Anoka Ramsey Community College

Associate of Arts (AA) degree with an emphasis in Creative Writing

Associate of Arts (AA) degree with an emphasis in English Literature

Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) degree in Creative Writing

Both AA degrees articulate to Moorhead State and Hamline University.

Our Associate of Fine Arts in Creative Writing gives students a variety of choices in literature and creative writing courses, a practicum in publishing, and a capstone manuscript independent study. The AFA in Creative Writing articulates to Metropolitan State University, Hamline University and Augsburg College.

The English Department presents students with a variety of engaging literary opportunities. (See Visiting Writers Series below.)

Both campuses also host student and faculty readings and have active creative writing clubs that publish the student literary magazines.

The English Department presents two exciting series: The Two Rivers Reading Series at the Coon Rapids Campus, and the Minnesota Writers Series at the Cambridge Campus.

Each semester these series bring acclaimed and award-winning local, regional, and nationally-known authors to campus. Students study these authors’ stories, novels, essays, plays, or poetry in their English or Reading courses. Students then attend the readings in person to meet the author, ask questions, and have their books signed. Readings are video recorded to enable online students access to these events.

The English Division is pleased to offer these events free to Anoka-Ramsey students, faculty, staff, alumni and the general public.

We have been privileged to welcome the following writers to our campus for readings and discussions of their works and host the following events, all as part of the Two Rivers Reading Series on the Coon Rapids Campus:

Fall 2016

Blues Vision: African American Writing from Minnesota
Featuring Alexs Pate, Shannon Gibney, Taiyon Coleman
Nov. 2, 2016
12 to 12:50 pm & 2 to 2:50 pm
Legacy Room
Coon Rapids Campus

Spring 2016
Bao Phi read from his book of poetry: Song I Sing.

Here is the recording of his reading:

https://youtu.be/TZpBD4ed84g

Fall 2015
Two Rivers Reading Series at the Coon Rapids Campus
Pamela Carter Joern read from her collection In Reach, which was nominated for a Minnesota Book Award in fiction, and whose short stories are interconnected.

Here are the links to her two sessions:

Session 1: https://youtu.be/PeRQ_MHZdqw
Session 2: https://youtu.be/aRvgIt_dtlc

Spring 2015
Two Rivers Reading Series at the Coon Rapids Campus
Ethan Rutherford read from his collection of stories, The Peripatetic Coffin, which was named Best Book of Summer by Publisher’s Weekly. Rutherford was also selected as a Barnes and Noble Discover New Writers Pick and has won the Minnesota Book Award.

Here are his two sessions:
Session 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBMHjb5VEz0&feature=youtu.be
Session 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1Yjcie4-Vg&feature=youtu.be 

Fall 2014
Two Rivers Reading Series at the Coon Rapids Campus
Poet Matt Rasmussen discussed his award-winning book, Black Aperture, which explores his brother’s suicide from various angles in poems that have been called "transformative" and an "exquisite labor of [. . .] witness." Rasmussen won the Walt Whitman Award and the Minnesota Book Award. He was also a finalist for the National Book Award.

You can watch his presentations at these links:

http://youtu.be/L91aHdVJnws
http://youtu.be/tfWuSyfuaiQ

Spring 2014
Two Rivers Reading Series at the Coon Rapids Campus
Graphic novelist Tyler Page read from and discussed Nothing Better.

Watch his presentation here: http://youtu.be/Q6WTDZKN3XA

Fall 2013
Two Rivers Reading Series at the Coon Rapids Campus
Poet Cary Waterman read from her collection, Book of Fire.

Watch her presentation at these two links:
Session 1: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb8nEsi7fDU
Session 2: www.youtube.com/watch?v=whDHaO7wOhg

Two Rivers Reading Series at the Coon Rapids Campus
Marya Hornbacher read from her memoir, Madness: A Bipolar Life, which discusses the challenges and hopes of living with mental illness.

Here are two videos of her presentation:
Session 1: http://youtu.be/mbhwfHMIIjk
Session 2: http://youtu.be/h29q1jtHsjQ

Spring 2013
Two Rivers Reading Series at the Coon Rapids Campus
Scott Wrobel, Anoka-Ramsey instructor, read from and discussed his short story collection Cul de Sac.

Watch the reading here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tkrtj_b6vvg

Penumbra Theater Event at the Coon Rapids Campus
Penumbra Theater presented a reading and discussion of Spunk, a play based on three short stories by Zora Neale Hurston.

Here's the video of the presentation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFiR5swYJwI

Fall 2012
Kate Kysar read from and discussed her poetry book Pretend the World. The event was exceptionally well-attended, with nearly 200 students in the audience.

Watch Kate Kysar's two sessions at these links:
Session 1: http://youtu.be/s6cYIL7GlVE
Session 2: http://youtu.be/u647Q19eGs8

Diane Wilson discussed Spirit Car, her memoir, which combines fictional stories with historical facts.

Watch her two sessions at the college here:
Session 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re9B5zgRmY4&feature=youtu.be
Session 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV8YBu7VmrI&feature=youtu.be

Spring 2012
Swati Avasthi read from and discussed her new novel Split, a Minnesota Book Award nominee. One reviewer stated that Split is “a great novel, full of compelling characters and a knock-your-socks-off plot.” Split is a New Voices Pick, a Young Adult Fiction Winner (International Reading Association Award), and a Best Fiction for Young Adults Award Winner (YALSA).

Jim Moore read from and discuss his seventh poetry collection, Invisible Strings. The Star Tribune said about Moore’s poetry, “With his simple poems that celebrate humanity and articulate pain, Jim Moore elevates economy of phrase to an art.” His poems have appeared in numerous publications and journals, including American Poetry Review, The Nation, The New Yorker, and The Pushcart Prize Anthology.

Spring 2011
Wang Ping, the award-winning writer of poetry, fiction, and essays, returned to Anoka-Ramsey to read from her book of short stories, The Last Communist Virgin, a Minnesota Book Award-winning story collection about modern China and the contemporary Chinese-American experience.

See the video of her talk here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kv16DAHB82Q

A Reading/Discussion of August Wilson’s play Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom with Penumbra Theatre
Associate Director Dominic Taylor, Education Director Sarah Bellamy, and cast members from St. Paul’s Penumbra Theatre Company lead a reading and discussion of this famous Wilson play. Additionally, students, alumni, faculty and staff enjoyed Anoka-Ramsey Day at the Guthrie, where they watched a performance of Wilson’s play and participated in a post-play discussion.

Tracy Youngblom and Richard Broderick Poetry Reading
Anoka-Ramsey Community College faculty Tracy Youngblom read from her collection of poetry titled Driving to Heaven. Former Anoka-Ramsey faculty Richard Broderick read from his two books of poetry titled Woman Lake and Rain Dance.

Fall 2010
Wang Ping read from her book of short stories, The Last Communist Virgin, a Minnesota Book Award-winning story collection about modern China and the contemporary Chinese-American experience.

Patricia Smith read from her poetry collection, Blood Dazzler, a 2008 National Book Award finalist. Blood Dazzler chronicles the human, physical and emotional toll exacted by Hurricane Katrina. 

Spring 2010
Fiction on a Stick: An Anthology of Minnesota Writers, edited by Daniel Slager.

Several writers presented at this session:
John Reimringer, stories and upcoming novel
Sarah Stonich, novels: These Granite Islands and The Ice Chorus
Diane Wilson, essays and memoir
Sean Hill, poetry: Blood Ties and Brown Liquor 

Fall 2009
Penumbra Theatre Company, Radio Golf by August Wilson
Sandra Benitez, The Weight of All Things
Geoff Herbach, The Miracle Letters of T. Rimberg

Spring 2009
Kao Kalia Yang, The Latehomecomer
Heid Erdrich, National Monuments

Fall 2008
Penumbra Theatre Company, Fences by August Wilson

Spring 2008
Penumbra Theatre Company, The Piano Lesson by August Wilson

Fall 2007
Lawrence Sutin, Jack and Rochelle

Spring 2007
Ed-Bok Lee, Real Karaoke People
Nicole Helget, The Summer of Ordinary Ways

Fall 2006
Jane Hamilton, Disobedience

Spring 2006
Susan Power, Roofwalker

Fall 2005
Deborah Keenan, Good Heart

Spring 2005
Sheila O’Connor, Where No Gods Came

Fall 2004
Anthony Bukoski, Time Between Trains

Spring 2004
Louise Erdrich, Tracks

Fall 2003
Lawrence Sutin, Jack and Rochelle

Spring 2003
Alison McGhee, Rainlight and Shadow Baby

Fall 2002
Diane Glancy, Pushing the Bear

Spring 2002
Mark Vinz, Late Night Calls: Prose Poems and Short Fiction and Minnesota Gothic and Affinities

Spring 2001
Robert Dana, Summer

Spring 2000
Robert Bly, Morning Poems and Collected Poems

Fall 1999
David Haynes, Right By My Side and Heathens