On Campus
Ohio’s Poet Laureate Dave Lucas visits campus
Ohio’s Poet Laureate Dave Lucas came to campus to visit with students and to host a reading for the public on March 14. The event was sponsored by the Department of English.
Lucas was appointed the second Poet Laureate of the State of Ohio in 2018 and currently lectures at Case Western Reserve University. He is co-founder of Cleveland Book Week and Brews + Prose at Market Garden Brewery.
“It was exciting to have Lucas on campus to share his expertise on the importance of self-expression and how poetry can connect diverse people and communities,” said Jane Varley, professor of English at Muskingum University. “Poetry is an inclusive art form that can spur wide-ranging conversations.”
He has received honors including the 2012 Ohioana Book Award for Poetry, a Discovery/The Nation Prize and a Cleveland Arts Prize. He has poems anthologized in publications such as The Bedford Introduction to Literature and Best New Poets 2005. Lucas earned his Bachelor’s degree from John Carroll University, his Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Virginia and his Doctoral degree from the University of Michigan.
Administered by the Ohio Arts Council, the purpose of a Ohio Poet Laureate is to foster the art of poetry; encourage literacy and learning; address central issues relating to the humanities and heritage; and encourage the reading and writing of poetry across the state. During the two-year term, the Poet Laureate engages in a variety of constituencies, enriching the lives of residents by sharing and promoting poetry through digital and social media, public appearances, readings and workshops.
