Southeast Missouri State University's (SEMO) Department of English connects students and the community with nationally recognized writers through its Visiting Writer Series, held each semester. This spring, the series will welcome award-winning poet Alison C. Rollins to campus for a public reading of her latest poetry collection, “Black Bell,” in Catapult Creative House.
“Our students interact with published authors at SEMO every day,” said Dr. James Brubaker, associate professor of English at SEMO. “But it’s exciting for them to see someone from outside the department and get different perspectives, especially from an award-winning author.”
The Visiting Writer Series brings one poet and one fiction writer to campus each year, offering the Cape Girardeau region the chance to engage with diverse literary voices and perspectives. For students, the series is a cornerstone of experiential learning. Beyond the public reading, visiting authors join classes to share their writing journeys and answer questions about craft, publication and the challenges of storytelling. These conversations give students direct access to various perspectives and practical insights into building a writing life.
INTERESTED IN LEARNING FROM AWARD-WINNING AUTHORS?
Rollins, a St. Louis native and assistant professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has earned several awards and fellowships for her work, including a 2023-24 Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship and the 2020 Pushcart Prize. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine and The American Poetry Review, among others.
One of Rollins’s most recent achievements was being selected as the 2025 recipient of the Maya Angelou Book Award, which recognizes outstanding poetry and fiction writers whose work demonstrates a commitment to social justice. This award, chosen by a reading committee from participating schools, was established in partnership with the Kansas City Public Library and several universities across Missouri, including SEMO. The winning author tours participating campuses to meet students and present their work.
“Rollins does a nice job of blending personal concerns with broader cultural issues,” said Brubaker. “Black Bell was an exciting, daring book that didn’t follow conventional approaches to poetry, which is a big part of why it was chosen for this award.”
Rollins will be reading and answering questions in Catapult Creative House on Tuesday, April 21 at 6 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.
At SEMO, fearless storytelling starts in the classroom, where published authors mentor the next generation of writers. Start writing your story by visiting semo.edu/english.