A dedicated team of students worked tirelessly to make the 2023 Great Lakes Writers Festival (GLWF) a success. Two interns, Tayler Lynn Otten and Leah Henckel, were central in the planning of the event by bringing their passion and expertise to the table.
Lakeland’s 2023 GLWF featured two distinguished authors: Clancy McGilligan, a fiction writer, and Marianne Chan, a poet. McGilligan read from his novella, “History of an Executioner,” while Chan shared poetic pieces from her work, “All Heathens.” Interestingly, these two authors are a married couple who are both also friends with Madeleine Wattenberg, Assistant Professor of Writing at Lakeland.
Leah Henckel, one of this year’s interns, was invited by Associate Professor of Writing, Seems Editor and GLWF host, Jodie Mortag, to join the internship program this year. Henckel’s responsibilities focused on working with graphic designer, Sheu “TJ” Sanusi, to create posters and t-shirt designs. She also reached out to newspapers and libraries to advertise the event, secured volunteers and organized catering services.
Tayler Lynn Otten was also invited by Professor Mortag to intern for this year’s festival. Otten, who loved her experience volunteering the previous year explained, “I knew I wanted to take on a larger role, so I accepted the invitation and couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve accomplished.”
Otten’s role focused on outreach. She promoted the festival through various channels such as social media and writing an article for the Lakeland blog, which was also published in a local newspaper, The Sounder. “I was surprised to find that the GLWF planning had reignited a passion in me that I had forgotten about since I left high school,” Otten said about the insights she gained through this experience. “I wonder now if I could utilize those skills in a career after graduation.”
Students, faculty, and the broader community can stay updated with the GLWF’s activities and content through the official website, http://greatlakeswritersfestival.org/. The website provides information about the festival’s history, past and present visiting authors, as well as events scheduled for the year. Registrations for the event can also be made through the website.
Dedicated and passionate student interns like Otten and Henckel are instrumental to the success of the GLWF. Their commitment and diligence will ensure a promising future for book lovers and writing enthusiasts who will carry the torch forward.
