The Brenda Hillman Writing Room

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Announcing the Brenda Hillman Writing Room

Nearly 30 years ago, poet Brenda Hillman founded the MFA in Creative Writing program here at Saint Mary’s College of California. What she began with hope and faith, thanks to her work and vision, has gone on to thrive. When she retired to devote herself fully to her poems, we wanted to continue celebrating her legacy and spirit here in Dante Hall. 

Now, thanks to the immense generosity of a donor, we have been able to do so by turning her office on the third floor of Dante Hall into the Brenda Hillman Writing Room. This space, Dante 326, has served Brenda’s own silent contemplation and writing of poetry, and now it is will be available as a resource for our Creative Writing student community as a quiet space for writing time.

“Touch a poem every day,” so many of us have heard Brenda say. No matter how busy she is, no matter how chaotic her daily life, Brenda always finds time to write.

The Brenda Hillman Scholarship 

Upon Brenda’s retirement, we founded a scholarship in her name. The Brenda Hillman Scholarship supports an MFA poet fully so they can devote themselves to their work during their time here. If we can raise $15,000, which will generously be matched by the MFA Advisory Board, then we can support an entire year of tuition for an MFA poet.

We're asking members of our community to consider making a monthly donation of $25. A contribution at that level adds up to $300 a year. If just 50 people step forward to pledge $25 per month, we will reach our goal and be able to fully sponsor a student scholarship in Brenda’s name each year. We have several monthly contributors now, and we’d like to ask you to join them.