Monthly Archives: November 2024

Applications Open for Hemingway-Pfeiffer Writer-In-Residence Program

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PIGGOTT – The Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center in Piggott is announcing its 2025 writer-in-residence position.

The residency will be for June 1-30, 2025, and includes lodging at a loft apartment over the City Market coffee shop on the downtown square in Piggott.

The writer-in-residence will be able to work in the studio where Ernest Hemingway worked on “A Farewell to Arms” during an extended stay with his wife’s family in 1928. The residency includes a $1,000 stipend to help cover food and transportation.

“The writer-in-residence will be expected to serve as a mentor for a week-long retreat for writers at the educational center,” stated Dr. Adam Long, executive director of the A-State heritage sites.

This retreat will be open to eight to 10 writers from the region. The recipient may be asked to hold one or two readings of his/her work. The remainder of the month will be free to the writer-in-residence to work on his/her work.

Candidates with a Master of Arts or Master of Fine Arts in a relevant field are preferred.

Applicants should send a cover letter, curriculum vitae (CV), and writing sample of roughly 20 pages, in any genre, to Long at adamlong@AState.edu by Feb. 28, 2025.

Questions about the program can be directed to Long. For more information about the museum or lodging (the Inn at Piggott), one may visit Hemingway.AState.edu.

Incomplete applications cannot be accepted. Due to the expected high volume of applications, confirmation of receipt of applications cannot be guaranteed.

The writer-in-residence program is made possible through underwriting sponsorship by Piggott State Bank.

The Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center, an Arkansas State University Heritage Site, contributes to the understanding of the regional, national and global history of the 1920s and 1930s eras by focusing on the internationally connected Pfeiffer family of Piggott and their son-in-law and regular guest Ernest Hemingway.

This includes drawing on Hemingway’s influence as a noted American author to foster interest in literature and the arts and promote excellence in both.

Women’s Business Leadership Center Adds Director of Student Engagement and Leadership

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JONESBORO – The Women’s Business Leadership Center (WBLC) at Arkansas State University strives to positively impact the lives and futures of young women on campus. The center, founded in 2016, provides many opportunities for ladies attending the university including mentoring, scholarships, internships and other educational opportunities.  

“This year has been one of rapid growth and change,” said Dr. Patricia Quinn Robertson Johnston, executive director of the Women’s Business Leadership Center. 
 
Johnston said they have added Gwennette Confer in a new position as director of student engagement and outreach.  
 
“I want to focus on building strong, meaningful connections between students, mentors and the broader community,” said Confer. 
 
Confer said she will work to create and facilitate a wide range of opportunities for student engagement, including leadership academies, mentoring events, conferences, workshops and retreats. 
 
“A significant part of my work will be leading initiatives that connect university students, high school and junior high girls to participate in leadership development at an early stage. Additionally, I will oversee WBLC service projects, ensuring leadership interns gain valuable, hands-on learning experiences,” she continued.  
 

The number of students who participate in the variety of programs offered by WBLC has quadrupled. Students across campus from different majors have been part of programs such as step up, reach back; career readiness; service project “Leadership Interns” and scholarships.  

This year, 23 students traveled to New York and 11 students traveled to Atlanta for a conference this month.  
 
“Since 2016 we have provided thousands of hours of mentoring and career preparation for WBLC Leadership Interns who are A-State students,” Johnston added. 
 
The annual Women’s Leadership Conference, which is free for all attendees, usually hosts about 500 people including high school students, college students and professionals. 

“I want students to know that the WBLC is a welcoming and inclusive space where they can grow both personally and professionally, regardless of their major. While the center focuses on leadership development, it is open to all students, not just those in business-related fields,” Confer added.   

She added that they typically award more than 20 scholarships each year and expect the funding for those scholarships to continue to grow.  
 
More information on the WBLC may be found at AState.edu/wblc.