The Alan Cheuse International Writers Center at George Mason University was established in honor of Dr. Alan Cheuse after his untimely death in 2015. Alan Cheuse was a writer, editor, literary critic, and Mason professor for almost 30 years. He received his PhD in comparative literature from Rutgers University in 1974, and taught at Bennington College; Sewanee, the University of the South; the University of Virginia; and the University of Michigan before joining the Mason faculty in 1987. Alan also served as a critic and book commentator for NPR. However, his greatest legacy will remain the impact he had on his students and his unflinching support for writers everywhere.
The Cheuse Center celebrates and promotes the art of creative writing as a means of international dialogue, education, and understanding between cultures. The Center is a dynamic resource that works to enrich the lives of creative writing students and faculty at the university, the university community as a whole, the Washington DC area, and creative writers and writing organizations globally. Through the use of cultural exchange and diplomacy, the Center enriches lives and promotes global understanding while fostering through writing the tolerance and understanding that the connected world we live in requires.
The Center hopes to honor Alan Cheuse by:
- Increasing the number of creative writing MFA students who are able to study abroad
- Increasing the number of international writers who hold a one-semester residency at Mason
- Expanding our presence in the George Mason University and Washington DC cultural communities
- Establishing a track record of success for the Center.
Anyone interested in honoring Alan and aiding in the continuation of his legacy is invited to give at one of several levels:
- “Friends of Alan” level: a recurring annual or monthly gift is one of the most significant and impactful ways to support the Cheuse Center. Gifts of this nature contribute to needs-based support, event funding, and reducing programmatic overhead.
- “Writers Circle” level: a gift of $5,000 or more annually gives donors the ability to sponsor a grant given to an MFA student for research and study abroad. Recognition includes grateful acknowledgement in the spring newsletter, as well as an opportunity to meet and speak with the grant recipient.
- “International Circle” level: an extraordinary gift of $60,000 or more annually gives donors the ability to name a fellowship given to an established international writer residing at George Mason for one semester. Recognition at this level includes grateful acknowledgement in the spring newsletter, early invitations and access to visiting writers and event receptions, and the choice of a signed copy of one of our writers’ books.
The option to make a major gift is also available. With a major financial gift, you have the chance to ensure the Center’s short and long-term financial health and to help its programming and possibilities evolve. To learn more, email Director of Development Eleanor Weis (eweis2@gmu.edu).
Support the Alan Cheuse Center
11/2/2016 – CM
