Alumni who have become professional writers share wisdom with English students

Writer Raymond Luczak visited two classes during the last week of March, bringing his experiences as an English major and successful writer. Luczak, who graduated from Gallaudet in 1988 and has gone on to publish eight books of poetry, plays, fiction, and nonfiction and numerous individual works, visited both Dr. Chris Heuer’s “Creative Writing: Poetry,” and Dr. Tonya Stremlau’s “Introduction to Deaf Literature” on March 28.

Luczak was not the only special guest of the English Department that week. Alumna Pamela Wright Meinhardt, an English major and poet, came to Stremlau’s deaf literature class on April 1 to speak with the students and four visitors, including retired English professor Robert Zambrano.

In both of the classes he visited, Luczak discussed his extensive experience with writing, marketing his works, and working with publishers. A rich writing life is possible, Luczak told the students, even though for him it has meant working day jobs while writing at night.

On March 29, the English Department invited Luczak to a lunch with English majors, minors, student guests, department faculty members, and College of Liberal Arts, Sciences, and Technologies Dean Isaac Agboola. During lunch, Luczak elaborated on ins and outs of writing and publishing, as well as public speaking. “He advised on a myriad of things,” said English Department Chair Paige Franklin, “including the important question of what to do with a degree in English.” Luczak then visited a third class, Dr. Pia Taavila’s “Seminar in Post-1800 Literature.”

Bringing successful graduates of the program back to campus has been a great benefit to current English students, said Franklin. “We are fortunate to have such talented alumni who want to give back to budding writers.”