UCM, Missouri Humanities to Present Free Veterans Writing Workshop

 

Missouri Humanities, in partnership with the University of Central Missouri (UCM), invites veterans, active-duty and retired military personnel and military-connected family members to a Veterans Writing Workshop on Saturday, Sept. 20.

The free event, Lines That Carry: Veteran’s Writing Workshop on Metaphor, will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 20 at the Elliott Student Union on the UCM campus. Light refreshments will be served.

Led by Marine Corps veteran, poet and artist Nick Lopez, this workshop explores metaphor as a tool for self-expression, reflection and storytelling. Using Taylor Mali’s Metaphor Dice as a creative entry point, participants will engage in writing exercises, discussion and brief readings to discover how metaphor can express complex experiences and strengthen creative voice. 

While military experience may inform participants’ work, they are not required to write solely about their military experience. No prior writing experience is necessary. Only a willingness to engage is needed.

 

"UCM is proud to provide a wide range of resources and support for our military-affiliated students and community, and we're excited to welcome Missouri Humanities’ Veterans Writing Workshop as a valuable event this year,” said Courtney Swoboda, director of UCM’s Military and Veteran Services.

Jon Taylor, Ph.D., professor of History, said Johnson County, the home of UCM, has one of the largest veteran populations in Missouri. The UCM Department of History has hosted previous grant projects focused on veterans, including last year’s initiative to document the stories of veterans buried at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Higginsville. Taylor noted the upcoming workshop represents the latest effort in the department’s ongoing work with local veterans.

 

“This is an opportunity for veterans not just at UCM but in the surrounding communities to have a forum to learn more about how to write and tell their stories in a variety of ways,” Taylor said.

The workshop is free, but registration is required at mohumanities.org/event/lines-that-carry. Participants will receive a free copy of "Proud to Be: Writing of American Warriors."

For questions about workshop registration, contact Lopez, program coordinator, at nick@mohumanities.org.

For more information about the UCM Department of History, visit ucmo.edu/history. To learn more about UCM Military and Veteran Services, visit ucmo.edu/military.