Brookdale’s Dr. Calendar’s Visiting Writers Series drew exceptional student engagement this fall, as three acclaimed authors, Andrew Cusick, Francisco Delgado, and Patricia Smith, shared their work and creative journeys with the campus community. From intimate dinners to packed readings, the series sparked deep reflection, new curiosity, and powerful emotional responses among attendees.
The season opened in October with Jersey Shore author Andrew Cusick, who read from his debut novel Song for the Dead. Students connected immediately with Cusick’s voice, his coastal setting, and his focus on family, loss, and resilience. “I think he is an amazing reader,” one student wrote. “I would definitely like to go to another one again in the future.”
In November, Francisco Delgado shared his award-winning novella On Remembering My Friends, My First Job, and My Second-Favorite Weezer CD, inviting students into a narrative shaped by identity, memory, humor, and cultural connection. His reading and discussion prompted students to think more deeply about the stories that shape and stay with us.
The fall season reached an unforgettable finale with Patricia Smith, National Book Award finalist and one of the most decorated poets in the country. Students filled the room, prompting faculty to bring in extra chairs. Many described Smith’s reading as transformational:
“Oh. My. Goodness. Not to undermine the two lovely speakers before Patricia, but this was genuinely a life-altering experience.”
Another student wrote:
“I have never experienced any kind of poetry that has moved me as much as Patricia Smith’s. She has made me feel like a part of her world, a part of her sorrow, and a part of the reason to be better.”
The series also expanded horizons for students who do not typically consider themselves writers or avid readers. One attendee shared, “I typically do not read many books and especially not ones like this. But it piqued my interest, and I left questioning why I do not read more.”
Faculty noted strong attendance at every event, including high student participation at the pre-reading dinners, often filled with conversation about process, craft, and career paths.
As the year closes, the overwhelmingly positive response to the fall Visiting Writers Series has set the stage for an exciting spring lineup. Spring events will be held in February, March, and April, and early enthusiasm suggests another season of full rooms, energetic discussion, and student discovery.
With such momentum, the Visiting Writers Series continues to be one of Brookdale’s most inspiring and transformative traditions, welcoming literary voices from across the country and igniting new ones here on campus. All readings are free and open to the public.
For more information about the Dr. Carl Calendar Visiting Writers Series, please contact Professor Suzanne Parker, Director of the Creative Writing Program, at sparker@brookdalecc.edu.