GREENSBURG, PA (PTTP)—The Pitt-Greensburg Writers Festival, held annually from March 23rd to March 27th, 2024, showcased a lineup of distinguished guests, including renowned professor Jane McCafferty, social worker Vessa Yankevich, and Nancy Krygowski, the newly appointed editor of the prestigious Pitt Poetry Series.
Open to the public at no cost, the festival featured readings by Pitt-Greensburg student writers alongside the invited authors. Many of the events were conducted in person, with the exception of the Poetry Reading featuring Rebecca Schumejda and Vessa Yankevich, which took place virtually on the Zoom platform.
Unlike previous years, this festival edition expanded its reach by inviting speakers from various parts of the United States, diverging from the tradition of primarily hosting local guests from Pennsylvania. Notably, Jane McCafferty, a returning speaker and a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, presented poems from a chapbook created in 2023 by Pitt-Greensburg’s Publishing Class.
“The writers are really generous to come to campus or Zoom in to campus, and really seem to connect with the students and really help them out.” Dave Newman, an assistant professor of creative writing at Pitt-Greensburg, says. “It’s cool to see the interactions and how people are willing to help out each other, with the older writers reaching out to the younger generation.”
For more information about festival events or the Creative & Professional Writing Program at Pitt-Greensburg, contact Dave Newman at dpn15@pitt.edu or 724-836-9930.
Credit: Dave Newman