A free question and answer session with Diaz will take place at 3:30 pm in the Science Center auditorium. At 7:30 Diaz will deliver the keynote address. Tickets at $18. The rate for Saturday’s writing workshops is $110 for the public, and $40 for students. Other ticket options can be found here. Tickets can be purchased in the Cultural Affairs office in the Science Center.

Saturday’s writing workshops explore fiction, memoir, poetry, thrillers, graphic novels, literary magazines, and young adult fiction. Two workshops, on historical fiction and poetry, will be available to West Campus students for free via simulcast.

Saturday Workshops

Poetry
“How Poets See their Audience” Leonard Gontarek (author of Déjà vu Diner)
“Give Me a Break: Viewing a Poem’s Line Break as Possibilities, Not Endings” B.J. Ward (author of Gravediggers Birthday)
“Writing Around: Delay as Poetic Strategy” Nathalie Anderson (author of Crawlers)

Novel
“A Novel Approach” Marc Schuster (author of The Singular Exploits of Wonder Mom and Party Girl)

Historical Fiction
“Making the Past Come to Life” Cordelia Francis Biddle (author of the Martha Beale series)

Memoir
“Liars and Cheats: Contemporary Memoir” Tom McAllister (author of Bury Me in My Jersey: A Memoir of My Father, Football, and Philly)

Graphic Novel
“Comic Book and Graphic Novel Writing for Not-So Dummies” Ralph Tedesco (editor-in-chief of Zenescope Entertainment)

Screen Writing
“Writing for Film” Keir Politz

Thrillers
“Breaking in with a Thrilling Idea” Kelly Simmons (author of The Bird House)

Literary Magazine Submissions
“How to Submit a Piece and Get Accepted” Mike Ingram (editor of Barrelhouse Literary Magazine)

Young Adult Literature
“Writing for Young Adults” April Linder (author of Jane)

Writing Communities
“Grouping for Success: Breaking the Myth of the Solitary Writer” The AG Writer’s Group

By Sarah Grebe, Montgazette Staff Writer

Montgomery County Community College’s largest graduating class did not go quietly as they gave the nation’s Second Lady – Dr. Jill Biden – a standing ovation during the school’s 44^th Commencement on May 19.

Biden, a community college professor who grew up in Willow Grove, said she felt right at home addressing not only a hometown audience but, particularly, community college graduates.

“People often ask me why I continue to teach, and my answer is very simple: it’s you. It’s the students,” Biden said. “Tales are often told of teachers inspiring students, but I find it is more often the other way around.

Biden shined her spotlight on three MCCC graduates who completed degrees despite at-home challenges or outside responsibilities. They are: Karen Vasko, who, at 57, aspires to be a nurse and fulfill a promise she made to her late father-in-law; Elizabeth Neuman, a biotechnology research assistant and Brian Lukens, who served two tours of duty in Iraq with the Marines before returning to college to complete his degree at MCCC.

In her address, college President Dr. Karen Stout noted the evening’s historical significance.

“Big results require big ambitions,” Dr. Stout said as she welcomed the crowd. “Our entire community comes together to salute the achievements of the class of 2011, the largest in our history.”

The significance of the evening wasn’t lost on Central Campus Student Government President Antonio Marrero.

His voice emphatic, his finger pointing, Marrero electrified the graduates and praised them for their “incorruptible powers of ingenuity, strength and courage” to complete their studies and earn degrees.

“We all know how it feels to wonder if we would graduate on time, or even at all. But it’s during those rough times when we find the raw materials to build who we want to be.

Marrero wrapped up his speech by informing faculty, administrators, community, state and national leaders to pay attention to this graduating class.

“We will not go quietly,” he said. “No. Not tonight. The graduates here are the vital futures of our humble community, this great Commonwealth and this illustrious nation. As the age of networking comes into fruition we will unite and we will conquer not only our own futures but the future of the common good. Mustangs, tonight is ours!

The crowd, at Marrero’s insistence, gave themselves a standing ovation.

Dr. Stout’s reaction to Marrero’s speech?

“Wow.”

Dr. Biden’s?

“Thank you for your inspiring words,” she told Marrero from the stage. “Should I start calling you Mr. President right now?”