September 11, 2018
Poet and East Mississippi Community College alumnus Charles Thomas “C.T.” Salazar was a guest lecturer for the Thursday, Sept. 6, Creative Writing class at the college’s Golden Triangle campus.
Salazar discussed the techniques of poetry writing and shared with the students his writing process and the ups and downs of publishing. Students listened as Salazar read several of his poems and spoke of the qualities of other published poets.
As a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing candidate at the Mississippi University for Women, Salazar is part of the inaugural class for that program and will graduate in December.
A Columbus native, Salazar has made his poetic presence known internationally through publishing in a wide variety of literary journals such as the “Tampa Review,” “Ink and Nebula,” “Matador Review” and "32 Poems."
Marilyn Ford, the Creative Writing instructor at EMCC, spoke of the benefit for her students.
"C.T. is an amazing young poet whose successes are already monumental,” Ford said. “It is a rare opportunity for learning and growing writers to have a published poet come to their classroom to speak to them. My students were able to interact with C.T., ask questions, and enjoy hearing his poems from him. The experience for them is invaluable."
Salazar said he enjoyed the experience.
"I have the pleasure of giving readings and talking about poetry in a lot of different spaces, but engaging with Marilyn's Creative Writing class is truly a privilege,” Salazar said. “Her students are eager, engaging and welcoming. Marilyn Ford's classroom is an inclusive space of young artists and intellectuals, a model every college instructor should be striving for."
"East Mississippi Community College has been an incredible launching pad for my future! I'm so grateful for the knowledge and experiences I've gained here!"
“I chose EMCC because it gave me the best opportunities coming out of high school. I got plenty of scholarships because the school offered so many. An Education is a very powerful tool.”
"EMCC isn't just a place to learn, it's home. Passionate instructors around every corner offered an opportunity to grow. Remember - there's a whole community invested in your success."
"At first no one was really concerned about me going to college. When I decided to go on my own it put a lot of pressure on me because I'm the first one in my family to go to college. This idea made it all the more reason for me to succeed."
"East Mississippi Community College has provided an exceptional foundation for my academic and personal growth. The professors' dedication has fostered my development into a stronger student. EMCC offered numerous opportunities for me to excel, both in academics and extracurricular activities. Here, I've built incredible friendships that will undoubtedly last a lifetime. The knowledge I gained and the memories I made at EMCC will forever be a part of me when I embark on my journey to a four-year college."
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