The Spalding School of Writing Alumni Newsletter. December 2021 Issue

“The orbit of my life has been crossed by the orbits of some remarkable women.”—Cindy Brady (F ’13).

The press conference features Kathleen Driskell (at 3:13), Tori Murden McClure (at 5:05), and Cindy Brady (at 10:45), who chose the name.

The wisdom and encouragement of our founders, faculty, and staff are collected in Creativity & Compassion: Spalding Writers Celebrate Twenty Years, edited by Kathleen Driskell and Katy Yocom.

All proceeds go to School of Writing scholarships. 

Opportunities Coming Up

Apply for the Novel Workshop at the spring residency, May 21-28, 2022. Cost: $1,500. Email Karen by Monday, Dec. 13.

Join us in Paris, July 18-26, for vacation or to study with Maggie Smith, Lynnell Edwards, Charlie Schulman, Leah Henderson, K.L. Cook, and Kathleen Driskell.

Included: A shared room at a 3-star city-center hotel, Black Writers & Artists walking tour, Giverny excursion, museum tickets, and more.

Not included: Tuition, airfare, additional meals, spending money.

Cost: $3,490 March 14-21; $3,790 March 22-28.

Scholarship: $2K for alums in the Post-master's Certificate in Writing Enrichment, studying creative writing or professional writing & editing.

Our virtual NaNoWriMo attracted 35 alumni participants coast to coast. Now, the communal writing continues with virtual “Write with Me” sessions every week:

Sundays, 6-9 p.m. ET, hosted by Chella Courington. Click the link or go to zoom.us/join and enter Meeting ID: 824 5106 4561. Passcode 123123.

Starting January 4: Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET (30-60 minutes), hosted by Jill Cox-Cordova (F ’17). Click the link or go to zoom.us/join and enter Meeting ID: 857 5953 0130. Passcode: 112233.

Get free registration for the AWP 2022 conference, March 23-26 in Philadelphia, in exchange for help staffing the Spalding booth. Email Katy.

The most recent Life of a Writer is up on the Good River Review blog. Send your Life of a Writer news. Next deadline is February 15, but you can submit anytime!

Fall 2021 residency: Together again!

Congratulations, graduates!

MFA: Tara Anderson, Katherine Land Bustillos, Jason G. Cooper, Mary Davis, Tony Dingman, Gina Marie Dropp, Kayla Krystyne Etheridge, Elana Mae Gartner, Noah Glass, Kyle Howard, Andra Laine Hunter, Monique Martin, R. L. Mullins Jr., Bryn Tanner, Elizabeth Kathleen Wilks

MAW: Katherine E. (Kat) Yocum

The graduates donated a class gift to benefit an incoming BIPOC writer.

Pictured: Noah Glass (P) and Elana Gartner (PW).

SpaldingCon and NaNoWriWeek

SpaldingCon included both in-person and virtual workshops. Meanwhile, NaNoWriWeek took place in the Mansion and the Brown. Alums are already planning for next year!

Pictured: Amina McIntyre (PW '09) writes in the Mansion during NaNoWriWeek.

In memoriam

Beatrice Bowles (W4CYA ’03), on October 19, 2021. 

Larry Williams (F ’12), on November 28, 2021.

Two of our own. 

Recent gifts

Newly established scholarships

The Primwatee Groover Scholarship in Writing for Children and Young Adults, established by Edie Hemingway. In memory of Primwatee Groover (W4CYA '20), to support graduate students in their 3rd or 4th semester with a concentration in writing for children and young adults.

The Bea Bowles Endowed Scholarship in the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing at Spalding University, established by Christy Brown and Owsley Brown, III. In memory of Beatrice Bowles (W4CYA '03), to support a deserving student in the School of Writing.

Primwatee Groover

Beatrice Bowles

Our 2021 donors

Donna Gay Anderson (PW ’18)

Anonymous

Tara Anderson (PW ’21)

Beth Ann Bauman, W4CYA faculty

Cathy Berresheim (CNF ’13)

Beatrice Bowles (W4CYA ’03) 

Cindy Brady (F ’13)

Christy Brown, friend of the School

Owsley Brown, III, friend of the School

Theresa Carey (SW ’21)

Whitney Collins (F ’18)

Jill Cox-Cordova (F ‘17)

Kimberly Garts Crum (CNF ’03) 

Liz Dallman (CNF '06)

Joan Donaldson (CNF ’08)

Kathleen Driskell, Chair

Gina Marie Dropp (PW ’21)

Lynnell Edwards (Associate Programs Director) and Charles W. Edwards

Janelle Fila (W4CYA ’17)

Jeffrey Fischer-Smith (PW ’17) and Michael Fischer-Smith

Barry George (P ’09)

Karen George (F ‘09)

Lamar Giles, W4CYA faculty

Elana Gartner (PW ’21)

Alice Bingham Gorman (CNF ’05)

Steve Halvonik (CNF ’04)

Chris Helvey (F ’06)

Edie Hemingway (W4CYA ’04), retired W4CYA faculty

Andra Laine Hunter (PW ’21)

Angela Jackson-Brown (F '09), fiction faculty 

Nana Lampton (P ’04)

Jenny Luper (F ’11)

Mark Madigan (P ’17)

Karen Mann, Co-founder and Administrative Director

Tori Murden McClure (CNF '05, President of Spalding University)

Amina McIntyre (PW ’09)

Precious McKenzie (W4CYA ’20)

Diana McQuady (F ’14)

Lisa Mitzel (W4CYA ’06)

Marilyn Moss (CNF ’09)

R. L. Mullins Jr. (F ’21)

Rick Neumayer (F ‘14)

Lesléa Newman,W4CYA faculty

Terry Price (F ’06)

Susan P. Ryan (CNF '15)

Amber Smith (F ’18)

Kimm Stammen (F ’19) and Dale Stammen

Kathleen Thompson (F/P ’03)

Paige Waters (CNF ’19)

Dr. Elizabeth Winston (P '15)

Katy Yocom (F ’03) 

Michele L. Zakis (W4CYA ‘18)

Honor a favorite writer

Consider making a gift in honor of a favorite mentor, a fellow student who traveled through the program at your side, or a friend or family member who believed in you.

One more residency pic!

John Jennings and Jason Cooper, in Dianne Aprile's CNF workshop.