What Happens Here Matters
Betsy Dickey, MAW Alumna: A Serendipitous Path from Writing to Rwanda
When Betsy Dickey first called Manhattanville College for information about the Masters of Arts in Writing (MAW) program in 2002, she wasn't thinking credits, papers, grades...she just wanted to exercise her mind by auditing. “I spoke to the dean of the Graduate School, Sister Ruth Dowd, and she wouldn't let me off the phone until I had committed to coming down the next day and applying,” said Betsy, smiling at the memory. “So I did just that, and I am very grateful now for her encouragement.”
Betsy credits the MAW program as giving her the skills that would prove invaluable in the next few years when she became one of a group of people to found a volunteer organization dedicated to improving the Kagugu Primary School located in war torn Rwanda. In addition to improving the existing school structure, she proposed that donations also be put toward the implementation of writing workshops for the students. “One of the MAW courses I took was on how to lead writing workshops working with diverse populations...it was in that workshop that the idea of helping people find their voice through written expression grabbed me. This ultimately lead to the decision to build a library and literary center that we hope will become the heart of the school.”
To learn more about this project and how you can help the students of Kagugu, click on the top link above to read a firsthand account of Betsy’s experiences in Rwanda. To read her poetry about the country, click on the bottom link.