Alumni Reflections

Summer Workshop for Young Writers at the Kelly Writers House

for rising high school juniors and seniors

Summer Workshop alumna Phoebe Bush asked fellow alumni of the 2023 Summer Workshop to reflect on their experiences at the Kelly Writers House. Here are a few things they had to say:

"I was exposed to a lot of different authors and writing styles at the workshop which encouraged me to push more boundaries." - Emma L.

"Before the summer workshop most of my writing was academic, but now I spend more of my time working on creative pieces such as poems and short stories, even if I don't plan on publishing them anywhere." - Grace M.

"The intimately small size of the program allowed me to converse individually with each and every one of my peers, and the following fall, we all still remained in touch, cheering each other on as we took on the college application process." - Jane L.

Students also reminisced on their opportunities to traverse across Penn campus and the city of Philadelphia. “Having such an enjoyable experience and being able to explore the campus while at the Workshop was an influence when I decided to [Early Decision] Penn,” says Emma L., who is now part of Penn’s Class of ‘29 as an Public Health and English double major with a concentration in Creative Writing. The Resident Advisors of the Summer Workshop took students on trips around the city, creating many memorable adventures in between writing classes.

Although some of our participants chose not to pursue writing in college, the Summer Workshop helped them continue creative writing independently. “Attending the summer workshop made me realize that while I still like computer science, I want a more human-centered career,” says Grace M., who attends Rutgers University for Computer Science and Cognitive Science. The afternoon craft sessions also exposed students to unique styles of writing, piquing new interests. Alum Jane L. shared how she “had the opportunity to hone in on specific genres like food-writing.” Many of our participants appreciated how the small size of our workshop groups allowed them to focus deeply on particular themes in writing. “I feel like my experience was so wonderful because there was no sense of competition, just good vibes and collective creativity,” says Jane.