ONE WEEK LEFT
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
Do you write?
Are you a Wally?
No book out yet?
If you answered something like *Why yes, I do, in fact,” “With every breath,” and “Alas no, but one must persist,” then what are you waiting for? Throw your hat in the ring for a Levis Prize.
Yes, you. Yes, now. You can do it.
Submissions open August 15 – FOUR DAYS FROM NOW – in both poetry and fiction. Alums who haven’t yet published a full-length collection in the selected genre are eligible. At stake: $4K plus the admiration of your fellow Wallies and the world at large.
WATCH THIS SPACE FOR A LINK TO THE APPLICATION. Until then, full guidelines below (click through).
The hills of Swannanoa were alive on Tuesday, June 28, at the 40th anniversary of The Program for Writers as the results of the 40 day Friends of Writers match campaign were announced. The gala, held in the Pavilion on campus, hosted alumni at the conclusion of the Alumni Conference, current students beginning the July residency, faculty, and Wallies from all over who just came for a good time.
And it was a good time–in her remarks, Ellen spoke about the sense of renewal represented by several generations of students and faculty present. The match–Friends of Writers offered $25,000 to be matched in 40 days–was incredibly successful, raising a total of $37,823 in addition to the $25,000 offered by the Friends of Writers board for a total of $62,823. On top of that, the silent auction, including donations from the Alumni Conference and faculty, raised over $12,000 for a total of nearly $75,000.
That total means that Friends of Writers is very close to being able to offer the first award of the Ellen Bryant Voigt scholarship in January 2018. (The fund needs $100,00 to begin making awards.)
Whether you attended in person or donated from afar, you made an enormous difference to the Program, to Ellen, and to future writers. All of us on the FOW board are deeply grateful to this community for its generosity and support.
In May, the board of Friends of Writers issued a challenge: Between May 19 and June 28 we will match every dollar donated to the Ellen Bryant Voigt Scholarship Fund, up to $25,000. We are SO close to meeting that goal!
Friends of Writers is also offering a range of terrific premiums for those who donate at this time. If you’d like to support the scholarship AND select a premium gift, please visit the gala auction page and see what is still available: LIMITED TIME PREMIUM GIFTS
Premiums are available for any gifts made between June 13 and the Anniversary Gala.
Sharpen your pencils and get ready to update your wish lists! Friends of Writers is having a Silent Auction. Held in conjunction with the 40th Anniversary Celebration, the auction will give you a chance to win some amazing goods and services from your favorite Warren Wilson MFA faculty members, and others.
Start your browsing now: THE AUCTION CATALOG
Join us in Swannanoa on June 28 for the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the MFA Program For Writers at Warren Wilson College! The day-long celebration includes panels with faculty and alumni, a celebration of Larry Levis, a silent auction with items donated by faculty, and an evening gala with dinner and dancing!
Below, a sampling of three fantastic auction items! If you’re attending the gala, you can bid in-person. Not able to make it this year? Consider buying in advance at the fixed Swannanoa Superstar price by June 27 and the item is yours (Swannanoa Superstar prices released on June 13: check back!).
A weeklong, upscale Pacific Northwest Vacation, with stops on Vancouver Island and Olympic National Park, plus an evening of fine dining with Heather McHugh!
Florida Story Spectacular includes a twenty-five page short story manuscript review and basket of local goodies from the Sunshine State, from Lauren Groff!
Book Club visit in person or by Skype with Margot Livesey!
And that’s just a sampling of the fantastic things you can bid on. Check back in the coming weeks to see which faculty member has offered to review your novel manuscript, who is donating homemade wine, and more.
In January, a new Friends of Writers Scholarship, initiated by current students in the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson, was announced in Swannanoa at the Graduation banquet—along with news of a substantial contribution by the graduating class. In the months that followed, the response has been tremendous, with generous gifts and pledges arriving from our extended community. As a result of this remarkable support, excitement over the Ellen Bryant Voigt Scholarship has just gained some serious momentum: Members of the Friends of Writers’ Board will personally match every donation given between May 19th and June 28th, dollar for dollar, up to $25,000.
This means that your gift can double in size. Please join us in celebrating the program’s 40th anniversary by making a donation or pledge in the next 40 days! (Yes, three-year pledges will be covered by the match, as long as the first payment is made in 2016– a great option for people wishing to break up their gift over time.) Read more
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