Example of Excellence

Sep 12, 2018

Writer T.C. Boyle inspires students during his visit to Cal U.

t.c. boyle

English majors, English professors and fans who simply love a vividly written story met a literary favorite on Sept. 11 when T.C. Boyle came to campus. 

Boyle is the author of nearly 30 books and winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. He delighted an audience at the Convocation Center with a reading of his short story The Lie, which was published in The New Yorker

The author, who is a Distinguished Professor of English at the University of Southern California, also took audience questions on subjects such as his writing schedule (he writes every day) and advice he’d give to his younger self (“It’s going to be OK!”). 

Students and faculty — several of whom regularly assign Boyle’s works to their creative writing students — were thrilled to welcome the author. 

“It’s important for Cal U to bring in writers with a certain panache,” said Dr. Kim Vanderlaan, associate professor of English and the event’s organizer. “Our students who are striving to be writers need to hear about the successes and the failures as they work on their craft.” 

“We don’t have many literary writers who have achieved the public’s acceptance,” said Dr. Brent House, an associate professor of English. “Our students have the opportunity to see what their work might achieve. T.C. Boyle provides a concrete example of excellence that we want to create every day in our students.” 

“This is a big deal for Cal U,” added Dr. Mike Goodwin, an adjunct professor of English. “He’s a prolific writer but also a great writer.” 

Senior Brianna Monfredi, who has a dual major in English and criminal justice, said Boyle’s visit was motivational. 

“We study his pieces to learn how to be creative writers,” Monfredi said. “I think it’s very cool to have a published author whose work we are familiar with come to Cal U.” 

“It’s reaffirming and encouraging for us and our career paths to hear from someone like T.C. Boyle, who has been so successful in his field,” added Kate Furlong, a junior who is studying creative writing. 

“Bringing this caliber of a writer, thinker and creator to campus helps students to see and be inspired,” said Dr. Kristen Majocha, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, at a reception before the event. 

“Boyle writes about ordinary subjects, but he makes them extraordinary. That’s what a great artist does, and it’s what our students can do, too.”