Creative Writer, Journalist & Editor Welcomed to Trent University as Margaret Laurence Fellow
Michael Lista to deliver public lecture and engage with Trent students
With two well-received collections of poems and a fearless collection of essays, Canadian investigative journalist, essayist and poet, Michael Lista, is being welcomed to Trent University as the 2017 Margaret Laurence fellow.
“We're delighted to have Michael Lista as the 2017 Margaret Laurence fellow. His experience in the Canadian cultural scene as a creative writer, journalist and multi-platform editor and publisher is reflective of Trent's interdisciplinary emphasis,” explains Dr. Lewis MacLeod, associate professor, English Literature at Trent University. “It's hard to think of anybody else who could speak to students in Journalism, Media Studies, English Literature and creative writing with the same expertise and authority.”
As the 2017 Margaret Laurence Fellow, Mr. Lista will not only hold office hours, and interact with students throughout the week, but will also engage the Trent and Peterborough communities in a variety of free, public events, including:
- Tuesday, February 7, 2017: Public reading from his creative work in the Junior Common Room of Scott House at Traill College. Reading begins at 7:00 p.m.
- Thursday, February 9, 2017: Public lecture beginning at 7:00 p.m.in Bagnani Hall at Traill College. Mr. Lista will be speaking on “Outside the Whale: Truth, Literature and the Left in the Age of Trump”
Mr. Lista has worked as a book columnist for The National Post, and as the poetry editor of The Walrus. He is the author of three books: the poetry volumes Bloom and The Scarborough, and Strike Anywhere, a collection of his writing about literature, television and culture. His essays and investigative stories have appeared in The Atlantic, Slate, Toronto Life, The Walrus, Canadaland, and elsewhere.
About the Margaret Laurence Fellow
The writer-in-residence fellowship was established in 1988 as a tribute to and in memory of Margaret Laurence, Trent University’s fourth chancellor. It is co-administered by Department of English Literature and Canadian Studies Program and brings promising writers who are in the early stages of their careers to Trent University.
About Trent University
One of Canada's top universities, Trent University was founded on the ideal of interactive learning that's personal, purposeful and transformative. Consistently recognized nationally for leadership in teaching, research and student satisfaction, Trent attracts excellent students from across the country and around the world. Here, undergraduate and graduate students connect and collaborate with faculty, staff and their peers through diverse communities that span residential colleges, classrooms, disciplines, hands-on research, co-curricular and community-based activities. Across all disciplines, Trent brings critical, integrative thinking to life every day. Today, Trent's unique approach to personal development through supportive, collaborative community engagement is in more demand than ever. Students lead the way by co-creating experiences rooted in dialogue, diverse perspectives and collaboration. In a learning environment that builds life-long passion for inclusion, leadership and social change, Trent's students, alumni, faculty and staff are engaged global citizens who are catalysts in developing sustainable solutions to complex issues. Trent's Peterborough campus boasts award-winning architecture in a breathtaking natural setting on the banks of the Otonabee River, just 90 minutes from downtown Toronto, while Trent University Durham – Greater Toronto Area, delivers a distinct mix of programming in the east GTA.
Kate Weersink, media relations & strategic communications officer, Trent University, (705) 748-1011 extension:6180 or kateweersink@trentu.ca