We're Going to AWP!

Photo courtesy of AWP's website

On March 3rd, 2026, members of Douglas Anderson’s Creative Writing Department are attending a field trip to Baltimore, Maryland to experience the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP)’s annual Conference and Bookfair. This trip is a big deal for the department, as it will be the largest field trip we have taken since the COVID pandemic. AWP is a nonprofit that supports creative writers and different writing programs, but it is most known for hosting North America’s largest literary conference and book fair. Attending the conference is an incredible opportunity that most writers don’t receive until they’re deep into their careers. To say that we are excited would be an understatement.

The students going on this field trip are juniors and seniors in the CW program, many of whom are staff members of Élan. Our ultimate goal is to make connections that will expand Élan’s reach, but the AWP conference will also be packed with inspiring panels from a variety of gifted writers that we cannot wait to take part in.

AWP’s 2026 Keynote Speaker is John Waters, screenwriter and director of Hairspray, among other films, as well as an author of various books. On March 5^th, from 8pm to 10pm, the Douglas Anderson Creative Writing department will sit down to listen to him speak about his experience as a writer and how he found success while staying true to his creative vision.

Other featured panels that Élan staff have specifically mentioned as ones they’re looking forward to are “Writing the Things We Don’t Talk About: A Lecture By Ramona Emerson,” “Toward a Liberatory Literature: Palestinian Writers in Conversation,” and “Rewriting the Archive: Poetic Voices on Who Defines History.” But truthfully, there are too many to name. In order to give every student the chance to experience the panels they are most drawn to, we are going to split up into different groups based on what panels each of us have selected to attend at various times.

Getting to experience the culture of a new city is already very captivating to us, but to also be surrounded by passionate writers from all over the country is a dream field trip. Creative Writing instructors, as well as the Writers’ Guild Booster Association, have put in countless hours of planning and lots of money to give us this opportunity. The hope is that AWP will become a tradition for this department, opening up countless doors for us in the future.

Signed,

Olivia Sheftall, Junior Layout and Design Editor