Tag: National Willa Cather Center

Where We Live & My Ántonia—Connecting People and Place

This program is for OLLI-ISU members.

Speakers: Rachel Olsen and Ana McCracken
Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024 3 – 4:30 p.m. CT Online with Zoom

Few books pack as much genuine life into their pages as the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read, My Ántonia—the classic novel of the American immigrant experience that pairs a sense of place with a compassionate and gripping narrative. Following a lecture, Rachel Olsen will lead the audience in conversation to discuss how community and place shape lives. Participants are not required to read My Án- tonia. This lecture is part of the Cather Sesquicentennial year celebrating Cather’s 150th year.

Rachel Olsen is the Director of Education and Engagement at the National Willa Cather Center located in Red Cloud, Nebraska. Olsen has a master’s degree in English from Kansas State University with a certificate in Women’s Studies and was a full-time faculty member and writing center director at Oklahoma City Community College before moving to Red Cloud.

Ana McCracken, founder of the Ames Writers Collective, received her MFA in Creative Writing from Iowa State University. Her writing and poetry are published in literary journals and anthologies. A certified Amherst Writers & Artists facilitator, she serves on Litquake’s advisory board and the Willa Cather Foundation board of governors.

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On YouTube | If You Missed the Live Celebrating Cather 150 Event…

If you missed the live “Celebrating Cather 150” event at the Ames Public Library on February 28th, it was recorded and posted to YouTube.

That evening the event featured Rachel Olsen, Director of Education and Engagement at the National Willa Cather Center and Ana McCracken, founder of the Ames Writers Collective. Olsen’s work at the National Willa Cather Center focuses on creating opportunities to preserve Cather’s literary history and bring it to life for modern readers. McCracken and Olsen read from a mix of Cather’s works, bringing a modern context to her words. The goal was to introduce new readers to Cather’s works, and reintroduce those who may have read Cather earlier in life.

For more information about the National Willa Cather Center, click here. Registrations are currently open for the 69th Annual Willa Cather Spring Conference to be held Thursday, June 6 to Saturday, June 8th in Red Cloud, Nebraska.

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In The Media News

Celebrating 150 Years of Willa Cather by Megan Klein-Hewett

BY MEGAN KLEIN-HEWETT

The acclaimed American author, Willa Cather, would have been 150 years old on December 7, 2023. On February 28, from 7-8 pm, join the Ames Writers Collective, the National Willa Cather Center, and Ames Public Library to honor Cather’s great life and works in the Library’s Auditorium, or on Zoom.

Some of Cather’s most popular works, like “My Antonia” and “O Pioneers!” were heavily influenced by her time spent in Red Cloud, Nebraska, now the home of the National Willa Cather Center. Ames Writers Collective Executive Director and founder, Ana McCracken, serves as a member of the Board of Governors for the National Willa Cather Center and brought the 150 Years of Willa Cather celebration to Ames.

“As a fan of Cather’s work, I have come to realize how relevant Cather’s writing is. Her characters, while set in the past, still speak to us about human triumphs and tribulations. Their struggles are universal, and through nation-wide Cather 150 Celebrations, the National Willa Cather Center hopes to reignite interest in Cather’s writing,” said McCracken.

In 2023, a statue of Cather was unveiled in National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol to represent the state of Nebraska. The statue, by Nebraska Artist Littleton Alston, is only the twelfth woman to be included in the Statuary Hall Collection. A miniature replica of Cather’s bronze statue will be on display in the Ames Public Library lobby leading up to the Cather event.

McCracken will be one of two readers sharing Cather’s words at the event. She will be joined by Rachel Olsen, Director of Education and Engagement at the National Willa Cather Center. Olsen’s work focuses on creating opportunities to preserve Cather’s literary history and bring it to life for modern readers. McCracken and Olsen will read from a mix of Cather’s works, bringing a modern context to her words. The goal is to introduce new readers to Cather’s works, and reintroduce those who may have read Cather earlier in life.

Birthday cupcakes and coffee will be available, and attendees can enter into a drawing to win copies of Cather’s books and other giveaways. Information about the Ames Writers Collective and the National Willa Cather Center will be available.

Join us on February 28 at 7 pm for a joyful celebration of Willa Cather!

Celebrating Willa Cather 150 – Wednesday, Feb 28

Produced in association with the National Willa Cather Center, the Ames Writers Collective and the Ames Public Library will host a sesquicentennial celebration of Willa Cather, one of the most significant and treasured American writers of the 20th century. Cather crystallized the spirit of the American West with a singular voice in her body of poems, essays, short stories, and the critically acclaimed novels One of Ours, O Pioneers!, The Song of the Lark, and My Ántonia.

Featuring Rachel Olsen, Director of Education & Engagement at the National Willa Cather Center, Olsen will discuss the importance of Cather’s work in today’s world. Additionally, Olsen and Ana McCracken, founder of the Ames Writers Collective, will read excerpts from Cather’s books and short stories to reacquaint Cather enthusiasts and introduce new readers to Cather’s body of work.

Birthday goodies will be served as well as a book drawing. Willa Cather’s 150th birthday was celebrated on December 7th, 2023.

For more information about the National Willa Cather Center located in Red Cloud, NE, visit their website here.

About Rachel Olsen, Director of Education & Engagement

Rachel Olsen joined the Willa Cather Foundation as a tour guide in October 2017 and has since worked in a variety of educational roles before becoming the Director of Education and Engagement in 2022. A former college English teacher, she enjoys developing activities and content designed to preserve Cather’s rich literary history.

In addition to supervising a team of programming and visitor services staff, Rachel organizes the Teacher Institute and Author Series programs, oversees Opera House seasons of events, plans conferences and seminars, and fosters relationships with educators from area schools, colleges, and universities. Rachel has a Master’s degree in English from Kansas State University with a certificate in Women’s Studies and was a full-time faculty member and writing center director at Oklahoma City Community College before moving to Red Cloud. When she is not getting to know visitors or working on educator resources, Rachel serves on The Valley Child Development Center Board of Directors as secretary. Rachel loves cooking and going to the movies, but she is happiest spending time with her husband and daughter.


Thank you, Ames Public Library
for partnering with the Ames Writers Collective.