FCCJ’s International Education Week in November to feature poetry readings from acclaimed writers

Florida Community College’s Downtown Campus will host two acclaimed writers during International Education Week this November.

In celebration of International Education Week, the Downtown Campus of Florida Community College at Jacksonville will host Celia Lisset Alvarez and Marisella Veiga on November 19, 2007. Both writers will read selections from their works. A reception and book signing will follow the readings. The event is free and open to the public.

Ms. Alvarez is an award-winning poet, the author of two poetry chapbooks (Shapeshifting, Spire Press, 2006 and The Stones, Finishing Line Press, 2006) and an educator. She resides in Miami where she is Interim Director of the St. Thomas University Writing Center in Miami. Ms. Alvarez has held teaching positions at several Florida institutions including St. Thomas University, the University of Miami, Miami-Dade College and Florida International University. Her poetry, essays and reviews have been widely published and anthologized. Her reading will begin at 8PM.

Ms. Veiga’s writing includes news reporting, short fiction and poetry. She has written on a freelance basis for the past six years for clients such as the Washington Post, Hispanic Link News Service, Women’s Independent Press and Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education. Ms. Veiga’s writing has been recognized with several honors including a Pushcart Prize Special Mention in Short Fiction (1996) and the Evelyn La Pierre Award for Journalism (2004). She has taught at Georgetown University and other colleges in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. She will read from her work beginning at 7PM.

Historically known as the “International” campus for its large multicultural student body, FCCJ’s Downtown Campus will celebrate International Education Week with a number of fun and educational events in concert with activities held at the College’s other campuses. The guest poets’ reading will climax the celebration of International Education Week.

FCCJ’s Downtown Campus is located at 101 West State Street in Downtown Jacksonville. The campus has been undergoing modernizations and the event will occur in the newly-renovated Auditorium on the First Floor.

The appearance of the two poets is made possible through an FCCJ Learning Communities Mini Grant.
(from FCCJ news release)