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Media Contact: Maddy Elledge
(706) 379-5319, [email protected]

Award-Wining Author Karen McElmurray to Present Annual Heinze Lecture at Young Harris College

YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — American Writer Karen McElmurray, Ph.D., will present the annual Heinze Lecture at Young Harris College on Tuesday, March 13, at 6:30 p.m. in Wilson Lecture Hall of Goolsby Center on the YHC campus. The event is free and open to the public.

In her lecture “House Made of Glass: Prose from Home,” Dr. McElmurray will discuss the process of memoir writing and its connection to place. She will also read selections from her memoir, “Surrendered Child,” along with new fiction.  

A writer of both fiction and creative nonfiction, Dr. McElmurray’s works have received many accolades and recognitions. Most notably, “Surrendered Child” won the Association of Writers and Writing Programs Award for Creative Nonfiction and was listed as a “notable book” by the National Book Critics Circle. Her book, “Strange Birds in the Tree of Heaven,” won the Lillie Chaffin Award for Appalachian Writing. She was also the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship.

Dr. McElmurray attended the University of Virginia where she earned her M.F.A. in fiction writing. She holds her M.A. in creative writing from Hollins University, and her Ph.D. from the University of Georgia where she studied American literature and fiction writing. 

Dr. McElmurray currently serves on the faculty for Reinhardt University and is an adjunct associate professor of English for Gettysburg College.

The annual Heinze Lecture brings speakers to campus to discuss themes and ideas that encourage college spirit and offer inspiration to the entire college community. Traditionally, the lecture focuses on Southern or Appalachian topics. Past events include lectures, concerts and community projects.

To learn more about Dr. McElmurray, visit www.karensalyermcelmurray.com.

For more information about this event, call (706) 379-5104.

About Young Harris College
Young Harris College is a private, baccalaureate degree-granting college located in the beautiful mountains of North Georgia. Founded in 1886 and historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church, Young Harris College educates, inspires and empowers students through the highest quality liberal arts education. The College currently has more than 1,100 students across five divisions—Education, Fine Arts, Humanities, Mathematics and Science, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. The historic campus in Young Harris, Ga., has completed major campus improvements to accommodate the College’s growth. Recent LEED-certified campus improvements include the 121,000-square-foot Rollins Campus Center, new residence facilities, and a 57,000-square-foot recreation and fitness center. The College is an active member of NCAA Division II and remains a fierce competitor in the prestigious Peach Belt Conference. YHC is among fewer than 300 colleges and universities nationwide named to the 2017-2018 list of Colleges of Distinction and is listed as a “Best National Liberal Arts College” by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit yhc.edu.

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