Two-Day Symposium Spotlights Prestigious Utah Poet

Two-Day Symposium Spotlights Prestigious Utah Poet

Utah's literary lion, May Swenson, earned her bachelor's degree from the Utah State Agricultural College in 1934 and received more than 20 awards for her written work. Her poems have been characterized by critics as being abundant in energy with an extraordinary intercourse between the natural and the intellectual worlds.

For two days, June 10-12, more than 40 Summer Citizens, community members and Utah State students had the opportunity to hear from 10 creative, intuitive speakers, discussing the life and work of Swenson at the May Swenson Symposium. College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Dean Gary Kiger welcomed the group.

Symposium speakers included Swenson's brother, Paul, a 1960 Utah State journalism graduate and current professor at Utah Valley State College, and Rozanne Knudson, renowned author and executor, editor and publisher of Swenson's literary estate.

Joyce Kinkead, Utah State vice provost for Undergraduate Studies and Research, said at the symposium's opening forum that Swenson represents northern Utah on the literary map of Utah, along with Bernard DeVoto, Wallace Stegner and Edward Abbey.

"She truly is a literary lion," Kinkead said.