SFU English celebrates the 20th anniversary of its writer-in-residence program

On February 7th, 2025, Simon Fraser University’s Department of English celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Ellen and Warren Tallman Writer-in-Residence Program. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Dean, Laurel Weldon, Department Chair, Stephen Collis, and ten former writers-in-residence spoke at the event, which was held at the SFU Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue.

The audience of academics, graduate and undergraduate students, as well as community members, heard how professor emeritus Roy Miki began the program in 2004. However, the program and the department are part of a historical culture that creates and nurtures an activist and innovative writing scene that began with its founding in 1965.

Former writers-in-residence, Junie Désil, Mercedes Eng, Hiromi Goto, Daphne Marlatt, and Michael Turner gave readings at the event, while Carleigh Barker, Larissa Lai, Anakana Schofield, Fred Wah, and Sam Wiebe, participated in a roundtable discussion. Time and time again, the writers reiterated how welcoming department faculty, students, and staff had been during their tenures in residence, and how significant the program is for both writers and literary communities.   

The department thanks the approximately 100 people who celebrated this milestone occasion with us. We look forward to many more years of the Ellen and Warren Tallman Writer-in-Residence Program at SFU English!

Watch the full event below.

Enjoy our photo gallery below!