Spalding MFA Alumni Association Newsletter. May 2022 Issue

We’re delighted to welcome Karen Salyer McElmurray to the fiction and creative nonfiction faculty!

Karen Salyer McElmurray

Opportunities coming up during Spring residency

Homecoming in Louisville . . .

Homecoming takes place live and in person (first time since 2019!) Wed.-Fri., May 25-27. Register for access to . . .

• Alum-led lectures and generative sessions
• Celebration of recent books and films
• Literary chat, writing sprints, and readings 
• Writing retreat room
• 20th anniversary gala with Sena, Karen, and Cindy Brady!

Book your room at the Brown: call 502-583-1234 and request the Spalding Friends & Family rate.

Virtual Homecoming . . . 

Can't make it to Louisville? We'll bring Homecoming to you! Register now for virtual Homecoming, May 25-27:

• Alum-led lectures and generative sessions
• Café MFA open mic
• Writing sprints
• Community story and poem
• Virtual 20th anniversary celebration!

20th anniversary two ways: Live gala and virtual celebration!

Our 20th anniversary gala takes place Thursday, May 26, on the Brown Hotel rooftop. Check your email April 20 and May 4 for an invitation from Paperless Post. Don't see it? Check spam.

All are invited to our virtual celebration (also May 26) with Sena, Karen, and Cindy Brady! RSVP. 

Virtual faculty reading May 18

Join us at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT on Wed., May 18, for a virtual reading:

• Larry Brenner (dramatic writing)
• Jason Kyle Howard (CNF, professional writing & editing)
• Debra Kang Dean (poetry)
• Silas House (fiction)

Sign up to receive a link the day of the event. 

Practice pitch sessions in June

Vickie Weaver (F '05) offers free one-on-one sessions for alums to practice pitching a fiction or CNF book to a literary agent or editor. Contact Vickie to set up a session during the month of June. 

every week . . .

Join one (or more!) of our weekly “Write with Me” sessions:

Sundays, 6-9 p.m. ET, hosted by Chella Courington

Click above, or go to zoom.us/join and enter meeting ID: 824 5106 4561 and Passcode 123123

Tuesdays, 7 p.m. ET (30-60 minutes), hosted by Jill Cox-Cordova

Click above, or go to zoom.us/join and enter meeting ID: 857 5953 0130 and Passcode: 112233

Thursdays, 11 a.m. ET (around 75 minutes), hosted by Terry Price. Terry begins each session with an inspirational thought.

Click above, or go to zoom.us/join and enter meeting ID 869 3383 4598 and Passcode: 542428

in September, virtually . . .

Our first Business of Writing Seminar takes place virtually on September 10. Mark your calendar!

beginning with the fall residency . . .

The School of Writing will offer a Distinguished Alumni lecture each fall and spring, on a topic in the featured area of concentration. Naming rights are available for the lectureship. A gift of any size helps to elevate our alums.

Alumni News

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 June 15, but you can submit anytime!

In memoriam

Kay Gill (F ’11), on April 26, 2022. One of our own.  

At Kay’s request, memorial donations may be made to Sena Jeter Naslund-Karen Mann Endowed Scholarship.

2022 gifts

Our thanks to the following donors for their generous support:

Cindy L. Brady (F '13)

Christina Lee Brown

Kathleen Driskell, Chair

Elizabeth Dallmann (CNF '06)

Catherine Foy (F '13)

Kimberly Freeman

Karen George (F '09)

Linda Ginter-Brown (F '19)

Carroll D. Grossman (CNF '21)

Lora J. Hilty (F '12)

Angela Jackson-Brown (F '09), faculty 

Bonnie Omer Johnson (F '04)

Hilary Kretchmer (F)

Claudia Labin (F '07)

Nana Lampton (P ’04)

Jody Lisberger, retired faculty

Karen Mann, Co-founder and Administrative Director

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

Amanda Michael

Marilyn Moss (CNF ’09)

Diane Sweeney (F '07)

Dan and Joy White

Dr. Elizabeth Winston (P '15)

Katy Yocom, Associate Director (F ’03) 

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.

Scholarship referrals

The $2,000 Alumni Select Scholarship is for applicants you refer. Tell your friends to apply by August 1 for Fall.

A Spalding lift

Please update your website with our new name, the Sena Jeter Naslund-Karen Mann Graduate School of Writing (or, for short, the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing). Thanks for linking to us!

Please use our new name in your bio as well!