Mighty Pen Project
Registration is now open for The Mighty Pen Project 2023.
Now accepting applications for the 2023 Mighty Pen Project Master Class, Virtual Semester, Poetry Mini-mester, and special Cartooning Workshop.
Mighty Pen Project Master Class 2023: January 18 – April 5, 2023
This course is open to previous graduates of the Mighty Pen Project. Professor David L. Robbins will work with students to go beyond entry-level writing techniques to help veteran students further develop their memoirs and recollections. Classes will be held in-person at the Virginia War Memorial for 12 weeks, on Wednesdays at 6:30PM in the Schumann Conference Room.
Mighty Pen Project Virtual Semester 2023: April 19 – July 5, 2023
The Mighty Pen Project is for all Virginia veterans! We are proud to offer a virtual semester of the Mighty Pen Project, taught by Professor David L. Robbins. Students are encouraged to join from anywhere in the Commonwealth of Virginia via Zoom for this 12-week semester. Classes are Wednesdays at 6:30PM.
NEW: Mighty Pen Project Poetry Mini-mester 2023: July 26 – August 16, 2023
We are proud to introduce a new kind of session to our Mighty Pen Project offerings: The Mighty Pen Project Poetry Mini-mester, taught by author and veteran Bill Glose. Students will learn to transform their experiences and memories into poetry; beginners and experts are welcome! Classes will be held in-person at the Virginia War Memorial for 4 weeks, on Wednesdays at 6:30PM in the Schumann Conference Room.
NEW: Mighty Pen Project Cartooning Workshop: February 11, 2023
The Virginia War Memorial Director, Dr. Clay Mountcastle, will be hosting a Mighty Pen Cartooning Workshop on Saturday, February 11th from 9:00AM-2:00PM here at the Virginia War Memorial. In addition to being the Memorial Director, Clay has been an artist and cartoonist throughout his life. In this class he will share his skills and talents with his viewpoint as a veteran to help the class create their own pieces. This one-day workshop will cover the long relationship between cartooning and the military, popular military cartoon strips, and the basics of cartooning. Students will sketch their own cartoons as part of the class. Like all other MPP classes, this workshop is free of charge for veterans. Light refreshments will be provided, but please feel free to bring a bagged lunch as well. APPLY ONLINE
Share Your Stories.
Do you want to preserve your military experiences?
Veterans, now is the time to share your stories!
The Virginia War Memorial Foundation’s Mighty Pen Project provides creative writing instruction so students may develop their recollections into a complete written narrative. Through this program, the Foundation works to generate, preserve and share stories written by military veterans and those touched by their service.
“Fatigues glued to my skin, rain of a thousand years, rhythms and waves. I am sitting on my helmet…” — excerpt from Rain by Richard G., Vietnam veteran and Mighty Pen student
Classes are hosted free-of-charge as a benefit to veterans.
If you are interested in reading selected work by students from previous classes, you may browse stories at VCU Scholars Compass.
Are you interested in hosting a Mighty Pen Project class in your region of Virginia? The Foundation is always seeking educators and volunteers to help with veteran programming and outreach across the Commonwealth. Contact us at info@vawarmemorial.org for more information about hosting a Mighty Pen Project class.
If you have questions or need assistance, reach out to us at mightypen@vawarmemorial.org.
