WRT Dept 25th Anniversary Celebration

Description of Celebration

This fall, the Department of Writing at Grand Valley State University will celebrate 25 years since becoming an independent department in Fall 2001.

The Silver Jubilee celebration will feature a full day of events designed to welcome current students, alumni, current and former faculty, and friends of the department. It will be an opportunity to reconnect and celebrate the milestone. On Friday, October 2, 2026, guests can participate in a “living archive” of the department's history, attend workshops and readings, and hear from alumni about the diverse paths that writing makes possible. At the center of the celebration is the Silver Jubilee Reception, where alumni, students, and faculty are invited to mingle over light refreshments, revisit shared experiences, and make new ones. The reception will include a department trivia event, highlighting moments from the past 25 years, along with opportunities to participate in raffles and support the new WRT Legacy Fund.

The celebration will also mark the release of a WRT Dept Silver Jubilee Commemorative Publication.

Anniversary logo designed by WRT Major, Kelsie Manor ('26).

Schedule at a Glance

October 1, 2026

GVSU Writer Series Presents: Katie Jean Shinkle ('07)

October 2, 2026

Check-in and Commemorative Button Pick-up
25 for 25: Artifact Showcase
Living Archive
Commemorative fishaldder Poster Display
Campus Tours
Writing Workshops
Alumni and Faculty Lightning Reading Series
Alumni Panel on Careers in Writing
Alumni Panel on AI in the Workplace
Alumni Writing Center Consultant Meet-Up
Silver Jubilee Reception (hors d'oeuvres, swag bags, class photos, department trivia, raffles, and more!)

October 3, 2026

Department of Writing Tailgate
Homecoming Football Game (vs. Wayne State University) [purchase game tickets on your own]

Detailed Schedule

Thursday, October 1 Events	Location	Time
GV WRITERS SERIES PRESENTS: KATIE JEAN SHINKLE ('07) Shinkle’s work includes The Only Way Out is Through (YesYes Books, 2026), Transference (winner of the 2024 Gasher Press Poetry Chapbook Prize, 2025), and Tannery Bay (coauthored with Steven Dunn, FC2, 2024). She serves as co-poetry editor of DIAGRAM and teaches in the MFA program at Sam Houston State University. https://katiejeanshinkle.com/	TBD	TBD

Friday, October 2 Events	Location	Time
REGISTRATION Check in, pick up your itinerary, name tag, commemorative button, and before exploring the day's exhibits and activities.	LOH 3rd Floor	9:30am-3:00pm
CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP Rediscover the workshop experience with creative writing faculty, Caitlin Horrocks and Chris Haven. Draft something new, respond to prompts, and enjoy the creative conversations that once filled your classes.	TBD	10:00am-11:30am
LUNCH ON YOUR OWN Meet up with fellow alumni to enjoy lunch at one of GVSU’s many campus dining options or explore nearby Allendale restaurants.	Your choice!	11:30am-1:00pm
LIGHTNING READING SERIES Share your work or simply enjoy the readings. Participants have 2-minutes to read original writing. Limited number of readers; advance sign-up required on RSVP form.	TBD	1:00pm-1:50pm
WRITING ALUMNI CAREER PANEL: THE IMPACT OF AI Hear from alumni representing diverse writing careers as they reflect on their professional journeys, workplace experiences, and the evolving role of AI. Audience Q&A follows the panel.	TBD	2:00pm-3:00pm
WRITING CENTER CONSULTANT MEET UP or CAMPUS TOUR Reconnect with fellow Writing Center consultants and writing faculty or join a guided campus tour to revisit familiar spaces and explore what's new.	TBD	3:15pm-4:00pm
DEPARTMENT SILVER JUBILEE RECEPTION Celebrate with faculty, alumni, and students at our evening reception. Enjoy refreshments, gift bags, department trivia, raffle prizes, and remarks (at 5pm) celebrating 25 years of the Department of Writing.	Grand River Room (2250 Kirkhof Center)	4:00pm-6:00pm

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3 EVENTS	LOCATION	TIME
DEPARTMENT OF WRITING TAILGATE Join the Department of Writing at the designated tailgate and enjoy cookies and conversation. Family and kids welcome. From there, we'll head to the Homecoming football game together. Game tickets are not included (purchase tickets here).	TBD	1:00pm 3:00pm Kick-off

Silver Jubilee Commemorative Publication

This Silver Jubilee Commemorative Publication celebrates 25 years of the Department of Writing's history, community, and impact. Through photographs, alumni memories, infographic milestones, student voices, and academic, creative, and professional work, the publication honors the people and experiences that have shaped the department across a quarter century. More than a retrospective, it also looks ahead to the future of writing, communication, and storytelling in a rapidly changing world. Designed for alumni, students, faculty, and friends of the department, this commemorative publication highlights the creativity, collaboration, and curiosity that continue to define the Department of Writing and the generations of writers connected to it.

Limited copies available; pre-purchase ordering form coming soon!

WRT Legacy Fund

In honor of the 25th milestone anniversary, the Department of Writing is launching a new WRT Legacy Fund. The WRT Legacy Fund will continue to support the next 25 years of writing students through supplemental unpaid internship support, student conference travel, books, technology, visiting writer events, writing contest prizes, department-sponsored student organization support, etc. Please consider contributing today!

https://www.gvsu.edu/giving/give-now-writing-student-support-gifts-1234.htm