Exploring LVC’s New Creative Writing Major

Harnessing the power of writing and connecting students to each other—and the world around them—are key foundations of Lebanon Valley College’s newest major.

The new creative writing major has its roots in existing classes, Introduction to Literature and Introduction to Creative Writing, and students will continue to shape their educational experience from there. The program offers choices in poetry, script writing, creative nonfiction, and many more.

The program got its start almost a year ago when Dr. Holly Wendt, assistant professor of English, began working with her colleagues in the English Department to decide what it would mean to create a new major at The Valley, rather than to reimplement a creative writing concentration within the existing department.

“What we were finding was that it was difficult to explain the open pathways model [currently employed in the English major],” Wendt said. “Students who specifically wanted to major in creative writing were not making it deep enough into the website to see that the department still offered those classes. By making a creative writing major, we had something that was easily searchable and findable.”

The addition of a creative writing major comes at a time when creative writing has become increasingly popular.

“We’re seeing this amazing selection of novels, especially young adult, and young people read…so a lot of younger writers are really in love with the things they are reading and they find the act of creation really powerful,” Wendt said.

In addition to growing their creative writing skills, creative writing majors will build skills, such as communications and planning, that are crucial in the current job market.

“[The job market] is all about how adaptive you are and how quickly you can pick up something new,” Wendt said. “If you attentive to language, interested in communications, curious about the world, and willing to see something through, you’re set; and that is what creative writing can teach you.”

The creative writing major is also designed to enable students to take full advantage of the opportunities available at Lebanon Valley College. The course load is intentionally flexible to allow students to adopt a second major or a minor, and even participate in study abroad or study away programs, which ultimately build experiences for personal creative writing. Wendt also looks forward to future collaborations with the Lebanon VA Medical Center in the hopes that it will connect the students with the community.

The degree requirements for the Creative Writing Program can be found here.

Questions regarding the new Creative Writing Program? Please contact Dr. Holly Wendt at wendt@lvc.edu.

 

-- Megan Marron, Marketing & Communications Assistant