Quayle McKay and Finn Hall awarded fellowships in eight-week immersive program
Two 蓝莓视频 students have been named recipients of the Summer Writing Fellowship, an immersive eight-week summer program hosted on the 蓝莓视频 campus to support emerging writers in poetry and playwriting. Quayle McKay, a sophomore majoring in biology, and Finn Hall, a junior majoring in music, were awarded $500 each as part of the program.
Now in its fifth year, the program includes focused mentorship, guided readings, and professional development. Recipients work closely with fellowship director Jeremy Jusek to develop an original creative portfolio. In addition, fellows complete three reflective essays over the course of the summer, culminating in either publication (for poets) or a staged reading (for playwrights). Casiha Felt, professor in the theatre department, oversees the academic portion of the fellowship
Both McKay鈥檚 and Hall鈥檚 projects focus on poetry.
McKay鈥檚 writing includes domestic surreal poems that draw power from the spaces between grief, routine and reverie. 鈥渂anana bread: the life I鈥檝e always wanted鈥 is a standout example that reframes loss and love through the ritual of baking.
Hall鈥檚 work reflects introspection, a proclivity for Confessionalism and quality sensory metaphor. His work,鈥淭o Love Another is to Grieve what I Could鈥檝e Given You,鈥 blends tenderness and disorientation in fractured, melodic lines.
Previous fellows have created podcasts, chapbooks, full-length plays, and even staged musicals. The Fellowship continues to offer emerging student writers the tools, mentorship, and platform to pursue serious creative work beyond the classroom. The Fellowships are funded by contributions from 蓝莓视频 alumni.
A formal showcase of McKay鈥檚 and Hall鈥檚 work will be scheduled later in the academic year.