Penn State boasts an eclectic and vibrant arts community and is proud to host some of the most acclaimed writers in the world alongside up-and-coming authors as well as our own alumni.
Mary E. Rolling Reading Series
At the hub of this literary excitement is the Mary E. Rolling Reading Series. Previous visitors have included Donald Antrim, Rick Bass, Jo Ann Beard, Aimee Bender, Billy Collins, Lydia Davis, Alison Hawthorne Deming, Mark Doty, Stuart Dybek, Linda Gregerson, Alex Lemon, Chinelo Okparanta, Ann Pancake, Francine Prose, Ito Romo, George Saunders, Charles Simic, Anne Stevenson, Melanie Thernstrom, Michael Waters, John Edgar Wideman, and Charles Wright.
The Rolling Reading Series for 2025-2026 includes:
- ’Pemi Aguda on September 11, 2025
- Ali Araghi on September 25, 2025
- Matthew Ferrence on November 13, 2025
- Rion Amilcar Scott on January 29, 2026
- Tyler Mills on March 26, 2026
- Robin Becker on April 16, 2026
All readings are held at 6:00pm in Foster Auditorium at Pattee Library and are free and open to the public.
Emily Dickinson Lecture in American Poetry
The generosity of alumni donors George and Barbara Kelly allows us to bring in annually a renowned American poet, who either gives a lecture about poetry or reads his or her own work. Previous visitors include Elizabeth Alexander, Richard Blanco, Rita Dove, Robert Hass, Juan Felipe Herrera, Jane Hirshfield, Susan Howe, Li-Young Lee, Marilyn Nelson, Naomi Shihab Nye, Sharon Olds, Alicia Ostriker, Robert Pinksy, Yusef Komunyakaa, Vijay Seshadri, and Tracy K. Smith.
The Emily Dickinson Lecturer for 2025-26 is Ross Gay. He will read on October 16, 2025 at 6:00pm in the Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library.
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The Fisher Family Writer-in-Residence Program
The Fisher Family Writer-in-Residence Program brings authors to campus for week-long stays that include classroom visits, one-on-one conferences with graduate students, informal craft lectures, and public readings. Previous residencies have included Sandra Cisneros, Kate Daniels, Lydia Davis, Mary Gaitskill, Kimiko Hahn, Sarah Manguso, Susan Orlean, Paisley Rekdal, George Saunders, David Shields, and Jess Walter.
The Fisher Writer-in-Residence for spring 2026 will be Lynn Emanuel. She will read on February 12, 2026 at 6:00 pm in the Foster Auditorium, 102 Paterno Library.
Creative Writing at Penn State Blog
The Creative Writing at Penn State Blog features events, ideas and enlivening discussion about all things literary at PSU.
To access our calendar of events and keep up with our doings, please visit us at creativewriting.psu.edu or at facebook.com/psuwriters.
