College of Humanities and Social Sciences
exterior of Dickson Hall
News and Announcements
May 1, 2023

University Partners with Montclair Literary Festival

The 7th Annual Festival will celebrate the township’s vibrant and diverse literary scene, bringing New York Times best-selling authors to campus

Posted in: English Department, Homepage News and Events

CHSS faculty members stand with organizer of festival
Coccia Institute Director Mark Rotella, second from left, poses with the organizer of the Montclair Literary Festival, Marcia Marley, left, and English teachers from Montclair High School and Montclair Kimberley Academy.

Succeed2gether’s Montclair Literary Festival, which will take place May 3 – May 11, will feature over 90 authors, poets, speakers and musicians to advance Succed2gether’s mission to address unequal access to educational resources for children in need in the Township of Montclair and Essex County.

This year, Montclair State University will host several events on campus including talks with New York Times best-selling authors, novelist Joyce Maynard and best-selling cookbook author Deb Perleman.

Succeed2gether and the University previously partnered together during the 2021-2022 academic year where 40 graduate students provided tutoring and mentoring support to the nonprofit organization.

“Suceed2gether is delighted to welcome Montclair State University as a partner in the production of the Montclair Literary Festival,” says Marcia Marley, Succceed2gether executive director and president. “We are excited about this collaboration, which will expand the Festival’s mission of encouraging reading, inspiring authors, and bringing a celebration of the written word to our community.”

This year’s festival includes over 40 free events and proceeds from ticketed events will help support Succeed2gether to provide tutoring services for students K-12 along with enrichment classes focused on arts and STEM.

Events at Montclair State University featuring CHSS faculty include the following:

  • Voices of Tomorrow: Students from Montclair Kimberley Academy, Glen Ridge and Montclair High Schools will read short works of creative writing in University Hall, Room 1070 on Thursday, May 4, at 4 p.m.
  • Literature’s Rising Stars: Student recipients of the English Department’s Creative Writing Awards at Montclair State University will read their poems, short stories, or works of creative nonfiction in University Hall, Room 1020 on Thursday, May 4, at 5:30 p.m.
  • New York Times‘ best-selling cookbook author and food blogger Deb Perelman will discuss her latest cookbook Smitten Kitchen Keepers: New Classics for Your Forever Files with Coccia Institute Director Mark Rotella on Saturday, May 6 at 10 a.m. in the University Hall Conference Center.
  • College of Humanities and Social Sciences Dean Peter Kingstone will discuss poverty, racism and fascism with three award-winning journalists–Alissa Quart, Andrea Elliott, and Jeff Sharlet– in Dickson Hall, Room 177 on Saturday, May 6 at 11:15 a.m.

“We are thrilled to partner with Succeed2gether’s Montclair Literary Festival to support its efforts to improve literacy in the community,” says University President Jonathan Koppell. “Succeed2gether is a terrific community initiative that underscores the importance of engaging in scholarly work. We look forward to welcoming the community to campus and building on our partnership.”

For the Montclair Literary Festival schedule of events, visit Succeed2gether or contact montclairliteraryfestival@gmail.com.