The Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA) has awarded a fellowship to Laurie Lynn Drummond, assistant professor of English at St. Edward's University. Drummond will be among approximately 20 fellows focusing on their own creative projects at this working retreat for visual artists, writers and composers at VCAA, located near Sweet Briar College in the foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains.

Drummond began teaching at St. Edward's University in 1993. She received both her bachelor's degree in English and her master's degree in creative writing from Louisiana State University - Baton Rouge. She is a board member of the Austin Writers' League, the second largest writers' organization in the nation.

A typical VCCA residency ranges from two weeks to two months. Each artist is provided with a comfortable private bedroom, a private studio and meals. Beyond the breakfast and dinner hours, there are no schedules or obligations. This distraction-free atmosphere, as well as the energy resulting from other visual artists, writers and composers, enables artists to be highly productive.

Serving more than 300 artists annually, the VCCA is one of the nation's largest year-round artists' communities, providing residences for artists from all disciplines during the most important and least supported phase of their work: the creative phase.

Founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross, St Edward's University is an independent Catholic liberal arts university of 4,100 students located in Austin, Texas.

Note: (electronic image of Drummond available upon request.)