UND College of Arts & Sciences meets dean’s challenge for Writer’s Conference funding

The University of North Dakota College of Arts & Sciences\u27 alumni, friends, faculty and staff successfully raised more than $10,000 for the UND Writers Conference to meet UND Arts & Sciences Dean Debbie Storrs\u27 challenge. The Dean\u27s challenge was made possible by a generous $10,000 matching gift from two longtime supporters of the UND Writers Conference. These donors challenged the dean to raise $10,000, which they would match with their $10,000 gift. Together, supporters raised more than $20,000 for the 2015 UND Writers Conference. The Writers Conference is a one-of-a-kind event not only for UND and the college, but in the literary world, said Storrs. Keeping the event free, and providing students, community members, staff and faculty an opportunity to gather and learn from artists and authors from across the nation is one of my priorities. In September, Storrs announced the challenge and her personal gift of $1,000 to kick off the challenge. She asked others who shared her commitment to the Writers Conference to give. They were given 30 days to raise the remaining funds to support the UND Writers Conference. The final amount raised is not yet known, but donors have exceeded the original $10,000 match without including Storrs\u27 gift. The UND Writers Conference, now in its 46th year, has featured some of the world\u27s most influential writers. The 2015 conference, March 25-27, is titled The Other Half and will feature women writers and artists exclusively for the first time in four decades. All events are free and open to the public