Department of English

This is the 24th annual Kelly Writers House Fellows Seminar, which features visits by eminent writers as “Fellows” of the Kelly Writers House, the student-conceived writing arts collaborative at 3805 Locust Walk. The seminar is taught by Al Filreis, Kelly Professor of English and Faculty Director of the Kelly Writers House. This course convenes weekly, each month concluding with an extended visit to the class by each of the fellows. Our 2025 fellows are musician, poet, and photographer Patti Smith, award-winning memoirist and short-story writer Carmen Maria Machado, and acclaimed poet Alice Notley. Throughout the semester we will study and comprehensively discuss the work of these three writers — their relationship to each other and to the contemporary world. Requirements include weekly reading assignments, frequent “position” papers, special research projects, and an individualized essay final examination. The course will be held in the Arts Cafe of the Kelly Writers House