By Iris Mahan, University Relations Intern
UTC and Chattanooga State hosted visitors and community members at the Meacham Writer’s Workshop, a free three-day event featuring readings, workshops, and individual conferences all over the city of Chattanooga. Participants have the opportunity to watch the craft of others evolve and to evolve in their own craft as well.
The Workshop was made possible by an endowment given by Jean Meacham to UTC in the interest of fulfilling her ideal of creating an informal atmosphere where nationally known writers, local writers, students, and novice writers and their readers could freely, and on an equal basis, exchange ideas, works, and readings.
Many members of the English faculty, such as Sybil Baker, Dr. Tom Balázs, and Rebecca Cook, published authors in their own right, gave readings alongside the visiting writers. Many faculty members make student attendance to the Workshop mandatory or offer extra credit, so that they gain a perspective into the professional applications of the degree towards which they are working.
“For students that plan to continue on to graduate school, Meacham provides them with a leg up because of confidence the students are able to build in workshops and readings and just the general social activity. They have a better time talking to the writers and building professional relationships later,” said Baker.
Student coordinator and winner of this Workshop’s Ken Smith Award in Poetry, Case Duckworth, has really enjoyed driving visiting writers to and from events. “You have the opportunity to have real conversations, not just about writing, but about sports and music and life. And later, when it’s all business, the ones you’ve made connections with are the same ones you can send your work to later, and they’ll be more likely to remember who you are.”
At Saturday’s culminating reception, senior Vanessa Parks said, “One of the greatest things about Meacham is the connections you make, not just with the writers and the community but also with your teachers and fellow students.” The emotion she felt was evident in her voice as she recalled her involvement in the Workshop since her days as freshman.
“I just can’t believe it’s my last one. I’ve been so close to it over the past few years, it’s just so surreal. I going to miss everyone so much…even Rick!” she said, laughing through her tears.
Rick, or Dr. Rick Jackson, is the director and life force of Meacham. Over the years, Meacham has featured visiting writers such as James Tate, Kevin Wilson, Mark Cox, Mary Ruefle, and this year, Rick Campbell, Richard Katrovas, and Stephen Haven.
