Poet Jan Beatty is the author of eight poetry collections, including "Dragstripping," released in fall 2024. Her memoir "American Bastard" won the Red Hen Nonfiction Award, and her work has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times Sunday Magazine, POETRY, North American Review, and Best American Poetry.
McKEESPORT, Pa. — Poet Jan Beatty visited Penn State Greater Allegheny on Dec. 3 to lead “Writing the Impossible,” a workshop designed to help students explore bold approaches to poetry and creative expression.
Beatty introduced work by writers who push boundaries in form and content before guiding participants through interactive writing exercises. Students shared their drafts in a supportive setting, receiving feedback intended to strengthen voice, confidence and experimentation.
The program was coordinated by MaryEllen Higgins, associate professor of English at Penn State Harrisburg and former Greater Allegheny faculty member, and Kristal Tucker, associate teaching professor of biology and honors and undergraduate research program coordinator at Greater Allegheny.
Beatty is the author of eight poetry collections, including "Dragstripping," released in fall 2024. Her memoir "American Bastard" won the Red Hen Nonfiction Award, and her work has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times Sunday Magazine, POETRY, North American Review, and Best American Poetry.
J. Ryan Simon
It's my job to advance the marketing and communicative efforts of Penn State’s Fayette, Greater Allegheny, and New Kensington campuses through creative photography, videography, and graphic design for print, digital, and social media.
