Two Writing Workshops Fill July

The Breaking the Academic Mold participants pose for a photo at the home of Collegeville Institute Executive Director Dr. Jacqueline Bussie.

Over the month of July, the Collegeville Institute hosted two distinct writing workshops, following the recommencement of in-person workshopping at the Collegeville Institute in June.

The first of these was Women Writing led by Lauren Winner, which took place from July 6 – July 15, 2022. Winner, a professor of divinity at Duke University and long-time Collegeville Institute workshop leader, took participants through an exploration of prose writing techniques with the questions that emerge in women’s writing specifically. The workshop included quiet writing time, as well as group sessions that included workshopping participant pieces, looking at published women’s writing examples, and idea generating writing exercises. The participants also enjoyed a fun Murder-Mystery Night and capped off the week with a group dinner at the Café Renaissance in nearby Waite Park.

One participant said about Women Writing, “I’d recommend [this workshop] because of Lauren’s fabulous teaching, because of the beautiful, spiritually enriching setting, because of the quality of my fellow participants’ work, because of [the staff’s] amazing hospitality, organization, and leadership, because of the workshop’s commitment to take the intellectual and spiritual lives of women seriously.”

A fellow participant said in their evaluation, “I am beyond grateful for the time, the space, the beauty of the place, and the tremendous amount of attention that’s been given to making our time here homey and productive. I feel the recipient of great kindness this week.”

The next workshop, taking place from July 25 – July 31, 2022 was Breaking the Academic Mold: Liberating the Powerful, Personal Voice Inside You. This workshop was coordinated jointly with the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion at Wabash College in Indiana. The workshop leaders, Sophfronia Scott and Donald Quist, are both accomplished writers who have had their books, writings, and wider work recognized on the national level. The workshop was aimed towards helping higher education theology faculty members expand their writing into creative and nonacademic contexts. Participants enjoyed a final night gathering and ritual hosted by Collegeville Institute Executive Director Jacqueline Bussie at her home.

One participant remarked, “I simply can’t give enough high praise for this workshop. Simply stated, it is the best writing workshop that I have ever attended. Everything about our time was meaningful.”

Another reflected, “When I applied for the workshop earlier this year, I did not know what to expect. I can now say that this workshop exceeded anything I could have possibly expected or even imagined. I am reentering my daily life inspired, encouraged, and more confident than I have ever been about my ability to communicate meaningfully with a broader audience.”

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