Through
12/13
Louisa Shepard
Senior News Officer
lshepard@upenn.edu
Kelly Writers House
Poet Wes Matthews combines writing, music, research, and service
Poet Wes Matthews combines writing, music, research, and service
College fourth-year Wes Matthews is combining writing, music, research, and service during his Penn experience. A former Youth Poet Laureate of Philadelphia, the anthropology major and religious studies minor works at the Kelly Writers House and is a Wolf Humanities Center fellow.
ModPo celebrates its first decade
ModPo celebrates its first decade
Modern and Contemporary Poetry was founded by Al Filreis of the School of Arts & Sciences at Kelly Writers House in 2012, and now has 69,000 people enrolled globally. Poets and participants came to campus to celebrate the 10th anniversary.
Cosmic Writers brings free creative writing education to school-aged children
Cosmic Writers brings free creative writing education to school-aged children
May graduates Rowana Miller and Manoj Simha lead Cosmic Writers, a project supported by President’s Engagement Prize that provides free creative writing instruction to K-12 students virtually throughout the world.
Rounding the bases and finding home at the Kelly Writers House
Rounding the bases and finding home at the Kelly Writers House
Former Major League Baseball centerfielder Doug Glanville spoke with students about his life and career in the seminar created and taught by English Professor Al Filreis and during a public reading and conversation.
From the page to the stage
From the page to the stage
In collaboration with author Amitav Ghosh, musician Ali Sethi, and Penn’s Brooke O’Harra, 14 students brought to life a parable Ghosh wrote about the world’s largest mangrove forest, human greed, and the environment.
Rowana Miller and Cosmic Writers want to make writing education equitable
Rowana Miller and Cosmic Writers want to make writing education equitable
Along with a team of passionate fellow students, Miller runs a nonprofit called Cosmic Writers, which provides virtual and in-person writing workshops for young writers.
Mentor support for the first-generation college experience
Mentor support for the first-generation college experience
Three decades apart, senior Rachel Swym and alumna Leanne Huebner found a common bond in their rural backgrounds and first-generation, highly aided college experience.
Alumni Award of Merit and Creative Spirit Awards honor seven alumni
Alumni Award of Merit and Creative Spirit Awards honor seven alumni
Stephen Goff is awarded Creative Spirit Award and Al Filreis is to receive the Faculty Award of Merit.
Al Filreis dwells in possibility
Al Filreis dwells in possibility
Celebrating poetry and literature at Penn since 1985, Al Filreis continues to create community at the home for writers he founded in a Locust Walk house a quarter-century ago.
Ilyse Reisman summer in the writers’ room
Ilyse Reisman summer in the writers’ room
An aspiring comedy writer, senior Ilyse Reisman got a chance to be on set and in meetings to pitch production ideas during her RealArts@Penn summer internship at the film studio Indigenous Media in Los Angeles.
Media Contact
In the News
Philadelphia Magazine
Why are 30,000 people studying poetry online with this guy?
Al Filreis of the School of Arts & Sciences is spotlighted for his popular online course on modern poetry.
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PBS NewsHour
Mother and son who are both poet laureates work to inspire others
A profile examines the poetic accolades of College of Arts and Sciences fourth-year Wes Matthews and his mother Airea D. Matthews, including their involvement with Kelly Writers House.
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Hidden City Philadephia
Kelly Writers House celebrates 25th anniversary
A profile examines the history and influence of Kelly Writers House as it prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary, with quotes from Al Filreis of the School of Arts & Sciences.
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