The Lisa Page Literary Education Fellowship 2025

Omran Aburayya
13 hours ago
3 min read

If you're a fiction writer passionate about education and community engagement, the Lisa Page Literary Education Fellowship 2025 offers a unique opportunity to inspire young minds in Washington, DC. Named in honor of a former long-time PEN/Faulkner board member, this fellowship is a one-year, part-time position—potentially renewable for a second year—designed for writers with teaching experience to join the PEN/Faulkner staff and work with DC public school educators and students in grades 3-12.

🗒️ Fellowship Summary

📍 Location: Washington, DC, USA
🏛️ Host Institution: PEN/Faulkner Foundation
🎓 Level: Postgraduate (Fellowship)
🎯 Target Group: Fiction writers with teaching experience
📚 Fields of Focus: Creative writing, literary education
💰 Award Value: $30,000 salary plus benefits
⏳ Duration: One year (39 weeks), with potential renewal for a second year
📅 Application Deadline: June 21, 2025
🚀 Start Date: September 1, 2025
🌍 Eligibility: Open to fiction writers with teaching experience; Spanish-speaking candidates encouraged

📝Lisa Page Fellowship Overview

The Lisa Page Literary Education Fellowship is designed to integrate a fiction writer into PEN/Faulkner’s educational programs, aiming to enrich the literary experiences of students in grades 3-12 across Washington, DC. The fellow will engage in various programs, including Writers in Residence, Writing Workshops, and Writers in Schools, facilitating sessions that promote creative writing and literary appreciation.

Key Responsibilities:

Writers in Residence Program: Plan, schedule, and lead approximately 24 sessions at two DC schools over the academic year.
Writing Workshops Program: Conduct approximately 40 workshops in DC schools throughout the year.
Writers in Schools Programs: Facilitate approximately 75 author visits, supporting other authors in the Writers in Schools and Writers in Schools-Nuestras Voces programs.
Administrative Support: Assist the Director of Education Programs with tasks such as author visit coordination, data entry for post-visit surveys, managing book lists and databases, outreach to educators, researching contemporary authors and books, writing and editing book synopses, and general administrative duties.
Professional Communication: Conduct professional email correspondence with external constituents, including educators, community partners, and occasionally authors.
Organizational Participation: Participate in PEN/Faulkner staff meetings and support the organization’s in-person literary and awards programming as needed.

🎁 Fellowship Benefits

Salary: $30,000 for the fellowship year.
Health Benefits: Subsidized participation in PEN/Faulkner’s health, dental, and vision plans.
Retirement Plan: Participation in PEN/Faulkner’s 403(b) savings plan with an automatic 5% employer contribution (no match required).
Event Access: Free tickets to PEN/Faulkner’s public literary and awards programs.
Paid Time Off: PTO, sick time, and paid holidays.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

Professional Background: Fiction writer with an established creative practice and teaching experience.
Teaching Skills: Ability to deliver skills-based creative writing lessons and work effectively with students in grades 3-12.
Cultural Competence: Experience working with youth and/or community groups, preferably with Black, Latinx, and/or low-income populations.
Language Skills: Spanish-speaking candidates are particularly encouraged to apply, as approximately 20% of education programs serve English/Spanish bilingual students.
Technical Proficiency: Familiarity with Google Suite applications and Zoom; access to reliable Wi-Fi and technology with audio and video capabilities.
Availability: Fully available Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 3 pm, beginning September 1, 2025.
Compliance: Ability to pass a state-mandated background check and a drug/alcohol test as required by partner schools.

📝 Application Procedure

📂 Required Documents:

Cover Letter: Including a brief statement (250 words) on your approach to working with youth and a statement about your anticipated availability Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 3 pm, beginning September 1, 2025.
Resume: Demonstrating experience with young people/community populations.

Submission:

Send application materials to maya@penfaulkner.org with “Lisa Page Literary Education Fellowship” in the subject line.

🕵🏻 Selection Process:

Candidates selected to move forward will be required to give a short lesson demonstration via Zoom and submit contact information for three references.

🗓️ Application Timeline: