In addition to being the place where writing is taught, The Humphrey Family Writing Center promotes writing on campus by running a speakers series, Writers at Work, that brings professional writers to campus to talk about their craft and their lives. The series began in September 2009 with
Christine Brennan, a sports columnist for USA Today, correspondent for ABC News and National Public Radio, and a best-selling author. Following Brennan were
Adam Bernstein, obituaries editor of the
Washington Post, and
Dave Kindred, a Hall of Fame sports columnist and past winner of the Red Smith Award for lifetime achievement in sports journalism.
Billy Collins, a two-term poet laureate of the United States, spoke to The Hill community and read from his works on February 23.
During the
2010-2011 year, Writers at Work featured
Merrill Perlman, a columnist for the Columbian Journalism Career and former editor of
The New York Times on October 4.
Catherine Rampell, New York Times economic journalist and blog editor, visited The Hill on October 28. On February 21, we welcomed
Gene Weingarten, a
Washington Post humor columnist, author and Pulitzer Prize winner. Last but not least, poet, author, and teacher
Naomi Shihab Nye spoke on April 4.
So far, the
2011-12 school year brought author and Hill alumnus,
Pinckney Benedict '82, who gave a reading from his book
Miracle Boy.