The English Department announces an outstanding opportunity for fiction writers finishing their junior year here at Wabash. This summer, you can write fiction for eight weeks--and get paid doing it. Four years ago, noted writer Dan Simmons '70 instituted the Hockenberry Summer Internship, which provides a generous living stipend and free campus housing to an outstanding writer of fiction. The internship is competitive; only one can be awarded each year.
The deadline is March 29th. Submit the application form and other materials to a member of the creative writing faculty in the Department of English (Professors Hudson and Valdes).
Description: The Hockenberry Summer Internship is offered annually to that junior who has demonstrated excellence in fiction writing and outstanding dedication to his craft. The award was established in 2000 by writer Dan Simmons ('70, Hon. '95) to honor the memory of his classmate Duane Hockenberry. The award offers a living stipend of $2,500 plus a room on the Wabash campus and a private library carrel with computer support for eight weeks during the summer between the junior and senior years. Mentoring for the student will be available through the English Department.
Criteria: The winner of the award will be that junior whose creative prose best demonstrates a combination of talent, vision, and labor, and who articulates clear and achievable goals for the internship period. Particularly eligible are those students who plan to work on a novel. The Hockenberry Intern must reside on campus and remain in contact with the English faculty throughout the eight-week internship. The internship winner cannot be employed elsewhere during the period of the internship. Interested juniors will submit the application form (attached) and a representative body of fiction of between ten and thirty pages to the creative writing faculty of the English Department by March 29th. The winner will be contacted before graduation.
Assessment: By September 1st of his senior year, the student will present a manuscript of polished work completed and revised during the summer internship period and a letter assessing that work to the Chair of the Department of English. During the Fall semester, he will give a public reading of his work on campus and be honored with a reception.
The Hockenberry Intern will meet weekly with the supervisory faculty member to discuss ongoing work. A minimum of ten new pages will be shared with the faculty advisor at the weekly meeting.
The Hockenberry Intern and the faculty advisor will work together to identify the best publication venues for the Intern's revised work. The Intern will send out at least two pieces to appropriate venues by the end of the internship period.