University of Dayton students from any major with a passion for writing are encouraged to apply for the “You Can Write!” Creative Writing Retreat.
Supported by a generous gift from Liz (Mund) Ryan ‘81 and Jamie Ryan ’82, the three-day, two-night writing retreat will take place at the Bergamo Center in Beavercreek Feb. 6-8.
All retreat expenses — lodging, meals and snacks — will be covered for 12 students. The retreat will be led by Katrina Kittle and Meredith Doench, novelists who both teach novel-writing classes in the English department. Interested students can apply by Nov. 14, with recipients notified by Dec. 1.
“It was a joy literally to retreat from the world and immerse ourselves into our writing for a brief time. I loved getting to know the students and their writing better and to share our dreams and fears about our writing lives,” Kittle said. “I would have absolutely loved this weekend as a student.”
Doench agreed: “There’s nothing like stowing way from life for a weekend and diving into your creative work. Working with students on their writing projects is always inspiring, and the retreat allows us the space to connect not only as professors and students, but as writers.”
Students who participated in the retreat found it valuable, encouraging — and fun.
“The retreat allowed me to step out of my comfort zone in a space that was open to endless creativity,” said Elizabeth Bialon, an education intervention specialist major. Added creative writing major Rachel Smith: “The writing retreat was an incredible opportunity to escape the daily chaos of campus and reconnect with my passion as a writer. It allowed me the time and freedom to explore different aspects of writing.”
Many students appreciated the opportunity to spend time with their peers and faculty outside the classroom. “This was one of my favorite activities at UD, and the community of writers that I met will carry on even after I graduate. This writing journey helped shape the way I view writing,” said Mia Prisby, who earned an English degree in May.
For English major Alex Arrington, the retreat helped him overcome a creative block. “I needed an excuse to get back to my story and come to terms with the difficult realization that (it) needed to take a new direction. Sharing that experience with a community of similarly minded people helped me more than I expected.”
The weekend, now in its third year, will include craft of fiction instruction, writing sessions, prompts, one-on-one guidance and the opportunity to share work for those comfortable doing so. Following the retreat, the participants will be awarded full scholarships to attend the March 26-28, 2026, Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop, courtesy of the University of Dayton’s Alumni Association, to continue cultivating their craft.
The retreat takes its name from the words legendary columnist and author Erma Bombeck ’49 first heard from her UD English Professor Brother Tom Price, S.M.
Seeing Bombeck’s potential, Price encouraged her to write a humorous piece for UD’s literary magazine. She timidly slipped the piece under his office door. “He saw me one day outside the cafeteria, and he said three words to me, that’s all, just three words that were to sustain me for the rest of my life. He looked at me and said, ‘You can write,’” recalled Bombeck, whose columns later graced the pages of 900 newspapers and books topped the bestseller list.
The Ryans, an alumni couple in Columbus, started the retreat to offer other students that same sort of inspiration and encouragement. It’s intentionally designed for students of any major or experience level.
“We want to help cultivate confidence and spark a fire in students,” said Liz Ryan, an English major and retired teacher.
For more information, contact Katrina Kittle at kkittle1@udayton.edu or Meredith Doench at mdoench1@udayton.edu.