Author Louise Hawes Named as the Next VCFA Katherine Paterson Chair
Author, educator, and founding faculty member of the VCFA Writing for Children & Adults program Louise Hawes has been announced as the next VCFA Katherine Paterson Chair. Katherine Paterson is […]
Author, educator, and founding faculty member of the VCFA Writing for Children & Adults program Louise Hawes has been announced as the next VCFA Katherine Paterson Chair.
Katherine Paterson is an award-winning author of dozens of children’s books, including modern classics such as Bridge to Terabithia, The Great Gilly Hopkins, The Same Stuff as Stars, and more. She is a founding trustee of the Vermont College of Fine Arts, and one of the most dedicated supporters of VCFA’s MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults (WCYA) program. In particular, Paterson has long uplifted the faculty that make up the heart of the program.
In 2018, VCFA established the Katherine Paterson Endowed Chair & Faculty Development Fund to support the WCYA program faculty. The Katherine Paterson Chair title and position is held by one faculty member for a period of two years, and allows the Chair to teach two students per semester with dedicated time and space to spend on professional development, scholarly pursuits, and creative output. In 2020, author and editor Cynthia Leitich Smith was named as the first Katherine Paterson Chair, and in 2022 author Martine Leavitt was appointed as Chair.
At the summer 2024 VCFA residency, the WCYA program named founding faculty member Louise Hawes as the 2024 Chair. Hawes has been with the program since its inception, and is the author of beloved titles for young readers such as Big Rig, The Language of Stars, and The Vanishing Point.
“I’m thrilled that Louise is being honored with this chairship,” says WCYA Faculty Chair Linda Urban, who announced the news at residency. “As a founding WCYA faculty member, she has shaped so much of who we are and what we do. The chairship recognizes that her extraordinary dedication to teaching and program guidance has required hours that may have otherwise gone to making art and offers financial support to allow her to prioritize her writing while still being an active and engaged faculty member. I can’t wait to read what Lou creates during her time as chair.”
“Katherine is the author of stories that have helped form the spiritual and world vision of so many of us, it’s hard to underestimate her impact. Which humbles and inspires me all at the same time,” says Hawes. “As someone who’s read and taught these books for decades, I can only hope to pass on the love, and to nurture new writers whose work will light up our nights and lift our hearts.”
As Hawes steps into her new role, VCFA interviewed her about her chairship, her mentorship at VCFA, and how she has seen the program evolve over her many years with VCFA. You can read more about Hawes at our VCFA stories page.