Senior creative writing readings and how to support artists on campus
The final class requirement for those seeking a degree in English with a concentration in creative writing is ENGL 402: The Senior Seminar. While the bulk of the class focuses on what the next steps are in one’s writing journey, whether it be graduate school, freelancing, editing, or otherwise, the true climax of not only the seminar but one’s experience in Geneseo’s writing program is the senior reading. The writer is tasked with either picking one of their preexisting poems, short stories, or essays, or writing a brand new one, then presenting it to the campus in a formal reading.
As any artist knows, sharing one’s work is incredibly nerve-wracking and creates a kind of vulnerability unlike any other. The audience is allowed a brief window into your subconscious, and that alone can cause anyone anxiety. This is all the more reason to support our campus writers by coming to their reading and showing how appreciative we are for what they do.
Having completed the senior seminar last spring, I can say from experience that while the anxiety is very real, it is more than worth it for the feeling of accomplishment that quickly follows; every story, essay, poem, and word written leads up to that feeling. As Lecturer of English and Creative Writing Sonya Bilocerkowycz, the professor of the senior seminar this semester, said, “It’s really important for the graduating seniors to look back over the dozens of short stories, essays, and poems they’ve written during their time at Geneseo and…see their growth as artists. The readings provide a chance for the seniors to polish and showcase their very best work—to really celebrate that growth.”
All of the senior readings will be held in Doty 300, the tower room, between 2:30 and 4:00 p.m. The dates are as follows:
Monday Apr. 17 - Griffen LaBianca and Julia Grunes
Wednesday Apr. 19 - Lidabel Guzman and Susan Romance
Monday Apr. 24 - Anthony Guttilla and Lillian Simons
Monday May 1 - Ella Pearcy and Jillian Kavanaugh
Wednesday May 3 - Hannah Lustyik, Sparrow Potter, and Travis Johnson
There will be a wide variety of readings from fiction short stories about the state of the publishing industry to the future of AI-generated art, essays about grief and family, and poems about everything in between. Some of the presenters will also be offering beverages and snacks to further entice those on the fence about attending.
To conclude, if you are a creative writing student who would like to see what their senior reading will be like, a casual reader and writer, or someone who wants to support those who are putting their thoughts and feelings out into the world in an effort to create a meaningful connection, there is no better place to start than the senior readings. As Bilocerkowycz stated, “If you appreciate good storytelling and sharp language, or if you’ve never been to a public reading and are curious what that looks like, I encourage you to check out some of the events, which the students themselves organize, plan, and host. These writers will make you laugh, cry, and everything in between.”