The May Prentice House, which is located at 126 S. Lincoln St., is home to the Wick Poetry Center and was first established in 1984 in honor of faculty member Robert Wick’s two sons. The poetry center offers several opportunities for students to express themselves through poetry. 

Györgryi Mihályi, the assistant director of marketing who has been with the Wick Poetry Center since 2015, sat down to answer questions about the center. 

What does the Wick Poetry Center do? 

Mihályi: “We offer reading[s] on campus with local authors nationally and internationally acknowledged, and free informal workshops that are student-led and open to the public.”

“Our Assistant Director, Charlie Malone, teaches a class called Teaching Poetry in the Classroom. The class opens the door for students, and I think that opens their hearts to something that they didn’t think was possible.”

What services are offered for students? 

Mihályi: “Weekly workshops for sure. It is a very informal student-led workshop that provides an opportunity for students who want to write or have written poems but don’t know what to do with them.”

How can more students get involved in the center? 

Mihályi: “We would love to have more students involved. We have a good group of students every year. People find us in very random ways because we are here in this house in the middle of the university.” 

What is your favorite thing about the center? 

Mihályi: “I love our students. We always have a great group of students who are open and vulnerable. It’s a safe space for them and I love being a part of that.”

What is the most rewarding part of your job? 

Mihályi: “I am a marketing person here, but I am involved in a lot of other things. Poetry sounds stale, and it’s not as fun as other things, but it leads people to open their minds. The Wick Poetry mission is to bring poetry to people’s lives, so that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Could you tell me more about the 40th-anniversary celebration coming up? 

Mihályi: “We are gearing up big time for the celebration. The 40th anniversary is coming up on September 19-21. It is open to everyone and will involve panel discussions, workshops and readings.” 

What do you hope to see for the center’s future? 

Mihályi: “I would like to see the Wick Poetry Center continue its mission to bring poetry to everyday lives, and to show how poetry is relevant to everything we do. It’s such a beautiful way to express yourself and for therapeutic use.”

For more information about the Wick Poetry Center and their upcoming events, visit their webpage. 

Kaitlyn Sanders is a reporter. You can contact her at [email protected].