AURAK Catalyzes Writing Creativity

The Department of Language and Literature of the American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK), headed by the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Daniel Kirk, featured Emarati author, Maith Al Khayat, in the “Creative Writing Workshop” to launch their short story competition.

Both the Language and Literature Department Chair, Dr. Khaleda Almansoori, and the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Success, Professor Stephen Wilhite, welcomed amateur AURAK writers wishing to hone their writing skills to the “Creative Writing Competition Workshop.” Professor Wilhite was “delighted in the department’s devotion to the continuation of such a powerful initiative, providing hands-on, engaging instruction that will enable students to articulate their personal experiences: an essential skill in crossing global borders.”

Then Mrs. Al Khayat captivated her audience with the story of how she became a writer and a review of short story elements, archetypes, and the writing process.  The workshop concluded with a collaborative activity engaging students in group discussions of each role of the writing process and sharing their beliefs with the other groups.

The workshop marks the commencement of the department’s annual creative writing competition aimed at fostering the development of student writing skills.  Any AURAK student may enter a short story over any theme.  Dr. Sanaa Benmessaoud, Assistant Professor of Translation and Comparative Studies of the Language and Literature Department, will be accepting all entries through December 15, 2018, and the winners will receive prizes with the best three selections qualifying for professional publication.

The department has the full support of the AURAK President, Professor Hassan Hamdan Al Alkim, “Creativity and innovation are the driving forces of progress, and it is competitions such as these that catalyze the cultivation of such crucial characteristics in students. Student-centered competitions are why AURAK is able to consistently produce graduates that become successful global citizens.”