31st Annual Writer's Symposium by the Sea

Lomaland Student Short Film Festival, Feb 23

The 5th Annual Student Short Film Festival will feature winning student short films from Driftwood's contest and work from filmmaker TBD.

This event is coordinated in partnership with Driftwood Creative Arts Journal & PLNU School of Humanities, Arts, and Public Engagement.

7:00PM in PLNU Crill Performance Hall. No tickets required.

Judy Woodruff, February 25

Judy Woodruff is an acclaimed American broadcast journalist known for her decades-long career covering politics and current events. She is also the author of the book This Is Judy Woodruff at the White House. 

Woodruff began her journalism career in the early 1970s and became one of the most respected figures in television news. Woodruff served as a White House correspondent for NBC, co-anchored CNN’s Inside Politics, and later became the anchor and managing editor of the PBS NewsHour, where she was celebrated for her fairness, depth, and integrity.

Renowned for her calm, balanced reporting and commitment to journalistic integrity, Woodruff has covered every U.S. presidential election since 1976. Her work has earned her numerous honors, including Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, and the Edward R. Murrow Lifetime Achievement Award. She has also been recognized by the Poynter Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Journalism and inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is widely regarded as one of the most respected figures in American broadcast journalism.

TICKETS COMING SOON FOR THIS EVENT

Jamaica Kincaid, February 26

Jamaica Kincaid is an Antiguan-American writer known for her vivid, poetic prose and exploration of themes like colonialism, family, identity, and the legacy of the Caribbean. 

Born Elaine Potter Richardson on May 25, 1949, in St. John’s, Antigua, she moved to the United States as a teenager and began her career writing for The New Yorker. Her acclaimed works include Annie John, Lucy, A Small Place, and The Autobiography of My Mother. 

Kincaid’s deeply personal and reflective style has made her one of the most influential voices in contemporary literature. She has received numerous awards, including the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award and the Lannan Literary Award for Fiction.

TICKETS COMING SOON FOR THIS EVENT

George Saunders, February 27

George Saunders is An American writer known for his New York Times bestselling, Booker Prize –winning author of Lincoln in the Bardo. Saunders is known for his sharp wit, moral insight, and inventive storytelling. 

A longtime contributor to The New Yorker and a creative writing professor at Syracuse University, Saunders is admired for exploring kindness, consumerism, and the human condition with humor and humanity.

Saunders is celebrated for his short stories, essays, and novels that blend satire, surrealism, and compassion. Saunders’ acclaimed collections include CivilWarLand in Bad Decline, Pastoralia, and Tenth of December, which was a finalist for the National Book Award. 

His newest book is Vigil, an electric novel taking place at the bedside of an oil company CEO in the twilight hours of his life as he is ferried from this world into the next.

Contact Us

Questions about the Writer's Symposium by the Sea? Contact WritersSymposium@pointloma.edu

Thanks to our donors!

Thanks to the donors who support the Writer's Symposium by the Sea!

• Mery Olive Bangs Endowment
• The Estate of Jim and Muriel Ranum
• Ron & Kathleen Lauderbach
• Lawrence and Suzanne Hess
• Daniel K. O'Neill
• The Tom and Melanie Gillette Trust, in memory of Tom Gillette
• Bob and Jo Birdsell
• Dave Dolan
• Cheree Adey
• Lory Costello-Neeley
• Drs. Kathryn & Michael McConnell
• Dr. David & Elizabeth Ostrander
• David & Elinor Vandegrift
• PLNU School of Humanities, Arts, and Public Engagement

Interested in supporting the Writer's Symposium? 

To maintain the symposium's high-quality programming, we need your help to meet our yearly donation goal of $80,000. 

Please consider partnering with Writer's Symposium by the Sea by giving an ongoing or one-time, tax-deductible donation. Every gift allows us to provide these inspiring events to PLNU students and the community.