Packed house shows support for Cervantes in final Writers Corner

Reading their works in front of a full house Wednesday night inside Cowley College’s Nelson Student Center, nine current Cowley College writers joined five alumni of the college and three faculty for the final Writers Corner of the academic year, which also served as the last that Marlys Cervantes, director of the Creative Writing Program and department chair of Humanities and Communication will coordinate since she is retiring at the end of the semester.

“Tonight is bittersweet,” said Cervantes reflecting on the evening. “I cannot wrap my head around this being my last Writers Corner, and yet I so enjoyed having some of the alumni who I have watched grow and do remarkable things after they’ve left Cowley come back to visit and showcase some of their writing for current students. It was such a wonderful turnout from friends of the students and the community. What a magnificent night.”

Guest poets for the evening were Anisa Layton, Newkirk High graduate ’21 and concurrent Cowley student who is now at Oklahoma State University; Tyler Thielen ’21; Megan Giger ’19; Dylan Gregor ’15, and Zane May ’12. Also highlighted for the evening were Cowley Creative Writing graduates Randolph Rhodd, Garrick Johnson, and Eden Williams.

The May graduates capped off the evening with their works to end the night. Other presenters for the evening were additional May graduates Maria Luiza Coelho, Alexis Cook, and Felipe Mentz; students Kaden Horton, Syriah Marque, and Slava Sychev; and guest Elizabeth Schmidt, Kansas Authors Club member. Faculty members presenting works were Cervantes, Ryan Doom, and Abigail Green. 

Next up for the Creative Writing and MassComm programs will be the showcase on May 3 from 6:30-8 p.m. in the Life Through Word and Lens gallery hallway in the Brown Center and Earle N. Wright Community Room. Everyone is invited to come view student portfolios, photography, and videos. If you have any questions, please contact Cervantes at marlys.cervantes@cowley.edu.

Rama Peroo | Director of Institutional Communication
Cowley College
125 S. 2nd Street
Arkansas City, KS 67005
rama.peroo@cowley.edu