Newberry College Hosts Author Sheri Reynolds

NEWBERRY, S.C., March 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Renowned writer and South Carolina native Sheri Reynolds will be speaking at the Gerding Visiting Author event at Newberry College this Thursday, March 31. Hosted by the English department, her visit marks the fourth year Newberry has hosted a writer as part of this annual reading.

Reynolds is the acclaimed author of the New York Times bestseller The Rapture of Canaan, as well as the play Orabelle's Wheelbarrow, winner of the Women Playwrights' Initiative playwriting competition for 2005. She is currently the Ruth and Perry Morgan Chair of Southern Literature at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., where she teaches courses in literature and creative writing.

Faculty assigned The Rapture of Canaan to their freshman English course students, who will have a separate session with Reynolds on Friday. Some previous authors that have visited Newberry as part of the series include Ron Rash, Silas House and Lawrence Block.

"Newberry College is excited to have such a literary marvel enter our community to share her work and insights as a writer," Newberry College President Dr. V. Scott Koerwer said. "Such a presence is valuable for our students as they continue to gain literary and cultural awareness that is an integral part of a 'Newberry Education.'"

The event, which is open to the public, will be held in the recital hall of the Alumni Music Building on Thursday, March 31 at 6:30 p.m. A book signing and reception will follow.

About Newberry College

A private, residential, co-educational, college with a diverse student population, Newberry College offers baccalaureate degrees in 24 majors, 31 minors, and 27 areas of concentration. Founded in 1856 by the Lutheran Church, the college is accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and the National Association of Schools of Music. The college has a radio and television station, and offers 15 NCAA Division II sports. In the recent 2011 ranking of the Best Colleges in U.S. News & World Report, Newberry College placed in the top tier of regional colleges in the South. For more information, visit www.newberry.edu.

SOURCE Newberry College