MACKEY CHAIR
Beloit College's English program is nationally recognized for its excellence. One reason is the Lois Wilson Mackey'45 Distinguished Professorship of Creative Writing. Begun in 1987, the Mackey Distinguished Writing Program brings writers of international renown to campus each year as teachers.
Holders of the Mackey Chair thus far have been the late Raymond Carver, considered by many as founder of the contemporary American short story; noted poet and fiction-writer Tess Gallagher; the late William Stafford, one of America's best-loved poets and winner of the National Book Award; Ursula K. LeGuin, acclaimed writer of science-fiction; Rick Bass, a prominent writer of fiction and non-fiction; Pulitzer prize-winning poet Carolyn Kizer; legendary novelist and environmentalist Peter Matthiessen; essayist Edward Hoagland; distinguished poet Denise Levertov; short-story writer, Amy Hempel; highly acclaimed young Asian-American poet, Li-Young Lee; short-story writer and novelist, Ron Carlson; and in 2000-01, Bei Dao, prominent Chinese dissident poet and potential Nobel Prize winner.
Mackey professors teach seminars to Beloit College creative writing majors, give a public reading of their work, and judge the Lois Wilson Mackey'45 prize for best creative writing by a Beloit College student.