“You can write!”
Those three simple words from a University of Dayton English professor changed Erma Bombeck ’49’s life. Now, an alumni couple in Columbus, Ohio, wants new generations of students to hear that same encouragement and find their own voices.
That’s why in 2023 Liz (Mund) Ryan ’81 and Jamie Ryan ’82 established the You Can Write! Creative Writing Retreat in UD’s English department, an immersive weekend experience open to all majors. To ensure that the popular retreat continues every year, they are partnering with their alma mater to lay the foundation for an endowment — an effort that kicks off with a Flyer Funder social media campaign Nov. 3-Dec. 2.
The Ryans have generously pledged to match every gift, dollar for dollar, up to $7,500.
“We’re inviting alumni, friends and supporters to join with us to help nurture the next generation of storytellers,” said Jamie Ryan, an American studies graduate and lawyer.
Added his wife, Liz, an English graduate and retired teacher: “We want this retreat to be a door where students can peek in and see if creative writing is for them.”
The “You Can Write!” retreat, led by novel writing professors Katrina Kittle and Meredith Doench, offers a three-day, two-night off-campus experience where a dozen students can explore their creativity in a supportive community. The program covers instruction, lodging and meals, making it accessible to all students regardless of financial means.
The next retreat is slated for Feb. 6-8, with applications being accepted through Nov. 14. The students also will receive full scholarships to attend the March 26-28 Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop, courtesy of the University of Dayton’s Alumni Association.
The You Can Write! Creative Writing Retreat celebrates UD’s long literary tradition and honors one of its most famous graduates. The English department houses the nationally renowned Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop, the long-running Orpheus art and literary magazine and Line by Line: A Journal of Beginning Student Writing. The department also offers a popular creative writing minor.
The retreat “is an awesome opportunity to get off campus and develop some time to write,” said senior English major Alex Arrington. “I was able to connect with people I usually don’t see in my classes — computer science and theatre majors — and learn about how they approach writing. That helped with my own writing.”
Supporters can make their gifts online beginning Nov. 3 through the Flyer Funder platform. Every dollar raised will go toward sustaining the You Can Write! Retreat and empowering students to explore their creativity through the written word. The campaign will end on Giving Tuesday on Dec. 2.