Mel Donaldson

The College of the Canyons English department will host the campus second annual Writing Matters student writing conference, providing a series of free events and activities to showcase student work and celebrate the power of the written word.

The two-day Writing Matters conference will take place Tuesday, May 7 and Thursday, May 9, in multiple locations on the college’s Valencia campus.

To begin the event, English department faculty members will host a panel discussion of business professionals, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, in Aliso Hall, Room 104. Panel members will speak about how they use writing in their varied careers and the use of writing as a marketable skill in the workplace, while also fielding audience questions.

Highlighting the conference’s schedule of events will be a keynote presentation and book signing by author, editor, poet, essayist, screenwriter and English professor Mel Donalson, beginning at 9 a.m. Thursday, May 9, in University Center, Room 258.

Among Donalson’s many writing credits are the novels “The River Woman” (1988) and “Communion” (2012). Additionally, he has written, produced and directed the short films, “A Room Without Doors” (1998) and “Performance” (2010).

Following Donalson’s presentation a number of student writing panels — organized around topics including creative expression, research projects, current events/politics, and business and technical writing — will provide a venue for attendees to discuss all different types of writing.

To conclude the conference, a student writing award ceremony will be held at 12:10 p.m. in University Center, Room 258. Light snacks and refreshments will be available throughout the day.

“The annual Writing Matters conference provides students and community members aunique opportunity to read and discuss writing in a positive and constructive environment,” said COC English professor Jia-Yi Cheng-Levine, who is also one of the event’s organizers. “By taking part in this conference, attendees will be able to meet and interact with other accomplished writers and business professionals, and share their ideas about the art of writing.”

For more information about the 2013 Writing Matters conference or toregister to attend please visit www.canyons.edu/writingmatters.

About Mel Donalson

Mel Donalson received his Ph.D. from Brown University and is a professor in the English Department at California State University, Los Angeles, where he also serves as director of the university’s Students Learning in Communities Program.

In addition to his work as a novelist, Donalson has also served as an editor on the textbooks “Cornerstones: An Anthology of African American Literature” (1996) and “Encyclopedia of 20th Century African American Literature” (2007).

His critical books include the titles “Black Directors in Hollywood”(2003), “Masculinity in the Interracial Buddy Film” (2006), and “Hip Hop in American Cinema” (2007).

For more information about Mel Donalson please visit www.meldonalson.com.