Get writing with Waldorf Writing Club

The Waldorf Writing Club offers young writers a safe place to grow. Photo by Rachel Lynch

By Rachel Lynch

One of the many things Waldorf University has to offer its students is a variety of clubs and associations. Students can join almost any club they have an interest in, giving them opportunities to meet new people and explore things they enjoy. One of these clubs is the Waldorf Writing Club.

“The club started when we received an influx of creative writing Cooley scholars,” Rebecca McKanna, faculty adviser of the writing club said. “However, anyone who enjoys writing is welcome to join the club.”

The club usually meets every-other Thursday evening at six in the Luise V. Hanson Library lounge. During the meetings, club members engage in a variety of activities such as writing critiques, group writing sessions and watching literature-themed movies.

“My favorite thing about the Writing Club is that it’s a peer led, peer review group,” Marie Gabrielle-Tran, co-chair of the club said. “We have 11 members and they’re all students here on campus, which makes it a more welcoming environment to share your work.”

The club also does other activities outside of the usual Thursday evening meetings. They go on field trips, like to the Des Moines Art Museum’s Arts and Letters exhibit in Des Moines, Iowa, and the Streamlines Writing Conference held in Dubuque, Iowa last fall. They also host open mic nights at Gatsby’s where students can share their writing/singing/comedy and other talents.

“We made the club to be exactly what we thought it needed to be,” Donnica Keeling, freshman co-chair of the club said. “It is just a place for writers to share what they have been working on and get ideas, or even bounce other ideas off of the people there. It’s a safe place for anyone to write in, and that’s really important to young writers because some find it hard to share their writing.”

Tran and Keeling are both recipients of the Cooley Scholarship and have been involved in the development of the club since its start-up this past fall. While Tran will be transferring at the end of the semester, Keeling will continue to help lead the club next semester with a new co-chair.

For more information about how to get involved with the Waldorf Writing Club, please contact Rebecca McKanna, Tim Bascom, Donnica Keeling or Marie-Gabrielle Tran.