Attention: Faculty, Extension and Academic Staff, Post-Docs, and Graduate Students
Thursday, October 29–Friday, October 30, 2026
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
701 West Cloverdale Rd, Hastings, MI (about 90 minutes from campus)
Come Write With Us!
We’ve reserved 2 days in late October to step away from the demands of work and home to focus on your writing.
University Outreach and Engagement and The Writing Center invite MSU and non-MSU faculty, Extension and academic staff, post-docs, and graduate students to join us for this community-engaged scholarship writing retreat.
Bring whatever you are working on: public or practitioner pieces, journal articles, book projects, teaching and learning materials, Extension pieces, theses or dissertations, grant proposals, conference papers—anything that deserves your focused writing time in a community of engaged writers.
All levels of writers are welcome and encouraged to attend. Writing Center consultants will be available to support your writing success. Throughout the retreat, we build connections among the writers so that even while you are writing on your own, you feel like you are part of a supportive community.
Expectations:
Participants are expected to arrive with a writing project (or multiple projects) in mind, along with their laptop, power cord, and other necessary writing materials.
To make the most of this dedicated time, we encourage you to protect your retreat writing time as much as possible. Past participants have found success in arranging for guest speakers for their classes, clearing their meeting schedules, activating their out-of-office auto-reply, and informing colleagues that they will be unavailable during the retreat.
You’ll gain the greatest benefit from this experience by fully immersing yourself, free from other meetings or obligations during these two valuable days.
Schedule:
Wednesday, October 28 (Optional)
Writers may arrive the evening before for an extra fee. No meals will be provided; however light snacks will be available along with an opportunity for informal conversations.
Thursday, October 29
The retreat begins with a welcome, overview of the retreat schedule, and introductions where participants will share writing goals. Throughout the day, individual writing time, optional workshops, one-on-one consultations, and feedback sessions will be available.
- Welcome: 9:00 a.m.
- Lunch: 12:00 p.m.
- Day 1 Retreat Check-In: 5:00 p.m.
- Dinner: On your own, optional group dinner in Hastings begins at 6:00 p.m.
Friday, October 30
The final day of the retreat starts with breakfast and a morning check-in, followed by more individual writing time, optional workshops, one-on-one consultations, and feedback sessions throughout the day.
- Breakfast: 8:00 a.m.
- Morning Retreat Check-in: 9:00 a.m.
- Lunch: 12:00 p.m.
- Retreat Wrap-Up Conversation: 3:00 p.m.
- Retreat Ends: 3:45 p.m.
Location:
The 2-day writing retreat will be held at the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute (PCCI), 701 West Cloverdale Rd, Hastings, MI (about 90 minutes from campus). This rural nature center boasts a visitors center, gift shop, and miles of hiking trails that feature prairie, forest, wetland, rivers, and lake habitats. Late fall is the perfect time to visit PCCI to enjoy the autumn colors.
Cost:
Standard registration includes overnight accommodation on October 29 (guest rooms have shared bathrooms) and the following meals: lunch on October 29, breakfast and lunch on October 30. Dinner on October 29 is on your own. We will provide dining recommendations and organize an optional small-group dinner that night. Registration also includes snacks, retreat materials, workshops, and consultations.
- Standard registration for MSU participants: $300
- Standard registration for non-MSU participants: $375
- 2-day rate (no overnights, attendance Thursday and Friday): $100
- Extra Wednesday night stay on October 28 (no meals): additional $85
Since writing and publishing are part of your academic responsibilities, retreat participants are encouraged to discuss funding options with their department chairs, deans, and other unit directors.
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 receive a full refund if you notify us by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 9, 2026. Cancellations made between October 9 and October 16, 2026, will receive a 50% refund. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer refunds for cancellations made after October 16, 2026, due to guestroom and meal commitments. To request a cancellation, please email Julie Crowgey at crowgeyj@msu.edu. All requests must be submitted in writing.
- 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; The Graduate School; Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning
