Professor emeritus Karl Jirgens, founder of the international literary journal Rampike, continues to write, create visual art and participate in scholarly work beyond the classroom. (KYLE ARCHIBALD/University of Windsor)
By Victor Romao
Long before Karl Jirgens earned a PhD, founded an international literary journal or stepped into a university classroom, a high school teacher helped him see writing in a different light.
“Writing is just another medium with its own peculiarities,” he says, recalling a lesson from high school teacher Alan Bevan that would help shape a career spanning literature, publishing, visual art and education.
Now professor emeritus of English at the University of Windsor, Jirgens reflects on decades of creativity, scholarship and community engagement.
In 1979, he founded Rampike an international literary journal that published contemporary art, writing and theory from around the world while maintaining a strong focus on Canadian content.
Over nearly four decades, he served as its editor and publisher, guiding 24 volumes before its final issue appeared in 2016.
Jirgens says his route to academia developed through practice as much as formal study.
“I followed literature because I kept getting better at it,” he says. “Eventually, I figured it out and got my PhD. In the meantime, I worked as a journalist, publisher and freelance writer. So, I learned the skill from the inside out.”
After teaching at institutions including the University of Toronto, York University, the University of Guelph and Laurentian University, Jirgens joined the University of Windsor, where he found both colleagues and students who enriched his work.
Asked what students need most from educators today, Jirgens points first to compassion.
“Compassion first,” he says. “Students today have a tougher time than we did, when we were young. Things are a lot harder now, politically and economically and socially.”
Beyond publishing, Jirgens has also pursued competitive swimming and martial arts.
He qualified for Canadian national competitions three times and set records in swimming.
Later, he pursued martial arts, eventually earning a ninth-degree black belt after decades of training and teaching. He also established a taekwondo school in Sault Ste. Marie that continues to operate. “A healthy body boosts a healthy mind,” he says.
His creative output remains as active as ever.
Jirgens continues to write fiction, produce visual art and participate in scholarly conversations.
Recent publications include Razor’s Edge and Travesties. Upcoming exhibitions will also feature his photography and visual art.
More than four decades into his creative career, Jirgens says the work itself keeps him motivated.
“Writing short stories, working on my novel and participating in art shows keeps me motivated,” he says. “For my visual art, I look at ‘ready-made’ art in the Dada tradition.”
Jirgens’ interests have evolved over the years, but a commitment to creative expression has remained constant.
Today, he continues to write, create visual art and contribute to scholarly discussions, building on a career that has spanned publishing, teaching and the arts.