Bowers Writers House
Inspiring Creative Minds
Founded in the spring of 2010, Bowers Writers House at Elizabethtown College serves as an interdisciplinary hub for expression, study, presentation, and performance. Dedicated to fostering a culture of creative curiosity, it brings fresh energy and enthusiasm for intellectual diversity to our campus and the wider community.
Located just 50 yards off the Etown campus, between Cedar and Cherry streets in Elizabethtown, Pa., Bowers Writers House is designed to inspire and connect. We host 12 to 15 public events each academic semester, ranging from dramatic readings and musical performances to interactive panels. All events are free, though we recommend arriving 10-15 minutes before the start time to secure a spot. Whether you're looking for thought-provoking discussions or engaging artistic experiences, our programs offer something for everyone.
Bowers Writers House
840 College Hill Lane, Elizabethtown, Pa. 17022
Contact: writershouse@etown.edu | 717-361-3748
Bowers Writers House Events
Programming at Bowers Writers House is possible through campus-oriented and donor-supported efforts, but we need your help to keep the spirit alive. We enthusiastically invite you to explore our upcoming events.
Previous Event Recordings
If you can't attend our events in person, we invite you to explore our collection of recorded sessions. We recognize that not everyone can make it to every event, so we strive to capture and preserve the valuable insights, performances, and discussions shared during these occasions.
Whether you’re interested in thought-provoking presentations, engaging conversations, or unique networking opportunities, our recordings allow you to experience the essence of our events at your convenience.
Bowers Writers House News
Meet the Director
Jesse Waters
A winner of the River Styx International Poetry Contest, runner-up for the Iowa Review Fiction Prize and Finalist in The Starcherone Prize, the DIAGRAM Innovative Fiction Prize and the Paul Bowles Fiction Award, Jesse Waters is a recipient of an NC Artist’s Grant to attend the Vermont Studio Center, and is currently Director of the Bowers Writers House at Elizabethtown College.
Jesse's fiction, poetry and non-fiction work has been nominated for multiple Pushcart Prizes, and has appeared nationally and internationally in such journals as The Adirondack Review, Coal Hill Review, The Cortland Review, Cimarron Review, Iowa Review, River Styx, Slide, Story Quarterly, Southeast Review, Sycamore Review and others. His first collection of poems, HUMAN RESOURCES, was published by Inkbrush Press in 2011; his first collection of short fiction SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT was released by Paycock Press in Feb. of 2018.
Meet the Bowers
Kenneth L. Bowers '59 and Rosalie Erb Bowers '58 met on campus in 1955, earned bachelor’s degrees here and married in 1960. Early in their careers, they were high school teachers. Rosalie taught English and Spanish. Ken taught English and journalism. After graduating from Elizabethtown, they earned master’s degrees--Rosalie a master's degree in library science at Drexel University and Ken a master's degree in communications at Penn State University. From 1961 to 1967 they were back at Elizabethtown College, where Ken served in public relations and Rosalie was a librarian. Ken also taught journalism and Rosalie taught Spanish. Ken then joined the Public Relations Department at AT&T in New York, and Rosalie was a librarian at Upsala College in New Jersey. In 1970 they returned to south-central Pennsylvania. Ken ultimately retired as vice president of corporate communications at Hershey Foods Corporation, and Rosalie retired as assistant corporate secretary at Pennsylvania Blue Shield.
Throughout their careers, their loyalty, commitment, and belief in the College’s mission and philosophy remained strong. Ken served actively on the Elizabethtown College Board of Trustees for 25 years. He was its chair for three of those years and, in 2008, he was awarded emeritus status. In 1999 the College bestowed upon him the degree of Doctor of Commercial Science, Honoris Causa. Ken and Rosalie have given generously to various community and philanthropic organizations. We are grateful for their devotion and dedication to Elizabethtown College.
