Southeast Missouri State University’s Department of English connects students and the community with nationally recognized writers through its Visiting Writer Series, held each semester. This spring, the series will welcome award-winning poet Alison C. Rollins to campus for a public reading of her latest poetry collection, “Black Bell,” in Catapult Creative House.

The Visiting Writer Series brings one poet and one fiction writer to campus each year, offering the Cape Girardeau region the chance to engage with diverse literary voices and perspectives. For students, the series is a cornerstone of experiential learning. Beyond the public reading, visiting authors join classes to share their writing journeys and answer questions about craft, publication and the challenges of storytelling. These conversations give students direct access to various perspectives and practical insights into building a writing life.

Rollins, a St. Louis native and assistant professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has earned several awards and fellowships for her work, including a 2023-24 Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship and the 2020 Pushcart Prize. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine and The American Poetry Review, among others.

One of Rollins’s most recent achievements was being selected as the 2025 recipient of the Maya Angelou Book Award, which recognizes outstanding poetry and fiction writers whose work demonstrates a commitment to social justice. This award, chosen by a reading committee from participating schools, was established in partnership with the Kansas City Public Library and several universities across Missouri, including SEMO. The winning author tours participating campuses to meet students and present their work.

Rollins will be reading and answering questions in Catapult Creative House on Tuesday, April 21 at 6 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.