claire Connolly, University College Cork, with students from Modern Poetry to T. S. Eliot, October 2017.
Poet Colette Bryce with students from The Art of Poetry, April 2017
Poet Colette Bryce with students from The Art of Poetry, April 2017
Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin, Ireland Professor of Poetry, with students from the Women Poets class, April 2017
Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin, Ireland Professor of Poetry, meets the Montclair Red Hawk, April 2017
Poet Saskia Hamilton with students from the Women Poets class, February 2017
Students from the Women Poets class with books signed by Saskia Hamilton, February 2017
Poet Ocean Vuong with students from The Art of Poetry, February 2017
Poet Ocean Vuong with students from The Art of Poetry, February 2017
Professor Yopie Prins after lecturing to the Women Poets class on Sappho, January 2017
Poet Alan Gillis with students from The Art of Poetry, November 2016
Poet Vona Groarke with students from The Art of Poetry, October 2016
Professor Adrian Frazier before lecturing on Maud Gonne and Yeats to students in the Modern British and Irish Poetry M.A. seminar, October 2016
Professor Angela Bourke with students from Irish Women Writers, April 21, 2015
Poet Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill with students from Irish Women Writers, April 9, 2015
Professor Patricia Coughlan (picture of Irish writer Maeve Brennan reflected on her face) with students from Irish Women Writers, March 19, 2015
Professor Marjorie Howes with students from Irish Women Writers, March 3, 2015
Professor Matt Campbell with graduate students from the Modern British and Irish Poetry and Modernism seminars, November 18, 2014
Poet Paul Muldoon with students from The Art of Poetry, November 13, 2014
Poet Saskia Hamilton with students from The Art of Poetry, October 30, 2014
Professor Patricia Coughlan with graduate students from Contemporary Irish Literature, April 29, 2014
Kevin Holohan, novelist, with graduate students from Contemporary Irish Literature, March 4, 2014
Professor Heather O'Donoghue with students from Modern Poetry to T. S. Eliot, November 14, 2013
Poet Bernard O'Donoghue after lunch with students from The Art of Poetry, November 14, 2013
Poet and critic Theo Dorgan with students from Modern Poetry to T. S. Eliot, October 31, 2013
Paula Meehan, Ireland Professor of Poetry, with students from The Art of Poetry, October 31, 2013
Paula Meehan, Ireland Professor of Poetry, after lunch with students from The Art of Poetry, October 31, 2013
Professor Anne Fogarty and students from The Irish Revival (graduate class) and Modern British Novel (Professor Greenberg's class), April 2, 2013
Professor Mary Trotter and students from The Irish Revival, February 26, 2013
Professor Meg Mills Harper and students from the graduate seminar in Modern British and Irish Poetry (with Yeats's diagram for A Vision), November 20,2012
Poet Vona Groarke meets with students before her reading, November 8, 2012
Poet Vona Groarke with students after her reading, November 8, 2012
Poet Nick Laird meets with students before his reading, October 18, 2012
Poet Nick Laird with students after his reading, October 18,2012
Students in The Art of Poetry after lunch with poet Dennis O'Driscoll, April 19, 2012
Students in The Art of Poetry after poet Dennis O'Driscoll's reading, April 19, 2012
Poet Saskia Hamilton meets with students after her reading, February 23, 2012
Poet Saskia Hamilton reading at Montclair State, February 23, 2012
Poet Saskia Hamilton with students before her reading, February 23, 2012
Professor Nicholas Grene with students from the Modern Irish Drama (graduate) seminar, November 8, 2011
Poet Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin after lunch with students in Professor McDiarmid's Art of Poetry class, October 13, 2011
Students wait for poet Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin's poetry reading to begin, October 13, 2011
Professor Angela Bourke with students from the Irish Revival class, April 5, 2011
Poet Bernard O'Donoghue with students at Montclair State University, November 19, 2009
Poet Michael Longley with students at Montclair State University, October 28, 2010
Professor Maria DiBattista with students and faculty at Montclair State University, April 20, 2010
Poet Harry Clifton signs his book for a student, Montclair State University, October 29, 2009
Poet Paula Meehan reading at Montclair State, October 15, 2009