Undergraduates, graduate students and faculty members gathered at Old O’Connor Hall for a welcoming mixer, hosted by the creative writing program. Held last Thursday, the event saw a diverse array of poetry readings and club information.

Tina Chang ’91, an English professor and the director of creative writing and Jennifer DeGregorio Ph.D. ’21, a lecturer and the associate director of creative writing, headed the event and showcased the agenda for the night.

The event began with a brief introduction from Chang, who highlighted Ph.D. students on an English track, such as Samia Ahmed, Shannon Hearn and Derek Ellis, and praised their cultivation and growth in creative writing during their time at Binghamton University. The list included DeGregorio, who recently earned her Ph.D in creative writing.

Chang said that while writing is often solitary, developing community as a writer is crucial. Later, she discussed the University’s creative writing program and its efforts to help cultivate students’ creativity.

“I would say the mission of the creative writing program is to meet with a writer who has maybe an inkling, initially, of what it is that they love to do, and hopefully somewhere within the area of interest of either poetry, fiction, nonfiction, screenwriting,” Chang said. “These are just a few of the things that we offer, and to be able to help them cultivate those interests so that they deepen the interest and maybe even potentially imagine a career for themselves one day that incorporates the skills that they’ve learned here.”

The evening featured information from several campus organizations that contribute to the University’s literary and creative writing community. After Chang’s introduction, Ellis spoke about the Common Ground Reading Series, a program aimed at creating a safe space on campus where anyone can share their creative work with others in monthly readings.

Additionally, representatives from the Harpur Palate Literary Journal, the Common Ground Reading Series, the Triple Cities undergraduate literary journal, Eleventh Hour Literary, Creative Writing Club and the Binghamton Poetry Club discussed their work and the opportunities they provide for students. Their presentations introduced the audience to the different ways these groups support writing, publishing and literary engagement on campus.

Elaine Braunshweiger, co-editor-in-chief and co-founder of Triple Cities literary magazine and a junior double-majoring in English and comparative literature, shared the mission of the new magazine.

“The mission of our organization is to cultivate a stronger community around the creative writing undergraduate students on campus because there have been efforts in the past to bring us all together,” Braunshweiger said. “But as was mentioned earlier in the event, writing is often a solitary activity, but when we enter the literary magazine space, we have to come together, not only to write and publish, but also for anyone that wants to go into the publishing industry, this is a really good opportunity for them to get some hands-on experience. And for us, it’s a thoughtful career exercise as well — kind of learning as we go.”

After each organization introduced itself, DeGregorio presented Binghamton’s poetry award winners, who shared their work with the audience. Academy of American Poets Prize recipients went first, including Lisa Compo, a Ph.D student in creative writing and Olivia Drury, a senior double-majoring in integrative neuroscience and English, who presented thought-provoking and striking poems.

Last but not least was Priscilla Diaz, a junior majoring in English and the third-place winner of the Andrew Bergman Award, with a piece showcasing vivid imagery containing descriptive blends of gore and mutilation.

Chang later discussed a project called “Word of Mouth,” guided by herself, Daniel Thomas Davis, a professor of music, Thomas Goodheart, an associate professor of voice and William Culverhouse, associate professor of music and director of choral activities. The project is for poets and short-form writers who are interested in transforming their words into music, uniting poets, composers and performers across multiple mediums.

DeGregorio spoke about the distinct qualities that set Binghamton’s creative writing program apart, emphasizing its supportive community. This includes the diverse opportunities for student involvement and the range of publications and events available that allow writers to share their work.

After the presentation, attendees mingled over soft drinks and food, celebrating creativity and connecting over inspiring opportunities and artistic expression.

The Binghamton Center for Writers brought together the student body and helped foster strong relationships with the English Department. By connecting student organizations, faculty and peers, the evening showcased the collaborative spirit of Binghamton’s creative writing community, leaving attendees with a clearer sense of how they can evolve and grow as writers.

“Creative writing is actually wonderfully flexible,” Chang said. “Having a background in creative writing can really lend itself basically to any career, because in any career, you have to be able to write clearly and effectively and be able to express your thoughts candidly and with care, and that’s pretty much any job. And so I think that if we can help students to move toward a clear career choice, while also feeling like their work is deeply valued, I think that we’ve done our job.”

Editor’s Note (9/10): This article was updated to remove a quote attached to incorrect context.