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Summer residencies allow students and mentors to immerse themselves in the work of writers: reading, writing, and talking about reading and writing. The summer sessions are meant to be informative, intensive, and inspirational. At the residencies, students learn from every faculty member in every genre while discovering which mentors are best suited for their work. Student writers also make connections with their fellow writers that continue on-line throughout the year and carry over into future residencies. The addition of new students and mentors each year creates fresh opportunities to continue learning. It’s an exhausting, overwhelming, and exhilarating experience.
The 2008 residency begins with orientation and a group dinner on Saturday, July 12, and continues through a group lunch on Thursday, July 24.
The basic daily schedule looks like this:
| 8:45 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. | Morning talk |
| 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Manuscript workshops |
| 12 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. | Lunch |
| 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. | Class |
| 3:45 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. | Class |
| 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. | Dinner |
| 7:45 – 9:15 p.m. | Faculty Readings |
We’ll have the entire day off on Friday, July 18, with an optional field trip scheduled. Faculty and students will mingle informally at most meals, and the entire group will share some meals together. Everyone will receive a detailed schedule and other important information upon arrival.
What to expect at UAA
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The campus in summer is especially pleasant, with numerous bike trails, hiking trails, a few lakes, and lots of wildlife. The Consortium Library, the Campus Bookstore, classrooms, and other facilities are within walking distance of housing, and the Seawolf Shuttle also makes regular rounds. See an interactive campus map here.
Several inexpensive, good restaurants are within walking distance of campus as well, including Thai Kitchen, Taco King, several pizza places, and the Blue Fox Lounge.
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What to expect in Anchorage
One of advantage of a summer residency is, of course, summer. In July, the average daily high is 65 degrees, though a 10-degree range in either direction is not unusual. You can also enjoy about 18 hours of daylight. The weather can quickly shift from hot and sunny to cool and rainy. Though mosquitoes aren’t as thick in Anchorage as they are elsewhere in Alaska, it’s always wise to be prepared before venturing into the outdoors.
For more information about the Municipality of Anchorage, see the city’s web site here. The Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau offers plenty of information about local attractions as well as nearby excursions. For photos and details of the city’s many trails and parks, see Alaska.org. http://alaska.org/anchorage/parks-and-trails.jsp
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