TO OUR EARS

As poet laureate, Eric McHenry, associateprofessor, English, will travel to rural communitiesin Kansas to teach poetry. “I’m tremendouslygrateful for it and honored by it,” he said. McHenryis a Topeka native and Topeka High alumnus.ANINCREDIBLEHONORWashburn professor McHenry namedpoet laureate of KansasBy Grace Hildenbrand • grace.hildenbrand@washburn.eduEric McHenry, nationally known poet, Topekanative, Topeka High alumnus and associateprofessor of English at Washburn University,has always felt the need to defend Kansas and poetry.Now he has the opportunity to do both as the2015-2017 poet laureate of Kansas by the KansasHumanities Council.“I’m a proud Topekan, and I love Kansas,” McHenrysaid. “Poetry is my other enthusiasm, so this is aposition that brings those two things together.”As poet laureate, McHenry will travel todifferent regions in Kansas and present readings thatpromote poetry. The program allows for small, ruralcommunities to learn from an award-winning poet.“It’s really set up so as to emphasize giving especiallyremote communities and places that don’t have a tonof resources the opportunity to have the poet laureatecome and visit,” McHenry said. “It’s very much aboutoutreach and grassroots.”McHenry’s work has been featured in publicationssuch as Poetry International, Slate and Yale Review.31 Campus NewsHis poetry reviews have been featured in the New YorkTimes and Columbia magazine.McHenry won the Kate Tufts Discovery Award in2007 for his first book of poems, “Potscrubber Lullabies,”has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize for poetry seventimes and received the Theodore Roethke Prize in 2011.Being named poet laureate is significant to McHenry.“It’s an incredible honor,” he said. “I’m tremendouslygrateful for it and honored by it, and it really does feellike a fantastic affirmation of the work that I’ve beendoing and also a fantastic opportunity.”McHenry’s success is a result of hard work, and heencourages a strong work ethic for his students. He alsocredits his success to being surrounded by great people,including the Washburn community.“Washburn has been a part of my life for such a longtime and it seems sort of miraculous to be offered a jobon the faculty,” he said. “Everybody is so encouraging,very genuinely engaged by their work, dedicatedto their students, and it’s an incredibly affirmativeenvironment here.”