
Quayle McKay and Finn Hall awarded fellowships in eight-week immersive program
Two Marietta College students have been named recipients of the Summer Writing Fellowship, an immersive eight-week summer program hosted on the Marietta College campus to support emerging writers in poetry and playwriting. Quayle McKay, a sophomore majoring in biology, and Finn Hall, a junior majoring in music, were awarded $500 each as part of the program.
Now in its fifth year, the program includes focused mentorship, guided readings, and professional development. Recipients work closely with fellowship director Jeremy Jusek to develop an original creative portfolio. In addition, fellows complete three reflective essays over the course of the summer, culminating in either publication (for poets) or a staged reading (for playwrights). Casiha Felt, professor in the theatre department, oversees the academic portion of the fellowship
Both McKay’s and Hall’s projects focus on poetry.
McKay’s writing includes domestic surreal poems that draw power from the spaces between grief, routine and reverie. “banana bread: the life I’ve always wanted” is a standout example that reframes loss and love through the ritual of baking.
Hall’s work reflects introspection, a proclivity for Confessionalism and quality sensory metaphor. His work,“To Love Another is to Grieve what I Could’ve Given You,” blends tenderness and disorientation in fractured, melodic lines.
Previous fellows have created podcasts, chapbooks, full-length plays, and even staged musicals. The Fellowship continues to offer emerging student writers the tools, mentorship, and platform to pursue serious creative work beyond the classroom. The Fellowships are funded by contributions from Marietta College alumni.
A formal showcase of McKay’s and Hall’s work will be scheduled later in the academic year.