SHARON, Pa. — Erin Murphy, the 2026-27 Penn State Laureate, will present “With These Hands: A Collaborative Poetry Experience” on Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. in Sharon Hall room 105 on the Penn State Shenango campus.
Murphy will read from and discuss her latest books, “The Book of Jobs: Poems About Work” and “Swoon: New & Selected Poems.” As part of the event, attendees will have the opportunity to create their own lines of poetry.
Murphy is professor of English at Penn State Altoona and the author or editor of 16 books. During her tenure as Penn State Laureate, she is conducting presentations and workshops on campuses and in communities around the Commonwealth. 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.
Murphy’s laureate presentation at the Penn State Shenango campus is free and open to the public.