The WVC Visiting Writers Series brings professional writers to campus to give students, staff and community members the opportunity to engage with some of the most talented writers in the U.S. As these poets, novelists and nonfiction writers share their work, our students see very clearly the power and beauty of language as it exists beyond the classroom. Instead of reading a writer's work on the page and discussing it in class, our students interact directly with the authors and quickly understand that these writers aren't any different from them. In fact, our students begin to understand that, given time and a focus on the writing process, their writing can reach similar heights. Students, staff and community members are energized by these visits; they feel empowered, enriched and encouraged. They learn new ways to think about talk about writing, in the classroom and in their own practice.

Funding is provided by the Alcoa Excellence in Teaching Award, the WVC English Division, WVC Liberal Arts and Sciences and the WVC Foundation.