Jennifer Bartell Boykin, MFA 2014, takes up the charge to “encourage appreciation and dissemination of poetry in Columbia”
Poetry has always shaped the heart of Jennifer Bartell Boykin’s life. She began composing verse when she was just thirteen and has since pursued her vocation passionately while working as a student, a journalist, a teacher at Spring Valley HS, and an advisor. Now she is the new “voice of our city,” Columbia’s second poet laureate. She hopes that during her four-year term she can awaken Columbia’s undiscovered poets, encouraging people to write poetry who wouldn’t otherwise do so.
See here for the full story; and check out this video of Jennifer reading her ode to USC, “The Remarkable Ones,” along with this video of her discussing what poetry and the laureate position mean to her.