creative writing class oregon

Creative Writing

Become a member of portland's vibrant community of writers.

Portland State University's Creative Writing Program offers Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degrees in Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry. Located in the center of one of the country's most vibrantly literary cities, the Creative Writing Program provides writers with opportunities for creative development with a  core faculty of prominent authors: Janice Lee, Gabriel Urza, and Leni Zumas in Fiction; John Beer and visiting writer Consuelo Wise in Poetry; and Paul Collins and visiting writer Justin Hocking in Nonfiction.

Bachelor's in Creative Writing

Our BFA in Creative Writing provides students with the skills and experience to enter the creative field or graduate study as writers, editors, and teachers. We feature a comprehensive curriculum of workshops in craft/technique and opportunities for students to work closely with peers and published authors .

Master's in Creative Writing

Our MFA in Creative Writing emphasizes workshops and close mentorship by core faculty , while providing the flexibility of a part-time option and the rich course offerings of PSU. Our program is distinguished by the diversity of its student body and by the accomplishments of its alumni .

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5 Best Creative Writing Classes in Portland

Showing 5 courses that match your search.

From Idea to Manuscript: Crafting Your Picture Book

Literary Arts

Have you ever wondered how to turn your brilliant idea into a captivating picture book? In this 8-week course, you’ll learn the art of crafting picture books that leave a lasting impression. We’ll explore the world of children’s literature, studying beloved classics and contemporary favorites, to inspire your creativity.

Website: https://literary-arts.org/event/from-idea-to-manuscript-c...

Categories: Fiction and Book

Start date:

April, 2024

Prerequisites: No prerequisites

The Performance of Writing

Learn and practice techniques for performing your writing. Think of it as a more fun version of a speech class: we’ll look at performance techniques from some incredible storytellers and have the chance to workshop your works-in-progress or completed pieces. While this class focuses on prose writing, poets are welcome!

Website: https://literary-arts.org/event/the-performance-of-writing/

Categories: Book, Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry

March, 2024

The Secret Life of Scenes Workshop with David Biespiel

Attic Institute

Do you find yourself explaining too much in your stories or creative nonfiction? Do you feel your writing gets bogged down in announcing, recounting, and summarizing? Work with Attic Institute founder and two-time Oregon Book Award winner David Biespiel to learn three keys to explain less and dramatize more.

Website: https://atticinstitute.com/node/2830

Categories: Fiction and Nonfiction

How to Write a Novel

Your story matters. Unlock your potential with daily video lessons from bestselling ghostwriter Tom Bromley, and finish your first draft in just 3 months. Learn more →

How to Write Riveting Scenes

The key to any unforgettable work of prose resides in the quality of its scenes. In this class, we’ll look at some of the best scenes ever written and investigate what it takes to write a scene that keeps readers on the edges of their seats.

Website: https://literary-arts.org/event/how-to-write-riveting-sce...

Categories: Book, Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, and Short Story

So, You Wanna Be A Writer

Scheduled from February 20 to March 19, this online workshop focuses on overcoming the self-doubt many emerging writers face. It provides a supportive environment to explore writing interests, share work, and receive constructive feedback. The course, led by Wayne Gregory, is designed for up to 15 participants and includes 10 hours of instruction over Zoom. Early registration discounts are available.

Website: http://atticinstitute.com/node/2792

Categories: Book, Fiction, and Short Story

February, 2024

So you’re looking for creative writing classes in Portland

What do Cheryl Strayed and Chuck Palahniuk have in common? Both of their wildly different—and wildly popular books—couldn’t have been written without Portland. Born a few hours out of Portland, Palahniuk derived much inspiration from the Northwest while writing Fight Club , while Strayed’s Wild is set along the Pacific Crest Trail itself. So if you, too, are searching for a creative writing class in Portland, you’d be joining a storied literary club.

This directory of the best writing courses in Portland is meant to help you locate the right one for yourself.  We’ve included filters for price and genre so that you can quickly sort through the writing classes. And before you commit to any one writing class, consider the following questions:

• Who is the instructor?
• What is the price of the writing course?
• How far away is the writing course in Portland? Is there a remote alternative?
• How long could the course last?

Got any questions about finding the right writing class in Portland for you? Feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] . Good luck!

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Literary Arts

The Multnomah Arts enter offers a variety of writing classes for adults and youth year-round. Our program consists of a variety of genres and topics, allowing students to build skills as they create a body of work. Students take one-day workshops or ten-week classes to explore their written voice. Quarterly public readings of student and faculty work bring our community together to celebrate the written word.

Literary Arts Coordinator: Patrick Browne

Core Writing Classes

MEMOIR Anyone can write a memoir. We all have stories-young and old, rich and poor, famous and not so. Participants will use prompts and other exercises to trigger and unlock their memories in order to zero in on those moments that are both rich and significant. Draw inspiration and craft secrets from other authors and address and put aside the inner critic, so that you may engage your creative process in a safe and encouraging environment.

FICTION Do you have a story to tell? Have you dreamt up characters who you want to know more about? Do you want to use your imagination to create fictional worlds? Whether you have great ideas for stories but no idea how to start, or drafts of stories that don’t feel quite finished, this class is for you. Together we’ll explore how character, language, and narrative structure work in each other’s writing as well as in published works.

CREATIVE NONFICTION The blank page’s potential can intimidate some writers into silence. Bring an empty notebook and be guided through the writing process from its messiest beginnings to a completed story. This genre includes memoir, essay, narrative journalism, interviews, and all other true stories.

POETRY Poetry as a means of expression, exploration, and experience is available to everyone. Take time in class to write poems in response to prompts, prompts, and more prompts, leaning into your imagination and following the impulses of your right brain. Read and respond to one another’s work in this supportive setting, suggesting and sharing revisions.

Past Offerings

The Writer Within

Writing Our Lives as Story

Reading & Writing About Oregon

Poetry Collage

So, You Want to Write a Novel

Writing the Ten-Minute Play

Revision: Getting Beyond I Like It

Writing Your Spiritual Autobiography

Writing Through Loss

Reading & Writing About Nature

Getting Your Work Out There

Being Your Own Publisher

Writing Characters into life

Interviewing for Personal Histories

Writing from Art

Reading Your Work Out Loud

WRITING CLASSES FOR YOUTH

Writing Creative Stories

Writing Poetry

Young Artists Book Camp

Literary Arts Post

The Literary Arts Post was a collaboration with artists: Jerry Harris, woodwork; Greg Wilbur, metalworks; Christine Colasurdo, calligraphy; Nicole Rawlins, copper etching; and Tracy Wolf-Paquin, glass. Poet Kim Stafford contributed the inscription. Thanks to everyone, including the Multnomah Arts Center Association, for this wonderful addition to our community. Visit the Literary Arts Pole monthly to be inspired by new works from MAC faculty, students, and community members.

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http://crwr.uoregon.edu

Daniel D. Anderson, Program Director 541-346-3944 108 Alder Building 5243 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon 97403-5243

Daniel Anderson, professor (poetry). BA, 1987, Cincinnati; MA, 1989, Johns Hopkins. (2010)

Jason Brown, associate professor (fiction). BA, 1991, Bowdoin; MFA, 1995, Cornell. (2011)

Marjorie Celona, associate professor (fiction). BA, 2006, Victoria; MFA, 2009, Iowa. (2015)

Geri Doran, professor (poetry). BA, 1986, Vassar; MFA, 1995, Florida. (2007)

Garrett K. Hongo, College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor (poetry). BA, 1973, Pomona; MFA, 1980, California, Irvine. (1989)

Mat Johnson, Philip H. Knight Chair of the Humanities, professor (fiction), BA, 1993, Earlham College; MFA, 1999, Columbia. (2018)

Brian Trapp, Kidd Program Director, career instructor (fiction), BA, 2005, Ohio University; PhD, 2015, Cincinnati. (2015) 

Karen Thompson Walker, assistant professor (fiction). BA, 2002, California, Los Angeles; MFA, 2006, Columbia. (2017)

Richard M. Lyons, professor emeritus. BA, 1957, Brooklyn; MFA, 1962, Iowa. (1969)

The date in parentheses at the end of each entry is the first year on the University of Oregon faculty.

Undergraduate Program

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CRWR Creative Writing Program

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About the MFA Program

You’ll hear our program is not for the faint of heart. It isn’t—and we’re proud of that. We hope to offer our students the rigorous apprenticeship we undertook with our own teachers.

Established in the 1960s by James B. Hall, the UO’s Creative Writing Program is one of the oldest in the country. Hall originally designed the Program so the writing workshop would be complemented with graduate courses in literature and other artistic disciplines. Under the direction of Ralph Salisbury and John Haislip, the Program featured more individual attention in conference hours and moved away from complementary classes in other fields. Upon his arrival in 1989, then-Director Garrett Hongo redesigned the Program along its current studio lines.

Graduates include PEN-Hemingway Award winner Chang-rae Lee, Yale Younger Poet winner Brigit Pegeen Kelly, National Poetry Prize winner Eugene Gloria, screenwriter Kenny Moore, and Bilingual Review Poetry Prize winner Andrés Montoya. Writers such as Robert Wrigley, Elizabeth McCracken, Reetika Vazirani, David Mura, Li-young Lee, James Houston, and Lynn Freed have served as visiting faculty.

For more information, see faculty interviews with Robin Tung (Affording the MFA):

• Garrett Hongo  (poetry)

Creative Writing MFA Student Handbook 2023-2024:

• 2023 – 2024 CRWR Handbook final tm

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• https://sou.edu/academics/creative-writing/
• Creative Writing

The Creative Writing program at SOU will provide you with a unique opportunity to create your own worlds.

SOU Creative Writing Academic Programs

Students in Creative Writing at SOU’s Oregon Center for the Arts receive immersive training in the exciting field of contemporary literary production and culture. Intensive coursework in fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and cross-genre writing prepares graduates for active application of their skills, whether their goals are to go on to an advanced program of study or to enter the broader marketplace with the valuable edge afforded by a degree that emphasizes verbal skills and effective communication. Emphasis is on dynamic forms of multicultural, hypersocial, and interdisciplinary innovation, with a firm grounding in traditional models and precedents. Enabled by the combined power of intellectual rigor and imaginative freedom, our writers discover ways to break through the multiple barriers in their path to artistic fulfillment and professional achievement.

Check out the SOU Creative Writing Program student testimonial video here on YouTube . Visit our YouTube Channel playlist for more SOU academic program testimonial videos.

Undergraduate Degrees

Academic minors.

Learn more about SOU  Creative Writing Degrees:

Expression & Creativity

Learn more about Creative Writing Programs at SOU

What SOU Creative Writing Students are Saying

My experience in this program has been illuminating. It’s not just artistic growth the program offers, but personal growth as well. The teachers are extremely supportive and deeply intelligent people. This isn’t just me fluffing pillows. It’s worth anybody’s time.

I’ve found a close-knit community in the creative writing BFA. I get to work with my professors and friends on projects that interest me; all while being able to engage with the many great opportunities here in Ashland!

Achieve Your Degree in Creative Writing at SOU

Contact creative writing.

SOU Creative Writing Program 1250 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 541.552.6101

– Questions About Creative Writing? –

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WRITING CLASSES

Writing classes at Literary Arts are for students at all levels who are looking to advance their skills and make writing a priority in their life. Whether you need help getting started or you’re a seasoned author seeking a community of writers who are serious about their craft, Literary Arts has a variety of offerings to develop key skills.

Our writing classes are limited to 10 students and focused on specific writing goals. Classes range from generative classes for all skill levels to more advanced intensives. Many of our writing classes are taught by Oregon Book Awards authors and fellowship recipients; all of our classes are taught by experienced teachers. We strive to build a supportive community of writers that provides opportunities for students from a wide range of backgrounds and interests to participate in an enriching experience. We offer classes that allow students to achieve short-term and long-term goals and deepen their writing practice. We value experimentation, making mistakes, and learning from others as part of the artistic process.

Our classes meet online on Zoom or in person at Literary Arts.

CLASS CANCELLATION POLICY:

For students who need to cancel registration for a class before it begins, the following refund schedule applies:

If you cancel at least 10 business days or more before a class begins, you will receive a credit minus 15% OR a refund minus 30% of the tuition.

9 business days until 24 hours or less before a class begins, you will receive a credit minus 20%. No refunds are given 9 business days or less before a class begins.

24 hours or less before a class begins, no refund or credits will be given.

Credits are valid for 12 months.

If Literary Arts cancels a class, participants will receive a full refund.

REFUNDS AND RECORDINGS:

Literary Arts cannot provide refunds, transfers, or makeup sessions for individual classes and seminar sessions that students miss. Literary Arts does not record Zoom classes for students who are absent.

A CCESS PROGRAM: We want our writing classes to be accessible to everyone, regardless of income and background. We understand that our tuition structure can present obstacles for some people. Our Access Program offers writing class registrations at a reduced rate. Most writing classes have at least one access spot available.

Please apply here for access rate tuition. Contact Susan Moore at  [email protected]  if you have questions.

Upcoming Writing Classes

Write the self: the study and practice of writing from personal experience, grief work: honoring sorrow as a generating motor, weirding the every day, autofiction weekend intensive, the notebook and the creative process, get writing: unblocking writer’s block, how to skin a fox: turning true experiences into fantastical stories.

“My instructor was supportive, encouraging, and insightful. My classmates are just as interested in developing their skills as I am and also provide excellent insight.” Writing student

 “I learned things that had never occurred to me before about writing a scene, setting, and dialogue. The experience of working with peers in learning to write better is valuable as we learn from each other.” Writing student

“I love the Literary Arts space—it’s a warm environment that I look forward to being in.” Writing Student

“My writing instructors were interesting, engaging, and professional.” Writing Student

Instructor Bios

Radika sharma, sandra hunter, margaret malone, josha nathan, wendy noonan, paige thomas, jay ponteri, access tuition.

We want our writing classes to be accessible to everyone, regardless of income and background. We understand that our tuition structure can present obstacles for some people. Our Access Program offers writing class registrations at a reduced rate. The access program for writing classes covers 50% of the class tuition. Most writing classes have at least one access spot available.

Please apply here for access rate tuition. Contact Susan Moore at [email protected] if you have questions.

Join our roster of accomplished writers who lead classes and workshops at our space. We also hire writers to teach creative writing residencies in local high schools.

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You have something important to say

At The Forge, we'll give you the creative writing tools & training to say it, at a much lower cost than a traditional MFA program. 

Here at The Forge, you bring the fire — your love of creative writing —

and we help shape you into the writer you want to be: confident, keen, and committed to a writing community.

In bi-weekly meetings and through individual mentorships, we'll stock you with craft know-how, revision skills, and writerly habits so you can forge your own literary works.

In other words, we got our MFAs so you don't have to .

In her work with hundreds of writers over 20 years, Ellen Santasiero has refined ways to help people figure out just what story they want to tell, whether it’s subtle and associative or barefaced and bodacious! Ellen taught writing and literature at Oregon State University-Cascades for 15 years. She led  multi-day intensive  memoir writing workshops at the Bend Writers' Workshop in 2018 & 2019, and she's taught creative writing courses for  Deschutes Public Library, Central Oregon Community College, the Central Oregon Writers Guild, Saving Grace, and Lewis & Clark College, among others. 

Ellen's  writing has appeared in literary and other magazines since 2001. She i s an editor & coach, co-editor of Placed: An Encyclopedia of Central Oregon (2020), and editor of Just Say Yes to Life! Stories of Surviving after Stroke (2021). She holds an MFA from the Bennington College Writing Seminars.

People want to hear stories. They want their emotions jangled and their minds bent, their perception of existence questioned, their

reality suspended, their world taken apart and put back together again, and for that,

they need us to write.

Mike Cooper holds an MFA from Oregon State University Cascades in Bend, Oregon where he lives with his family. Mike is a writer of fiction and an editorial coach. He's been published in The Baltimore Review and several of his short stories have been finalists in Glimmer Train, The Lascaux Review , Driftwood Press , and Cutthroat . He is president of the Central Oregon Writers Guild and teaches writing at Central Oregon Community College and Oregon State University-Cascades, as well as creative writing workshops through Blank Pages Workshops, Deschutes Public Library,  and COCC Community Learning.

Irene Cooper is a working writer, editor, & creative writing facilitator who believes, as Ann Richards said,  The answer to life is yes.  She also agrees with Annie Dillard that where writing is concerned, one must give it all, and give it all now. 

Teaching: Co-facilitator, The Forge; Faculty, OSU-Cascades MFA; Poetry Instructor, COCC Continuing Education; Instructor & Presenter, Deschutes Public Library, MUSE, Saving Grace, & elsewhere

Publications:  FOUND,  domestic noir & finalist for a Next Generation Indie Book Award;  Committal, speculative spy-fy novel about family;  spare change,  finalist for the 2022 Stafford/Hall Award for poetry, Oregon Book Awards, Literary Arts ; C o-editor,  Placed: An Encyclopedia of Central Oregon

Essays, stories, reviews, & poems appear in Denver Quarterly, phoebe, Witness, The Feminist Wire, The Rumpus , Beloit Poetry  & elsewhere.  Best of the Net  &  Pushcart Prize  nominee.

WHAT PEOPLE SAY: (See the Student Reading from the 2022 Program)

Irene continues to provide just the right combination of positive feedback and useful input. She brings an emotional intelligence to share with her students that helps widen our outlook in the writing world.

~Happy Writer

Irene was a fantastic teacher!

Irene Cooper is an amazing instructor. She is very encouraging but also honest. She introduced me to writing poetry, something I had never done before. I had a blast and enjoyed the other students and their poems immensely. ~R.K.

The classes that I have taken in poetry and writing from COCC [with Irene} have been better and more helpful than the extension courses I have taken at UCLA.

Mike knows how to inspire writers . He teaches craft and technique while still allowing for creative expression. As a new writer, he helped me find my voice and sharpen the message of my story. His welcoming teaching style creates an environment where every writer can grow , regardless of where they are in their journey.

Mike is a great writer and a thoughtful and knowledgeable teacher. Story structure and the elements of craft are not my favorite subjects, but he can teach these core concepts even to the hard-headed such as myself. Working with him has improved my workshopping and revision skills.

I find that creative confidence is often my biggest writing challenge. Mike’s analytical and encouraging approach motivates me to keep going and get closer to the story I want to tell.

Each time I participate in a workshop or class with Mike, I come away with not only invaluable new perspectives on my writing, but also fresh insights into the human condition and the greater world around us. If you are looking to improve your writing (and/or life), you are in the right place.

I loved the workshop.  It exceeded my expectations (which, to be honest, were high) in every way, especially the content, presentation, and caliber of discussions with the other participants.  

My favorite part was the generous, open, and  safe setting created by Ellen to experiment, take risks, and share work with the group.

~Ellen Ronan, Bend, OR

Ellen was terrific! Her tone and style was encouraging and inclusive. She did a great job moderating the personalities and ensuring that each writer had ample time to hear peers respond to their work. ~Philip Langdon Ross, Seattle, WA

Ellen is immensely passionate about writing and this passion seeps into the classes she teaches.

~Amanda Brown, Bend, OR

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Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Contact information by campus | Faculty

Writing opportunities

Want to see what PCC students are writing? Check out PCC’s student literary magazines .

Why choose Writing at PCC?

Portland Community College prepares you to write clearly and effectively. Competency in writing is essential to college success as you author class reports and term papers.

Degrees and certificates

PCC offers many options to meet your goals: short-term certificates, two-year degrees, and university transfer options.

What will you learn?

Class information.

• Current class schedule
• Class descriptions (catalog)

Portland Community College offers you three areas of writing study: Creative Writing, English Composition, and Technical Writing.

Creative Writing

Are you looking to stimulate and improve your imaginative writing? The PCC creative writing program offers you the opportunity to study with instructors who provide unique approaches to creative writing. Expect to write a great deal, learn critical terminology, and spend class time discussing your own and others’ writing.

PCC offers one of the largest selections of creative writing courses in the state. There are no prerequisites for most of the introductory courses, although you should be able to write at the WR 121 level. All the courses are good for three units of transferable credit.

English Composition

The goal of the Composition Program is to provide students with the opportunity to practice those writing skills which will enable them to write successfully in all their college courses. By the end of the program, students should be skillful at reading analytically and critically; their writing should demonstrate an understanding of organization, audience, voice, and the conventions of college-level written English.

In any of the courses in the Composition Program, students will be expected to write several papers; they may be asked to keep a reading journal and practice peer editing in small groups or engage in some form of collaborative learning in which essays will be read by other students in the class. Some in-class writing is required in all writing courses.

Technical Writing

Technical writing is common in the contemporary workplace. Students from disciplines as diverse as business, engineering, information technology, law, and science benefit from taking technical writing courses.  You will learn how to analyze and communicate special information and to adapt your visuals, formats, and writing styles to the specific audiences and needs of the fields. These courses emphasize the precise use of language and graphics to communicate complex technical and procedural information safely, legally, and ethically.  We also focus on career-specific writing such as proposals, letters, memoranda, lab reports, and/or work reports. (See the Writing catalog and class schedule for technical writing classes.)

Want to deepen your knowledge? Consider the Creative Writing focus award .

Resources for writing students

Writing tutoring is available at all campus tutoring centers and provides valuable resources to help you write papers. They’re open 5 days a week, and staffed by instructors in the Writing program and by peer tutors (students who have completed WR 121, 122, 123, and are enrolled in a tutor-training class.) Writing centers can provide help from the very beginning (brainstorming ideas) to the very end (editing).

Other useful resources are computer labs , libraries , and student printing so you can print documents on campus.

What will you do?

You will find that strong writing skills will aid your professional career as you author well-worded emails and reports that your supervisors and colleagues will welcome reading.

Not quite ready for credit courses in writing?

Developmental Education Writing can help you prepare for PCC’s college credit programs. Many students already enrolled in credit courses take developmental classes as needed to meet the requirements of their degree program.

Applying to PCC is free and only takes a few minutes. Apply now

Not quite ready to apply?

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Creative Writing Society

Oregon State University’s Creative Writing Society is an organization created by writers, for writers.

Our goal is to create a community of writers from all backgrounds, genres, and majors. Members are connected with resources and information about literary competitions, such as NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), and publishing opportunities both inside and outside OSU.

We meet once during the week to read and discuss each other's work in a workshop setting. On the weekend, we meet to hold writing sessions and participate in activities such as exquisite corpse to generate inspiration.

Reach out! Our email is:

[email protected]

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katerina (kat) puglisi (she/her/hers)

Kat is the current treasurer of the Creative Writing Society, and a purveyor of chaotic writing (in a good way, of course). A Bay Area native, she came to OSU to study Business Administration with a double minor in Writing and Film Studies. She's too indecisive to pick a favorite genre to write in, so she dabbles in almost all of them, making sure not to take any of them too seriously (the more absurd, the better). In her free time she enjoys reading, watching movies, and baking way more things than she knows what to do with.

Cooper Theodore (he/him/his)

Co-vice-president.

Cooper is one of the two vice presidents of the Creative Writing Society and is currently in his fourth year at OSU as a creative writing major. He is one of the many ex computer science majors turned please-anything-else majors. Because he was homeschooled, he knows a lot about random, inconsequential things and nothing about stuff everyone should know. He loves to write fantasy mostly but has been gaining an appreciation for non-fiction recently. He doesn’t understand poetry at all though, so if you could come explain it to him that’d be great. His list of interests is long, so just start talking to him and I'm sure you'll find something in common. Please. It'd make his day.

Benjamin toledo (they/them/theirs)

Having swapped their major three times, Ben Toledo is majoring in Creative Writing and is one of two vice presidents for the Creative Writing Society. They were born in Corvallis and have lived in the Willamette Valley their whole life. They generally focus on writing fantasy and enjoy writing short stories, novels, comics, and tv scripts. When they're not writing, they are often planning for D&D, playing video games, listening to music, or caring for their Leopard Gecko. They are also currently living with a snake, two frogs, two ferrets, another gecko, and a cat.

Sheyanne Loose (she/her/hers)

Sheyanne.jpg.

Sheyanne is the current president of the Creative Writing Society. She is an undergraduate student majoring in Creative Writing with a minor in Psychology. Born in Keizer, OR, she now calls Corvallis her home. Almost every day, you can find her walking to and from OSU for her classes, club meetings, and work at Academics for Student Athletes as an academic mentor and tutor. While she mostly focuses on fiction, she also enjoys writing creative nonfiction and would like to focus on fantasy in the future. Her favorite pastimes include reading, writing, martial arts, and playing video games. This year, she plans to participate in NaNoWriMo, apply to graduate schools for an MFA in Creative Writing, and finish her Bachelor of Arts.

Contact Info

Email: [email protected]

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Corvallis, OR 97331-8600

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April 23, 2024

For Clara Fuehler, a Writing Course in Oregon Proves Transformative

After a semester of Oregon’s mountainous landscapes and eating sourdough by a wooden stove, Clara Fuehler '24 is filled with bittersweet feelings. Returning to Greensboro after her study-away journey has given her an incredible perspective and appreciation for the things around her. How did she find herself living and learning in Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument? Well, the adventure starts and ends at Guilford.

Clara has always approached her experiences with passion. She thrives in environments that give her the space to foster creativity and express herself. Her parents, working as public school teachers, influenced her greatly. “... [E]mbracing places to learn whether it be emotionally, artistically, or socially was always sort of intrinsic to the way I was oriented to the world,” she says. When her dad discovered the Early College Program at Guilford, Clara seized the opportunity, not realizing the magnitude of this decision and how it would change her life’s trajectory.

“I was accepted and attending and infatuated by all of the really smart students and teachers who make the Early College at Guilford such an academic stronghold.” Although intimidated at first, she quickly warmed up to the Quaker climate and rose to the challenge of the program's rigor. “I learned what it meant to be a part of an academic community and have a language that made me feel safe in the world of higher ed,” says Clara. Not only did Clara gain insight into collegiate life early on, but it was there that the first seeds of Oregon travels were planted.

Clara underwent a transformative experience during an American Nature Writing course taught by Jim Hood, a longtime Guilford English professor who is now retired. She had always wanted to travel and use college as a chance to explore new places with new people. In Jim’s class she was presented with an interesting experience: The Oregon Extension. Clara reflected on that moment, recalling, “I learned I could see more of the world by rooting myself in this place.”

The Oregon Extension provided Clara with an outlet where she could earn up to 17 credits contributing to her overfall degree program and teach her different skills pertaining to maintaining a vibrant living and working environment. She says, “Students are expected to participate in farm posts each week, which could vary anywhere between milking goats, to helping in the garden, to canning 39 jars of tomato sauce for food preservation.” Clara comments on how intertwined the hands-on learning is with the maintenance labor contributed and how both worked together to foster a community of people who learned and cared about each other and their environment. “I was constantly learning and trying new things and it was so beautiful to see everyone so enthusiastic to do the same… And now I have the tools to bring them to my home here,” she says.

She decided she could have a small school in a close community and still get her exploratory fix. “Guilford has ties with a lot of study away and abroad opportunities that make the financial and administrative burden less challenging. Take advantage of that!” she says.

Now, Clara is on her way back from her alpine adventure. She will graduate with a degree in English and Media Studies as well as Sculpting, supported by both her parents and the Guilford family.

Art and writing played integral roles in her parents' way of teaching when Clara was growing up. “Being able to learn the tools that cultivate creativity in an academic setting is such a beautiful gift,” Clara says. ”The opportunity to embrace these things seemed clear and supported here at Guilford, so I decided to lean in.”

While she is sad to leave the Pacific Northwest, Clara is excited to return home. “There are things I can do here at Guilford I couldn’t do anywhere else,” alluding to her time in the Honors program, Guilford’s Rugby team, and beloved art department.

“I encourage everyone, even the slightest bit interested in studying abroad, to take the leap. A semester away opens your eyes to different ways to understand learning, relationship, and sense of place which is such a valuable part of education that exceeds the traditional Classroom.”

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Creative Aging: Memoir Writing at 58th Street Library

• Wednesday, May 1, 2024, 2 - 4 PM
• Wednesday, May 8, 2024, 2 - 4 PM
• Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 2 - 4 PM

Continue where we left off at the end of our Memoir Writing workshops for adults 50 and older.

This program will be held in person at 58th Street Library and online.

Teaching artist Frank Ingrasciotta will continue to guide participants through the art of writing over 5 extra sessions.

Storytelling is our most ancient art form and everyone has a story in us that wants to be told. When powerful storytelling resonates, it creates shared experiences of commonality that bonds us as a community. In this eight-session memoir writing class, we will examine various aspects of storytelling. Through writing exercises, we will explore the tools of your personal expression that bring writing to life.

Materials will be provided for this program. 

Attendance at all sessions is recommended as this is a series of classes and those who miss the first few may be lost. Space is limited and priority will be given to those who attended the first 8 sessions last year.  

Registration is mandatory.  Register for April and May events above with your email address. 

About the Artist

Frank Ingrasciotta (Actor/Playwright/Director/Educator) is the writer/performer of the award winning Off-Broadway solo play Blood Type: RAGU, performing over 1,000 shows nationally and internationally. As an actor, Frank has appeared in numerous stage productions, daytime dramas, and episodic TV shows. He has also directed many theatrical productions for numerous theatre companies. As an arts educator, he conducts workshops in acting, and creative writing with diverse populations and students of all ages. He holds a Theatre Arts in Education degree from SUNY Empire State College.

• Class Format: Hands on
• Skill prerequisites: No prior experience required. This program is perfect for all skill levels.
• Audience: Adults, 50+