The University of Delaware will open a new chapter in its literary tradition this fall with the launch of its inaugural Writer-in-Residence program. The weeklong initiative brings an accomplished author to campus to engage with students, faculty,and the community through workshops, classroom visits and public events.

Julie Carrick Dalton, a 1992 UD honors alumna, will serve as the first Writer-in-Residence during the week of Oct. 6-10. Dalton studied English and political science at UD, contributed to The Review and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa before building a career as a novelist and essayist. She is the author of Waiting for the Night Song, named a Most Anticipated Book of 2021 by national outlets including CNN and Newsweek, and The Last Beekeeper, longlisted for the Massachusetts Book Award. Her third novel, The Forest Becomes Her, is scheduled for release by St. Martin’s Press in 2026.

The program’s signature event is a fireside chat between Dalton and Honors College Dean Michael Chajes on Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 4:30 p.m. in the University Visitor’s Center Presentation Room. A reception will follow, and complimentary books will be available for attendees.

Dalton will also meet with student groups, lead writing workshops and join classroom discussions throughout the week. Chajes said he hopes the program will set the stage for an annual program designed to elevate the role of writing in university life.

"A Writer-in-Residence program brings the creative energy of professional authors directly into the heart of our university,” he said. “It inspires students to see the power of storytelling in new and exciting ways."