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The newsletter of the Spalding MFA in Writing Alumni Association

June 2023 Issue

Aug. 28: Proposals due for the next lecture in our Distinguished Alumni lecture series. Find proposal details here. This fall’s focus: fiction. $500 honorarium.

Sept. 7: Deadline to register for Business of Writing Seminars, which take place Sept. 9. Poetry publishing strategies, new play development, pitch meetings, literary agent, alumni panel on the care and tending of new books!

Oct. 1: Deadline to register for Writing at the Brown writers’ retreat, Nov. 11-17, during fall residency.

Watch your email for SpaldingCon news from Karen.

Alum Meetups Online ...

Weekly

Sunday, 6-9 p.m. ET, Write with Me! hosted by Chella Courington

Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET (30-60 minutes), Write with Me! hosted by Diana McQuady

Friday, 10 a.m. ET (around 75 minutes), Write with Me! hosted by Terry Price.

Monthly

Third Sundays, 2 p.m. ET, hosted by Mervyn Seivwright and Cris Trapani-Scott

Spalding Water Cooler: a safe space to discuss the writing journey.

First Mondays, 7:30 p.m. ET, hosted by Noelle Sciulli

First Monday: Submit Your Work! An alumni group dedicated to sending out your work.



Coming Soon

Prompt With Me! An alumni writing session with prompts.

Online alumni writing workshops! Stay tuned.

...and Alumni Gatherings in Person

Alumni Gathering in Lantana, Florida, hosted by Sonia Pajaujis (W4CYA '18). In attendance (from left): two writing friends, Sonia, Jenny Luper (F '11), Michele Zakis (W4CYA '18), Marjetta Geerling (W4CYA '11), Regine Darius (W4CYA '20).

Homecoming

From top left: Alumni Celebration of New Works: author Suzanne Craig Robertson (F/CNF '22), host Michele Zakis (W4CYA '18), Kathleen Driskell, author Patricia Hudson (F/CNF, 19), author Andrew Najberg (P '10), and author Marilyn Moss Rockefeller (CNF '09) onscreen. Kathleen presents an award to Distinguished Alumni Lecturer Brian Hampton (PW '06). Frank X. Walker (P '03) and Marjetta Geerling (W4CYA '11). Katy Yocom (F '03) and Jill Cox-Cordova (F '17). Terry Price (F '06) and Dave DeGolyer (W4CYA '06). Commencement dignitaries Frank X. Walker, Kathleen Driskell, Spalding President Tori Murden McClure (CNF '05), John Pipkin, Graduate Dean Kurt Jefferson, Lynnell Edwards, class representative Vanessa Elie, Douglas Manuel, and Marjetta Geerling.

Congratulations, Spring and Summer Graduates!

Spring

Michelle Barger (F)

Alicia Clinton (CNF)

Cheré Coen (F)

Mary Dalton (F/SW)

Vanessa Elie (W4CYA/F)

Lauren Mulvihill (F)

William Schlichter (F)

Nick Skoda (F)

DIane Webber (W4CYA)

Summer

Theresa Carey (SW)

Laura Casares (W4CYA)

Share the Word about Spalding

Copy and share our Virtual Open House information with your writer friends:

• Sunday, July 9, 4 p.m. ET: https://bit.ly/OH7-9

• Tuesday, July 18, noon ET: https://bit.ly/OH7-18

• Wednesday, July 26, 3 p.m. ET: https://bit.ly/OH7-26

AND, you can refer them for the $2,000 Alumni Select Scholarship. Tell your friends to apply by August 1 for Fall. Residency is Nov. 11-18.



Going to a writing event? Email Karen and she’ll send you a batch of brochures to set out.

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.

Alumni News

The most recent issue of Life of a Writer is here. Deadlines are the same every year—mark your calendar and send us your news!

February 15

April 15

June 15

August 15

October 15

Check the Spalding MFA in Writing Alumni Association Facebook group to connect with other alums. Not a member? Ask to join. 

On the Blog: Latest Posts

“I started thinking about my family’s story in light of #MeToo.” Jason Kyle Howard interviews Erin Keane (P '04) about her memoir, Runaway: Notes on the Myths that Made Me.



“Real life is messy. Everything comes alive, and uninvited visitors abound.” Robin Lippincott interviews Rosanna Staffa (F '13) about her debut novel, The War Ends at Four.

Gifts

We are grateful for the support of our anonymous donors and all who have supported the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing and the Spalding MFA Alumni Association in the past year:

Anonymous

Adeleke Adeyemi (W4CYA ’22)

Donna Anderson (PW ’18)

Susan Berla (F ’22)

Cindy Brady (F ’13)

Katherine Bustillos (W4CYA ’21)

Karen Chronister (F ’14)

Cindy Corpier (F ’13)

Liz Dallmann (CNF ’06)

Mary Davis (W4C ’21)

Sarah Disney

Kathleen Driskell, Chair

Gina Marie Dropp (PW ’21)

Barry Drudge (F’ 18)

Drema Drudge (F ’13)

Lynnell and Wes Edwards, Associate Programs Director

Vanessa Elie (W4CYA ’23)

Janelle Fila (W4CYA ’17)

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

Marjetta Geerling (W4CYA ’11)

Karen George (F ’09)

Melissa Hamilton (W4CYA ’18)

Brian Hampton (PW ’06)

Lenora Hay (P ’19)

Edith M. Hemingway (W4CYA ’03), faculty

Lora Hilty (F ’12)

Madalyn Hoffman (W4CYA/SW ’15)

Patricia Hudson (F/CNF ’19)

Angela Jackson-Brown (F ’09)

John M. Jennings (CNF)

Michelle Tyrene Johnson (PW ’22)

Bonnie O. Johnson (F ’04)

Kaylene Johnson-Sullivan (CNF ’03)

Laura Johnsrude (PrWr ’21)

Kathryn Jones (CNF ’19)

Joseph Kasl (PW ’22)

Jessica Kim (W4CYA ’16)

Sam Krauss (SW ’22)

Sarah Ladd (CNF ’22)

Lynette Lamp (P ’22)

Nana Lampton (P ’04)

Lauren Lee (CNF), in memory of Kenneth Lee

Jenny Luper (F ’11)

John Maclay (PW ’22)

Mark Madigan (P ’17)

Michael Malone (CNF ’10)

Karen Mann, Administrative Director

Roger McClendon

Tori McClure (CNF ’05), University President

Kevin McIntyre (SW ’14)

Precious McKenzie (W4CYA ’20)

Quincy Gray McMichael (CNF/PrWr ’22)

Diana McQuady (F ’14)

Robert Lee Mullins Jr. (F ’21) and Sharon M. Mullins

Julie Nichols (SW ’15)

Gregory L Pape, faculty

Portia Pennington (SW ’17)

Terry Price (F ’06)

Angela Ray (P ’22)

H. L. Ritchey

Suzanne Robertson (F/CNF ’22)

Marilyn Rockefeller (CNF ’09)

William Schlichter (F ’23)

Lori Siekmann (PW ’18)

Gene Smith and Robert Atcheson

Leo Smith (PW ’22)

Snowy Owl Foundation Inc.

John Styron (F ’22)

Diane Sweeney (F ’07)

Jeanie Thompson, faculty

Kathleen Thompson (F/P ’03)

Paige Waters (CNF ’19)

Cynthia Watkins (W4CYA ’14)

Elizabeth Wilks (W4CYA ’21)

Elizabeth Winston (P ’15)

Betty Jean Wolfe (CNF ’13)

Kylie Yockey (F/P ’22)

Katy Yocom (F ’03), Associate Director

Aimee Zaring (P ’05)

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