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contact name: Kathryn Kysar
email: darklake@aol.com

location address:

open to public: no

Related Organizations:
Membership in Professional Organizations:
Association of Writers and Writing Programs

Modern Language Association

The Loft Literary Center

National Education Association

Work Places:

Anoka Ramsey Community College

Freelance editor, writer, and mentor

Education:

Post-degree course work: University of Minnesota, Split Rock Arts Program, University of Pennsylvania, The Loft Literary Center, Bemidji State University
Master of Fine Arts. Wichita State University. Creative Writing: Poetry.
Bachelor of Arts. Hamline University. Majors: English and Anthropology.

Academic Teaching Experience:

Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Teaching Professor/Tenured English Faculty. 1987-1989, 1990-present. Classes taught: Developmental English, English Composition, Argument and Research Writing, College Vocabulary, Creative Writing: Fiction and Poetry, Advanced Creative Writing, Creative Non- Fiction Writing, Introduction to Literature: Drama, Poetry, and Fiction, The Contemporary Scene: Women Writers, The Contemporary Scene: The Northern Landscape, International Literature: Crossing Cultures, International Literature: Focus on Asia, International Literature: Writing of Witness, Introduction to Poetry: Minnesota Authors, Poetry, Short Story. Developed AA, AFA, and Certificate in Creative Writing degrees; expanded creative writing program to include a greater offering of creative writing classes, a student-edited literary magazine, a creative non-fiction class, writing for children and young adults class, and a playwriting/screenwriting class, a creative writing club, and regular student and faculty readings. Initiated and curated for fourteen years the Two Rivers Reading Series, which has brought authors such as Nurrudin Farah, Louise Erdrich, Robert Bly, and Jane Hamilton to campus for a common book reading program that includes as many as 700 students a semester. Served on strategic development, faculty development, art, international, and Chinese Exchange college-wide committees and literature, part-time hiring, work load, and ESL departmental committees.

Leech Lake Tribal College, Cass Lake, Minnesota. Adjunct English faculty. Spring 1997, winter 1998. Courses taught: Introduction to Creative Writing, Writing for Meaning II. Edited 1997 literary magazine.

Zhaoqing Institute of Education, Zhaoqing, Guangdong, China. Guest English Professor and on-site director/liaison for Anoka-Ramsey Community College. Spring 1996. Classes taught to Chinese students: English Composition and American Literature. Director/liaison duties included full responsibility for ten Anoka-Ramsey students including extracurricular activities, living conditions, safety, and health. Supervised four Chinese instructors who were teaching Anoka-Ramsey Chinese language, history, and geography classes. Represented ARCC in negotiations. Worked with Chinese students included extra tutoring sessions, American culture training sessions, and afternoon films with discussions.

Torring Amtsgymnasium, Torring, Denmark. August 1992 and September 1994. Guest Lecturer. Student lectures included contemporary poetry, creative writing, American Politics, Quincentennial and Columbus. Faculty lectures on creative writing and composition pedagogy.

Beijing Normal College of Foreign Language, Beijing, People's Republic of China. Foreign Expert, Department of English. September 1989-July 1990. Courses taught: Survey of American Literature, American Studies, Sophomore Composition, Senior Composition. All classes taught in English. Supervised four senior theses. Worked on translations with Chinese colleagues. American Studies was taught as a cultural anthropology course.

College of St. Catherine's--St. Mary's Campus, Minneapolis, Minnesota. English/Speech instructor. May-August 1989.

Selected Arts Grants, Awards, and Residencies:

Cambria Eisteddfod poetry contest. Finalist. Sponsored by the League of Minnesota Poets and the Blue Earth County Historical Society. June 2011.

Minnesota State Arts Board Grant. Finalist. 2010.

Anderson Center for the Arts, Residency, October 2009.

Minnesota Women’s Press Changemakers Award. December 24, 2008.

Loft/McKnight Artist Fellowship for Writers. Finalist. 2008.

Artists Initiative grant, Minnesota State Arts Board, 2008.

“What Light” poetry winner, mnartists.org, May 2007.

Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, Residency, June 2005.

Honorable mention, Family Housing Fund Poetry Contest, August 2004.

Jerome/SASE Fellowship finalist, September 2002.

Writer-in-Residence, Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts. 2002-2003.

SASE 6th Annual Poetry contest. Honorable mention. Spring 2002.

Lake Superior Writer’s contest. Poetry winner. January 2002.

Jerome/SASE Fellowship finalist. September 2001.

Diane Glancy Award for Poetry. Dust and Fire magazine. Spring 2001.

Selected Academic Grants and Awards:

Anoka-Ramsey Community College Foundation Grant for travel study research trip to Tanzania. 2008.

MNSCU Awards for Excellence grant to develop an Associates of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing. 2007.

Anoka-Ramsey Community College Foundation Grant for a reading series, sign language interpretation, and poetry class entitled Meet the Authors: Minnesota Poets. September 2000-May 2001.

Danish Cultural Ministry grant to teach creative writing pedagogy and guest lecture at Torring Amtsgymnasium. Torring, Denmark. September 1994.Title VI Grant to develop and teach International Literature: Crossing Cultures. One of twelve faculty chosen to participate in a two year metro-wide grant to

International curriculum grant. September 1992-June 1994. Minnesota Community College System Diversity and Curriculum Innovation Grant for Quincentennial course and quest speaker programs.

National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar, University of Pennsylvania. The American 1930s. Dr. Peter Conn, Director. Summer 1988.

Selected Radio Appearances and Podcasts:
Minnesota Morning. KMSU. Mankato, Mn. April 21, 2011.
Write-On Radio. KFAI. Minneapolis, Mn. April 19, 2011.
Real Good Words. KAXE, Grand Rapids, Mn. March 30, 2011.
Loft Authorcast. Loft Literary Center Podcast. March 17, 2011.
Mondale and Jones. WCCO Radio. May 7, 2008.
Write-On Radio. KFAI. Minneapolis, Mn. May 8, 2008.
Real Good Words. KAXE, Grand Rapids, Mn. July 25, 2002.
Morning Edition. Minnesota Public Radio. St. Paul, Mn. September 23, 1994.

Summary of Author Appearances, Readings, and Lectures:

Hundreds of readings, lectures, and author appearances at libraries, universities and colleges, arts centers, book fairs, and bookstores around the United States. Recent readings at Midwestern bookstores, such as Women and Children First in Chicago, Prairie Lights in Iowa City, Raven Books in Lawrence, and Magers and Quinn in Minneapolis. Recent readings at universities include Century College, Harold Washington University, University of St. Thomas, and Metropolitan State University.

Selected Art Exhibits, Films, Videos, and Installations:

Pretend the World. An art exhibit responding to the poems in Pretend the World. Jes Lee, David Malcolm Scott, Philip Noyed, Jan Elftmann, and Peter L. Johnson. Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts. August 15-September 30, 2011.

Japanese Garden. Short poetry video with Jes Lee. Summer 2011.

Hand Sisters. Short poetry video with Jes Lee. Summer 2011.

The Storm. Short poetry video with Jes Lee. Spring 2011.

Love Poem. Short poetry video with Jes Lee. Spring 2011

Text for “Noctural Flesh,” an installation by Laura Migliorino. Concordia College. March 20-April 17, 2002.

Minnesota Journaling Project 2000 exhibit. The Loft Literary Center. January-February 2001.

Books Authored:
Pretend the World. Holy Cow! Press. March 2011. Poetry. Dark Lake. Loonfeather Press. 2002. Poetry.

Books Edited:
Riding Shotgun: Women Write about Their Mothers. Borealis Press. 2008. Essays.

Selected Poems in Anthologies, Radio Programs, and Websites:
“Escape from Paradise, Iowa. Good Poems, American Places. Ed. Garrison Keillor. Viking: New York, 2011.

“The Day Ten People Died at Red Lake.” Poetry City. USA. Volume One. Low Brow Press, Minneapolis: 2011.

“Faultlines.” Minnesota Public Radio. State of the Arts. April 11, 2011.

“Bodies of Water.” Minnesota Public Radio. State of the Arts. September 27, 2010.

“Dolly’s Stolen Groceries.” Minneapolis Star and Tribune Online. August 2009.

“The Fruit.” What Light contest winner. mnartists.org July 2007.

“The Pregnant Wife Eats Dirt.” To Sing Along the Way: Minnesota Women Poets from Pre-Territorial Days to the Present: Editors Joyce Sutphen, Connie Wanek, Thom Tammaro, New Rivers Press, 2006.

“The Pregnant Wife Eats Dirt.” Between Flesh and Stone: Poetry and Prose Winners of Lake Superior Writer’s Contest 2002. Lake Superior Writers, 2002.

“Poem for Dark Lake.” Between Flesh and Stone: Poetry and Prose Winners of Lake Superior Writer’s Contest 2002. Lake Superior Writers, 2002.

“Bodies of Water.” Between Flesh and Stone: Poetry and Prose Winners of Lake Superior Writer’s Contest 2002. Lake Superior Writers, 2002.

“Idaho Potatoes.” A Writer’s Almanac. September 3, 2002.

“Things I Learned in Denmark.” A Writer’s Almanac. July 15, 2002.

"Wanting to Dance with the Bride.” The Writer’s Almanac. June 8, 2002.

"Escape from Paradise, Iowa." The Writer’s Almanac. June 3, 2002.

Selected Magazine Poetry Publications:

“Chinook, Montana, 1992.” Turtle Literary Magazine. Fall 2009: 34.

“The Hideaway.” St. Paul Almanac 2010. Fall 2009: 67.

“The Effects of Loud Rock and Roll on the Unborn Fetus.” Mizna 9:2 2007: 18.

“Adrift.” Mizna 9:2 2007: 19. “Ada Asleep: Age Three.” Mizna 9:2 2007: 20.

“Diary of a First Grader.” Great River Review. 45 Fall/Winter 2006: 82.

“Under the Plastic Tarp.” Great River Review. 43 Fall/Winter 2005: 26.

“Flying East.” Mizna 7:2 2005: 18.

“Cutting Bread. Mizna 7:2 2005: 19.

“The Pregnant Wife Eats Dirt.” Pinyon. Summer 2002.

“Little Witches.” Pinyon. Summer 2002.

“You are a Man.” Dust and Fire. 15 March 2001: 60.

“Juna Speaks to the Newborn Moon.” Dust and Fire. 15 March 2001: 59.

“Ilsa’s Inventions.” 2001 Minnesota Poetry Calendar. Black Hat Press. September 2000: 102.

“The Insomnia House.” 2000 Minnesota Poetry Calendar. Black Hat Press. September 1999: 102.

“After Vietnam.” The Talking Stick. 8 Summer 1999: 49.

“On Your Brother’s Imminent Death.” The Talking Stick. 8 Summer 1999:48.

“Postcard: Midnight at Dark Lake.” 1999 Minnesota Poetry Calendar. Black Hat Press.


Selected Essays, Articles, and Reviews:

“Long, Straight Hair.” Minnesota Women’s Press. August 2011. Publication pending.

“Round Peg in a Very Square Hole.” Review of The Grey Earth by Galsan Tschinag. Minneapolis Star and Tribune. February 5, 2011. Print and web.

“No True Paradise.” Review of Sin Eater by William Reichard. Gently Read Literature. November 2, 2010. Web.

“The Kid’s Are All Right.” The Mix. September 2010. Print and web.

“School’s In Session.” Review of Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson. Minneapolis Star and Tribune. December 7, 2009. Print and web.

“1001 Nights with a Modern Family Twist.” Review of The Night Counter by Alia Yunis. Minneapolis Star and Tribune. August 8, 2009. Print and web.

“Blank Generation.” Generations Postcards. Speakeasy 2:1 September/October 2003. Print.

Country of Citizenship:
United States

Gender:
Female

Active Place:
Twin Cities

Minnesota County:
Ramsey

Poet