Attention: Faculty, Extension and Academic Staff, Post-Docs, and Graduate Students
Thursday, October 19 - Friday, October 20, 2023
Embassy Suites
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Come write with us! We have reserved two October days in beautiful Grand Rapids, so we may step away from work and home responsibilities to write together. University Outreach and Engagement and The Writing Center invite interested faculty, Extension and academic staff, post-docs, and graduate students from MSU and other campuses to the retreat. Bring your public/practitioner pieces, journal articles, books, curricula, theses and dissertations, grants, conference papers, or other important pieces that could use your writing attention in a supportive community of writers.
Expectations:
You are expected to have a writing project (or more than one) in mind and to bring along your laptop, power cord, and writing materials. As much as possible, please protect this important writing time. Past participants have cleared their schedules, turned on their out-of-office email notices, and let their colleagues know that they will be busy those two days. You will benefit the most from this retreat if you do not have other meetings during your precious writing time.
Schedule:
On October 19, the retreat will kick off with a welcome, overview of retreat options, and sharing of writing goals. Throughout the day, optional topical workshops, consultations, and peer review feedback will be available. We will break for lunch at noon and organize ourselves for dinner around 6:00 p.m. On October 20, we will continue with optional workshops, consultations, and feedback, with a wrap-up session scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Consultants from The Writing Center and University Outreach and Engagement will be available the entire time for informal conversations and more formal feedback.
Location:
This two-day writing retreat will be held at the Embassy Suites Grand Rapids Downtown (710 Monroe Ave NW). Located along the Grand River, this hotel features an indoor pool, gym, and indoor/outdoor hot tub. The hotel is near a walking/biking path, coffee shops, and brewpubs, an ideal urban retreat getaway. The hotel’s balconies, terraces, and common spaces are spacious and light-filled, perfect for writing inspiration.
Cost:
Registration fees include hotel accommodations for the night of October 19. Breakfasts, lunches, and snacks on October 19 and 20 are also included, as are all retreat materials and consulting. Dinner on October 19 is on your own. We will provide restaurant suggestions for the vibrant Grand Rapids dining scene and options for dining in small groups. Hotel rooms include minifridges, microwaves, and coffeemakers for those who want to bring their own snacks or meals.
- MSU faculty, staff, students ($375.00)
- Non-MSU affiliates ($475.00)
- MSU faculty, staff, students -- double occupancy ($300.00)
- No Overnight Stay ($250.00)
Extras and Options:
For those who would like to add extra days to this writing retreat, please contact the Embassy Suites at (616) 512-5700 directly to arrange for a Wednesday, Saturday, or Sunday stay. Reservations and extra payments are your responsibility.
Refund Policy:
- Send a substitute: You may substitute a colleague at any time with no charge or penalty; but please notify Julie Crowgey at crowgeyj@msu.edu or 517-884-1407, so that we may make appropriate arrangements about workshop materials and meal preferences.
- Ask for a refund: You may cancel your registration and get a full refund without penalty if you let us know about your change in plans no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, September 15, 2023. If you cancel by September 22, 2023, you will have half of your registration refunded. If you cancel any time after September 22, 2023, we will not be able to offer you a refund because of room and meal guarantees. Please put your request in writing to Julie Crowgey at crowgeyj@msu.edu.
- No shows: Participants who have registered and fail to attend the writing retreat will be liable for the entire conference fee. No refunds will be issued.
Sponsored by: University Outreach and Engagement, The Writing Center, Office of Faculty and Academic Staff Development, The Graduate School
