Jerome Stern Reading Series is back for the Spring 2023 semester
By Giana Nardelli
The always-anticipated return of the Jerome Stern Reading Series takes place Tuesday, Jan. 24, which marks the beginning of the Spring 2023 season.
Each semester, graduate students in Florida State University’s Creative Writing Program organize this weekly event. Master’s and doctoral students, English faculty members, visiting authors, and various members of the literary community to present their creative works at The Bark, a restaurant and arts space located close to the Railroad Square District.
The series is named after the late Jerome “Jerry” Stern. Stern was a professor and the director of FSU’s Creative Writing Program for nearly 30 years. He was committed to supporting the entire department as well, forming strong bonds with his graduate students to support their writing and advocating for the importance of public speaking.
The series honors Stern’s legacy and opens opportunities for the department to spotlight its graduate students' works and celebrate authors brought to Tallahassee from around the world.
English doctoral students Anthony Borruso and Olivia Sokolowski are co-hosts for the series this semester, and they are looking forward to what the series is showcasing in the next few months.
“[We] have put in a lot of work so far,” Sokolowski explains, “and we are excited to do collaborative events… promoting [these] works to graduate and undergraduate students is what we are excited for.”
Each reading is held at The Bark, which is about a half mile from FSU’s campus.
“Come as you are,” Sokolowski says, as anyone in the campus and local community is welcome to enjoy the Reading Series (and to get a bite to eat). Anyone can attend, graduate students and undergraduate students alike, and the readings begin at 8 p.m.
This semester’s lineup begins with readings from Bridget Adams and Melvin Li, two highly celebrated Creative Writing doctoral candidates. Adams and Li will be reading pieces of their original works.
“It is a fiction reading you won’t want to miss,” the event’s co-chairs say, describing what will be an exciting and upbeat start to the 2023 Spring semester.
Read more about Jerome Stern here: https://sternreadingseries.english.fsu.edu/
The Jerome Stern Reading Series Spring 2023 lineup:
January 24 – Bridget Adams and Melvin Li
Feb. 7 – Dionne Irving
Feb. 14 – Kudzu Review Fundraiser
Feb. 21 – Jayme Ringleb
Feb. 28 – Emma Reyes and Zuleyha Ozturk Lasky
March 21 – Jacqueline Farley and Rebecca Holcomb
April 4 – Manuel Muñoz (reading in collaboration with Southeast Review)
April 11 – Stephen Hundley and Anastasia Selby
April 18 – Erin Slaughter and Daniel Galef
Giana Nardelli is an English major on the editing, writing, and media Track, with a second major in media/communication studies.
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