Creative Writing Camp Ready to unleash your inner wordsmith? Dive into the world of words with us this summer!

This exciting program is open to middle and high school students aged 12-18, as well as 2024 high school graduates. 

Important Dates:

Residential and Commuter Check-In: Sunday, July 21 from 1 - 4 pm

Program Start Date: Monday, July 22 
Program End Date: Friday, July 26

Residential Move-Out: Friday, July 26 (evening) or Saturday, July 27 (morning)

Class Outlook

Chris Girman

Chris Girman (he/him) is currently an assistant professor of English and creative writing,  serving as the chair of the Department of Literature, Culture & Society. He began storytelling in elementary school, spending far too much time on stories like Cleopatra the Cat Goes to Carnegie Hall and The Kangaroo that Won the Olympics. He has published multiple books and essays, including his favorite, “You Can’t Wrestle Windmills,” a creative personal essay about his first year teaching middle school. Girman was previously an immigration attorney, working to give voice to the hundreds of undocumented minors apprehended at the Texas-Mexican border and awaiting placement at multiple children’s homes. “Young people have their own stories,” Girman says. “And I’m not sure if the adults in their lives always take these seriously. I’m excited to help our summer camp students tease out their stories and better their own lives because of it.” He also Uber drives when he can, ruminating over the rich stories shared from the back of his grey Toyota.

Jennifer Schaupp

Jennifer Schaupp (she/her) is, by day, an adjunct professor at Point Park University and the education manager of the Standardized Patient program, role-play education to help medical students communicate empathetically, at the University of Pittsburgh. By night, she is a storyteller whose particular interest in playwriting has coalesced into interdisciplinary projects with local and national arts organizations, including the Pittsburgh Fringe Festival and Spilling Ink in Washington, D.C. Also, she is a comedic improvisor, recognizing how theatre saved her from the humiliation that is high school when she made others laugh in the female version of The Odd Couple. She hopes the joy of theatre can have the same positive impact on the summer campers. 

Stephanie M. Wytovich

Stephanie M. Wytovich (she/her) is a wisp of smoke, a haunted violin, the rumor you heard about the haunted house down the street. When the sun rises, she teaches horror and creative writing at Point Park University while also mentoring students at Western Connecticut State University and Southern New Hampshire University in their MFA programs. However, when the moon takes its rightful place in the sky, she enjoys returning to her desk to create ghoulish creatures and unsettling worlds of her own, usually with a pit bull or two by her side. A recipient of the Elizabeth Matchett Stover Memorial Award, the 2021 Ladies of Horror Fiction Writers Grant, the Bram Stoker Award, and the Rocky Wood Memorial Scholarship for non-fiction, Wytovich enjoys nothing more than a cup of hot tea, a rainy day, and glimpsing a ghost or two out of the corner of her eye.

Dorm & Meals Information:

When applicable, residential students receive 3 meals on weekdays and 2 meals on weekends. Commuters receive a daily lunch buffet. All meals take place in our Lawrence Hall Dining Room.

Available Discounts:
1. A 30% tuition discount is currently offered to Point Park University employees, alumni, and their immediate family members. Family is defined as yourself, your spouse, and/or your children. Dorm and meal plan costs are not available for this discount.

2. Enroll a participant in more than one program or register more than one child from the same family to receive $50.⁰⁰ off your balance. This coupon can only be applied to one program or account.

Welcome to our campus!

All classes will be held on campus at Point Park University.

Address: 
Point Park University
201 Wood Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

The option to live on campus is available to students at least 14 years old on the start date of the program. We will do our best to fulfill roommate requests, but requests are NOT guaranteed. Students will have the opportunity to enter requests during the registration process. 

Each residence hall has multiple points of secure access to student living areas, such as keycards, access codes, and lock and key. Students attending our workshop will stay in Thayer Hall. Thayer Hall offers double and triple occupancy rooms. A packing list will be sent closer to the workshop. Please be aware that bed linens (twin / extra-long linens) will need to be supplied by the student. 

Adult Resident Assistants (RAs) live on campus to supervise students who are minors. Each RA is responsible for eight to ten minors.