Skolfield Named Northampton’s Ninth Poet Laureate

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Karen D. Skolfield, a lecturer in the College of Engineering Junior Writing Program, has been named Northampton’s ninth poet laureate.

In this position, she will celebrate Northampton’s vibrant and diverse poetry community and will educate the public about the importance of poets and poetry to Northampton’s civic and artistic life. She will serve in the post for two years ending in 2021.

A U.S. Army veteran, her upcoming book “Battle Dress” won the Barnard Women Poet’s Prize.

She is also the winner of the 2014 PEN New England Award for poetry for her book “Frost in the Low Areas,” and the 2016 Jeffrey E. Smith Editors’ Prize in poetry from the Missouri Review.