Why the Institute?

The Gonzaga Summer Writing Institute is an intense, unique experience for any aspiring writer. This week-long program offers rigorous courses in which students have the opportunity to discuss both professional writing and the writing of their peers in a college setting. While we pride ourselves on the challenging educational opportunities of the Institute, past students have been surprised how much fun a bunch of committed writers can have.

What will the daily schedules entail?

Starting with breakfast and morning announcements at 7:45am, each day is filled until bedtime with classes, field trips, and readings. Meals are shared with faculty and mentors, and while community is essential to the Institute, students are also given two designated free-times each day. Click on the "typical day" tab to get a sense for what students will be doing.

Who teaches the classes?

The Institute's faculty is composed of professional writers whose work has been published or is forthcoming in national literary magazines. All faculty members hold a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing, and teach in Gonzaga University's English Department. They were chosen for their demonstrated teaching ability and enthusiasm for their craft.

Is college credit offered?

Unfortunately, no.  Gonzaga has rigorous criteria for its credit offerings. While the level of work at the Institute certainly measures up, one criterion is that participants must be full-time college students. That means our program cannot offer college credits. Learn more about Gonzaga and its mission here.

Where will my child be staying while on campus?

Institute students will be housed on Gonzaga's campus in the Dussault Apartments. These are suite-style apartments with a shared kitchen and bathroom. Girls and boys will be separated by floor.

What kind of supervision will students have?

We find the best supervision to be a busy schedule, but we also take several steps to assure students' care. One unique aspect of Gonzaga's Summer Writing Institute is the presence of Gonzaga undergraduates, who work primarily as writing mentors, but are also active in a supervisory capacity at all scheduled Institute events. In addition, University staff will be present and in-residence to enforce curfews, conduct wake-up calls, and meet any needs during hours of unscheduled events.

What kind of security is present at Gonzaga?

Gonzaga benefits from having a professional, full-time Public Safety & Security department. Officers patrol campus at all hours and perform extra patrols for groups like ours. Officers also provide escorts, if necessary, and the University maintains a network of blue-light security phones that may be used in the event of an emergency. In addition, an officer provides a security orientation on the Institute's opening day.

Does Gonzaga offer health services?

The University does maintain a Health Center for routine health concerns during standard business hours. Should your child require emergency care, two of the region's best hospitals are within two miles of campus

Will transportation be provided?

Yes. Though travel costs to Spokane are not covered by tuition costs, we are able to get your child to campus from Spokane International Airport or the local Amtrak and Greyhound stations. We will also provide necessary transportation during the Institute, as well as any contingency trips that become necessary (i.e., prescriptions pick-ups and "I forgot to bring toothpaste" moments).

How will disciplinary concerns be handled?

This question is difficult to answer because we haven't had discipline problems. We work from the assumption that students are serious writers, committed to a mature approach to their writing. We are a community of writers who work alongside, and care for, one another. This assumption carries over to broader concerns. We treat students as adults and emphasize that they will suffer the consequences of their behavior. This means that students behaving in ways that put themselves or others in danger will be dismissed and sent home, at their parents' expense. Likewise, any costs associated with damage to University facilities will be billed to the student's family. Fortunately, our students have been quite mature and we've not had to send anyone home for a disciplinary matter.

Still curious?

We look forward to working with your child, and hope we've been able to answer some of the questions you might have about Gonzaga's Summer Writing Institute. Please feel free to contact the Program Director (dodd@gonzaga.edu) if you have any additional questions or concerns.