The Sidney Harman Writer-in-Residence Program has been connecting students with distinguished writers every semester since its founding in 1998.
Designed to support undergraduates as they develop their creative voices, the program features intimate workshop-style classes taught by different visiting writers.
All Baruch College undergraduates, regardless of major, are welcome to apply, as the program offers a diverse wealth of skills and experiences.
It also provides resources such as internship opportunities, student writing contests and reimbursement of graduate school fees for students pursuing literary graduate work.
“Harman students tell us they gain a huge amount from the classes, some stay in touch with the writers they studied with for years, and some, like our Spring 2024 Harman Writer, Daphne Palasi Andreades, find that a Harman course transforms their career goals and lives,” program director Esther Allen said in a statement to The Ticker.
Sidney Harman, who was a Baruch class of 1939 alumnus, endowed the program. His belief that “writing is thinking” continues to flow as the lifeblood of the program.
Harman studied business administration during his time at Baruch but was highly involved in the humanities courses. His career spanned over seven decades, with accomplishments in business, industry, government, philanthropy and the arts.
The Writer-in-Residence for the fall 2024 semester is Eyal Press. He is the author of three books: Absolute Convictions, Beautiful Souls and his most recent, Dirty Work, which focuses on the moral cost of workers in ethically compromised jobs.
He is also a contributing writer for The New York Times, The New Yorker and other publications, often covering socioeconomic inequality through empathetic yet unflinching narratives. Press’ course focuses on reporting on divisive subjects.
The Writer-in-Residence for the spring 2025 semester will be Edel Rodriguez, an internationally celebrated artist.
Rodriguez has contributed graphic designs to publications like TIME Magazine, The New York Times, Rolling Stone and The New Yorker. He has also been commissioned to create art for movies, operas and Broadway shows.
The themes of his work–recurring threads on displacement, identity and memory–are inspired by his personal experience of being born in Havana, Cuba and moving to the United States at nine years old. His graphic memoir, Worm: A Cuban American Odyssey, has won numerous awards.
Rodriguez’s course will center on cultural journalism, and applications are now open and available to Baruch students. Interested students can apply through the Sidney Harman Program page on the Baruch Weissman website.
Applicants are required to write a cover letter expressing their interest in the course and submit two writing samples, with both nonfiction and fiction permissible.
“Students should not be daunted by the application process,” Director Professor Allen shared. “There’s no need to ask for a letter of recommendation, and coursework can be submitted as writing samples.”
For inquiries about the program students can email harmanassistant@gmail.com.
