Donald L. Jordan Endowed Professorship in Creative Writing

Columbus State University

announces a national search for the

Donald L. Jordan 

Endowed Professorship in Creative Writing

The English Department at Columbus State University in Georgia invites applications and nominations for the Donald L. Jordan Endowed Professorship in Creative Writing. The recipient of this professorship will hold the rank of Associate or Full Professor in Creative Writing and will be responsible for implementing the Donald L. Jordan Endowment for Traditional American Writing, which is purposed to encourage and promote writing that honors the traditional American values of responsibility, gratitude, generosity, faith, and love. 

For complete details, see the Search Profile at http://www.myersmcrae.com/skins/userfiles/files/CSU-CW.pdf

The Opportunity - In 2016, local author and businessman Donald L. Jordan gifted Columbus State University’s College of Letters and Sciences with a $3 million endowment to encourage students to continue the art of writing. The gift — the largest single gift to the college and one of the largest to CSU — established the Donald L. Jordan Endowment for Traditional American Writing. The endowment will support a specialized writing program, a national writing competition, and an endowed professorship at the University.

The Donald L. Jordan Study Abroad Service Learning Program supports a group of up to 10 students and two faculty members to travel to a developing country for two weeks and engage in a humanitarian project. Working with an established agency, the group will collaborate with local organizations and health departments to provide much-needed support by building awareness through educational presentations in schools and in communities. Program participants will engage in life-changing work and will stay with host families. Following the trip, students will write about their experience and reflect on how the traditional American values can be used for the good of others.

The Donald L. Jordan Prize in Traditional American Writing is an open manuscript competition to published and unpublished writers nationwide. The competition awards annual prizes for the top entries that best represent the traditional American values of responsibility, gratitude, generosity, faith, and love. The winners will have their work published by Columbus State University Press and distributed nationally. A panel of selected judges, including at least one eminent American writer, will judge the contest.

The Donald L. Jordan Endowed Professorship in Creative Writing is a leadership opportunity that recognizes an individual’s past accomplishments with expectation of outstanding future contributions to the field of creative writing and to CSU’s Department of English. The primary responsibilities of the faculty member holding this endowed professorship will be to teach courses and oversee the execution of The Donald L. Jordan Endowment for Traditional American Writing. 

These responsibilities will include: 

• Planning and implementing the annual national writing competition
• Overseeing the planning and implementation of the study abroad service learning program
• Planning and conducting a writing conference every two to three years on campus to publicize writing that honors traditional American values

Qualifications - Candidates must have a Master in Fine Arts degree or Ph.D. in Creative Writing or a Ph.D. in English from an accredited college or university with a strong publication record in creative writing. Experience and publication in fiction, screenwriting and/or visual narratives, poetry, writing for children and/or young adult, speculative fiction, U.S. multi-ethnic and/or global literatures, or other literary genres is desirable. Significant administrative experience is preferred.

Other requirements are:

• A commitment to the mission of the Donald L. Jordan Endowment for Traditional American Writing 
• Ability to work collaboratively
• Experience reviewing and evaluating programs
• Successful teaching experience
• Experience developing and managing a budget
• A track record of meeting deadlines and handling details
• Experience working with diverse populations
• Experience developing partnerships and professional relationships internally and externally

The Department of English is housed in the College of Letters and Sciences. Students can earn a bachelor of arts degree in English - Literature, English and Creative Writing, English and Secondary Education, and/or English - Professional Writing.

English minors are offered in Literature, Professional Writing, Creative Writing, and Linguistics. Two certificate programs are available: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and Professional Writing.

English majors often engage in undergraduate research projects, presenting conference papers at local, regional, and national conferences and publishing work in peer-reviewed journals. In addition to numerous study abroad courses, English majors have the opportunity to participate in the New York Comparative Arts program. 

CSU creative writing students also participate annually in the Southern Literary Festival, an organization of Southern colleges and schools founded in 1937 to promote Southern literature. 

The award-winning student literary journal, Arden, provides students an opportunity to gain editing and publishing experience. Additionally, the English Department sponsors the annual Carson McCullers Literary Awards. Open to Georgia high school and CSU students, the writing competition covers poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and expository writing.

Columbus State University is a comprehensive regional university located 90 miles southwest of Atlanta. A flourishing institution, CSU is known for its quality, affordability, and unparalleled local support. 

The University has a diverse student population. It serves students primarily from the Southeast, while attracting others from 20 nations around the world. 

CSU provides a creative, deeply personal, and relevant college experience, which values diversity and inclusion in all forms. The University aspires to have faculty and staff reflect the rich diversity of its student body and the Columbus region. 

The University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, including a doctorate in education. The University also provides a variety of online offerings, including full-degree programs, and an extensive continuing education program. 

U.S. News & World Report most recently ranked Columbus State No. 45 in its “Best Colleges” rankings among public regional universities in the South. Affordable Colleges Online ranked the University No. 1 among the “Best Online Colleges in Georgia” for providing the best opportunities and value for students seeking online training and educational programs. Three of the institution’s online programs - business, graduate education, and bachelor’s in nursing - have been recognized as being among the best in the nation. 

The University occupies two campuses: one in suburban Columbus, housing programs in the sciences, business, and humanities. The other, called the RiverPark campus, is in the city’s historic downtown on the banks of the Chattahoochee River and includes some of the country’s most sophisticated teaching and fine and performing arts spaces. 

The University also offers courses at Fort Benning, the U.S. Army’s Maneuver Center of Excellence headquarters.

Columbus, Georgia

Columbus is one of the South’s most cosmopolitan cities with endless dining, entertainment, and family adventures to explore. It also is home to world-class enterprises, such as Aflac, Synovus, W.C. Bradley Company, TSYS, and Fort Benning, the U.S. Army’s Maneuver Center of Excellence headquarters. 

The Columbus region has more than 350,000 residents and is located within two hours of the capitals of Georgia and Alabama. The city is known for its cultural arts, largely due to the RiverPark campus. The extensive offerings of visual and performing arts programs and special performers at CSU attract thousands of visitors annually. The city also has the longest urban whitewater course in the world.

Columbus State University is an affirmative action, 

equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in hiring.

Application and Nomination Process - Confidential inquiries are welcomed and nominations are invited. 

To Apply - Application packet must include: a) letter of Interest; b) current curriculum vitae; c) at least five references with full contact information, including email addresses (References will not be contacted without consent from applicants.)

Submit application packet to CSU@myersmcrae.com  

Nominations should include contact information, including email, for the person being nominated. Submit to CSU-Nomination@myersmcrae.com

Review of materials begins immediately. For best consideration, application materials should be received by November 10, 2017.

Emily Parker Myers, CEO of Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting, is assisting Columbus State University with this search. 

Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting

515 Mulberry Street, Suite 200 | Macon, Georgia 31201

www.myersmcrae.com | 478-330-6222