English

Writer in Residence

WINNIPEG, MB –The University of Winnipeg’s Department of English, Faculty of Arts, is proud to announce that one of Canada’s leading writers, Gregory Scofield, will be UWinnipeg'’s Carol Shields Writer-in-Residence for 2013.  

Please come to Gregory's Carol Shields Distinguished Lecture on Thursday March 7th at 7:30 p.m. in Convocation Hall.

Scofield is UWinnipeg’s eighth Carol Shields Writer-in-Residence.  As Writer-in-Residence, he will meet with writing students and members of the public in private consultations from January 1 until March 31, 2013.

“The 2013 Writer-in-Residence will be a wonderful opportunity for me, as a storyteller, writer and poet to work with the already dynamic and vibrant writing community in Winnipeg, as well as those who have yet to find their stories and poems, and the magic to tell them,” expressed Scofield.
 
Scofield is known for his unique and dynamic reading style that blends oral storytelling, song, spoken word and the Cree language. His maternal ancestry can be traced back to the fur trade and to the Metis community of Kinosota, Manitoba, which was established in 1828 by the Hudson’s Bay Company.
 
His poetry and memoir, Thunder Through My Veins (HarperCollins, 1999) is taught at numerous universities and colleges throughout Canada and the U.S., and his work has appeared in many anthologies. His collection, Kipocihkan: Poems New & Selected (Nightwood Editions) and the republication of I Knew Two Metis Women, along with the Companion CD (Gabriel Dumont Institute) was released in Spring 2010.  As well, his third collection of poetry, Love Medicine and One Song, was re-released by Kegedonce Press in 2009. His most recent collection of poetry, Louis: The Heretic Poems, was released in Fall 2011 (Nightwood Editions/Gabriel Dumont Institute). He currently lives in Maple Ridge, BC. 
 
To book an appointment for a consultation with UWinnipeg’s Carol Shields Writer-in-Residence call 204.786.9321.

Friends of Carol Shields Celebrate Writer in Residence Program

On November 22, 2012, the English Department, in collaboration with the University of Winnipeg Foundation, held a Reception for the Friends of Carol Shields Writer-in-Residence Program. Carol was so well-loved and had touched so many, the evening was a great success with over fifty guests making their way to Convocation Hall on the first snowy Winnipeg night of the season. Thank you to all who attended for sharing stories about Carol as well as plans for the future of the Residency. Here is a video recapping this wonderful evening:

If you would like to become a Friend of the Program by making a donation please click here.

The Carol Shields Writer-in-Residence Program

The Carol Shields Writer-in-Residence Program at the University of Winnipeg was made possible by a generous donation from the Shields family. The program’s name honours the memory of Carol Shields, Pulitzer-prize winning novelist and Chancellor of the University of Winnipeg from 1996 to 2000. At Convocations, our students and their families were privileged to hear her wise and beautifully-crafted addresses to the graduands. Carol was also a generous mentor to emerging writers, so this program is a fitting tribute to her. As UW President Dr. Lloyd Axworthy has said, "Carol was enormously committed to cultivating young writers. Through the thoughtfulness and generosity that the Shields family has shown to the University, opportunities have been created for many more people and emerging writers to discover their creative voices."

Thanks to this program, the University of Winnipeg is able to host a creative writer for four months of each year (January through April). While the writer spends most of this time working on a new creative project, he or she also gives public readings or lectures and holds regular office hours on campus for members of the public who want to consult them about their manuscripts or about the writing life.

Past writers in this program include Margaret Sweatman, Sandra Birdsell, John Weier, Maria Campbell, David Bergen, Ivan Coyote and Debbie Patterson.