Rockland Community College Invites Public to Evening of Poetry
with Rockland County’s First Poet Laureate

Suffern, NY - In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Rockland Community College, the public is invited to a special evening of poetry with Rockland County’s first Poet Laureate, Dan Masterson, Professor of English.

Thursday, November 12, 7 p.m.

Poet Laureate: "An Evening with Dan Masterson"

Technology Center, Rm 8180 (Ellipse), RCC Suffern Campus

Admission: Free and open to the public.

The community is invited to a special poetry reading by Poet Laureate Dan Masterson. The evening will include a showcase of student work from his poetry workshops conducted over four decades. Reception follows.

Since 1964, Masterson of Pearl River has been teaching English and numerous poetry courses and workshops at Rockland Community College.  The world-renowned poet has given more than one thousand poetry readings, lectures and seminars on the national poetry circuit. In 2009, Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef and Rockland County Legislature Chairwoman Harriet Cornell named Masterson Rockland's first Poet Laureate for 2009-2011.

The four-book poet is a recipient of The SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. He was elected to membership in Pen International in 1986, and is the recipient of two Pushcart Prizes, The Poetry Northwest Bullis Prize, The Borestone Mountain Poetry Award, and The CCLM Fels awards.  He is an Associate Writing Program Award Series honoree, as well as the founding editor of the Internet’s revered Enskyment Poetry Anthology.  In 2006, Syracuse University's Bird Library assumed stewardship of "The Dan Masterson Papers" for its Special Collections Research Center.

Dr. Cliff L. Wood, President, Rockland Community College, said, "The College is proud to have world-renowned poet Dan Masterson as a member of our faculty.  He has inspired decades of students, from our honors students who have gone on to the Ivy League, to those who simply needed to learn the fine art of expression."

For more information contact 845-574-4214 or lfox@sunyrockland.edu

In celebration of its 50th Anniversary, the College will be hosting a yearlong series of events that are open to the community. To learn more, visit: http://www.sunyrockland.edu/go/50

Stay informed: sign up for RCC's free monthly e-newsletter of events by visiting www.sunyrockland.edu and clicking into the "Sign up for events newsletter" button on the lower right.

Suffern campus map: http://www.sunyrockland.edu/about/campus-guide/map

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Rockland Community College, a unit of the State University of New York, is located 25 miles northwest of NYC. The majority of its students transfer to four-year colleges, and many find immediate employment upon earning their associate's degree or certificate. The College also offers others, from preschoolers to senior citizens, the opportunity to simply learn something new. Quality education...at a price you can afford.