Penn State Laureate to bring collaborative poetry experience to Mont Alto

MONT ALTO, Pa. — A single line of poetry written at Penn State Mont Alto could become part of a larger work connecting voices from across the commonwealth.

Erin Murphy, the 2026-27 Penn State Laureate, will visit Penn State Mont Alto on Tuesday, Sept. 29, to present “With These Hands: A Collaborative Poetry Experience,” an interactive program combining poetry, conversation and creative participation.

The event will be held during campus Common Hour from 12:20 to 1:10 p.m. in the Penn State Mont Alto Library and is open to students, faculty, staff and community members.

During the program, Murphy will read from and discuss her books "The Book of Jobs: Poems About Work" and "Swoon: New & Selected Poems." Drawing on themes of work, identity and everyday experience, Murphy also will invite participants to contribute their own lines of poetry as part of her yearlong Laureate project.

In addition to Murphy’s presentation, attendees can browse a library display featuring books she has written or edited.

Murphy is professor of English at Penn State Altoona and the author or editor of 16 books. During her tenure as Laureate, she is conducting presentations and workshops throughout the state. At the end of her term, she will compose a collaborative poem from lines written by students, faculty, and staff from across the University.

The Penn State Laureate is a full-year position awarded to a full-time faculty member in the humanities or arts, designed to bring greater visibility to the arts, humanities, and broader University mission. Each laureate brings a unique scholarly or artistic perspective to a wide variety of audiences across Pennsylvania.