Reflections Magazine Issue #79 - Fall 2013 | Page 16

Feature Article

Educational Process Does Not Stop
When King wasn’t conducting, he attended clinics and
workshops and learned about new concepts and techniques
that “I want to apply to my teaching,” he said.
“Just being in fantastic facilities and seeing what’s possible,”
King said of the workshop. “It was just inspiring to see that
much passion and love and dedication to the arts.”
There were some other SHU faculty members who continued the educational experience last summer in places all
over the world.

CREATIVE

GETAWAY
Creative Writing Institute Branches
Out to Include SHU Students

Martha’s Vineyard has been a summer get-away for Alexander Weinstein
since his childhood. Last July, the Siena
Heights University assistant professor
of English also brought some of his students along to enjoy the experience as
part of the Martha’s Vineyard Institute
of Creative Writing.
“I founded the Martha’s Vineyard
Institute of Creative Writing due, in
part, to my years of teaching writing
on the Vineyard,” Weinstein said. “I’ve
spent summers at the Vineyard since
I was born—my family has a house in
Aquinnah—and the Vineyard is one of
my favorite places in the world, so part
of my dream was to create a center for
writers in order to share the beauty
and creativity of Martha’s Vineyard
with others.”
Thanks to funding from a strategic
planning grant, SHU students Erin Russell, Katelyn Boulton, Aaron Morgan
and Jeffrey Conolly attended the seminar on scholarship.
Weinstein founded the nonprofit institute in 2010 and currently serves as
its director. The award-winning fiction

16 | Reflections Fall ’13

writer said the goal was to create “an intimate program” that
helped remove barriers between published and aspiring writers
and nurture an artistic literary community. Entering its fifth
year, the MVICW attracts nationally acclaimed authors and
poets to teach.
Weinstein said students were selected by a panel of SHU
faculty based on writing submissions and a letter of interest.
“We read the poetry/fiction looking for attention to craft,
language and style,” he said.
One of the other main criteria was
a student’s passion for writing and
“commitment to pursue creative writSHU Creative Writing Program
ing as a vital part of their life/studies.”
Earns National Recognition
Each day participants attended
Siena Heights University’s creative writworkshops in areas like fiction, poetry
ing program was recently honored as one
and other specialties with the evenings
of the top 39 in the nation by the fourth
filled with student and faculty readedition of “Creative Colleges: A Guide for
ings—as well as celebratory dinners.
Student Actors, Artists, Dancers, Musicians
Another focus of the seminar is to
and Writers.” Author Elaina Loveland reeducate students about making creative
searched programs from across the country
and ultimately developed her list of prowriting into a lifelong profession.
grams to recommend to potential students.
During the week, panel discussions
“Siena Heights University has an excellent
and workshops addressed how to seek
creative writing program,” Loveland said.
publication of work, how to pursue an
“Its strengths are in its diversity of curricuMFA and a discussion by visiting faclum; not only are fiction, creative nonficulty of the practices that have allowed
tion and poetry course offered, but also
them to become successful, Weinstein
screenwriting and playwriting. Furthersaid. “Our students got the opportunity
more, Siena Heights University’s creative
to work one-on-one with visiting faculwriting bachelor’s degree includes a senior
tutorial that requires a final creative writty and to have their manuscripts edited
ing project, which makes it distinctive.”
by professional publishers.”
Michael Martone, an award-wining
author of more than 20 books of fition
and poetry, was one of several rnowned
instructors who worked with SHU
students. Weinstein said the networking opportunities was another benefit
of the attendees, not to mention the
recreational opportunities like pristine
beaches and prime fishing excursions
that Martha’s Vineyard provides.
“Siena Heights students gained direct contact with institutions like MFA
programs and literary presses, directly
benefitting their professional development,” he said. “Not only did they get