Hannelore and William Heyen Graduate Scholarships in Creative Writing

Dr. William Heyen ’61 and Mrs. Hannelore Heyen ’62/’79 came to SUNY Brockport from opposite ends of New York State: he from Long Island and she from the Dunkirk area. They married following her graduation in 1962.

After he earned his master’s and doctorate degrees in English from Ohio University, the couple returned to Brockport in 1967. Dr. Heyen joined the Department of English faculty, where he was a member from 1967 until his retirement in 2001.

He is, however, more than a professor. A National Book Award finalist and author or more than 30 books, he is internationally recognized for his poetry, as acknowledged by fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the American Academy of Arts and Letters, NEA, SUNY, and others. His work has appeared in hundreds of anthologies and in magazines, including the New Yorker, Harpers, The Atlantic, and Poetry. For many years, he has led poetry workshops or master classes during the Chautauqua Institution’s summer season. He was a Senior Fulbright Lecturer at Hannover (Germany) University and has read or lectured at more than 350 universities in this country and abroad. He also was the first Poet in Residence at the Walt Whitman Birthplace. He is a member of the SUNY Alumni Honor Roll, the Golden Eagle Athletic Hall of Fame, and the Brockport Alumni Association Hall of Heritage.

Born in Germany, Mrs. Heyen received her degree in education and taught for several years. She then served as director of the Town of Sweden Senior Center for four years before managing U.S. Congressman John LaFalce’s eastern district office, a position she maintained for 17 years. Additionally she has served as a trustee for the Seymour Library and a trustee for the Village of Brockport as well as a volunteer for many Brockport organizations, including the Brockport Central School District. She has chaired the Brockport Class of 1962 Scholarship Committee since 2003. She also is a member of the Brockport Alumni Association Hall of Heritage.

To acknowledge the important role the College has played in their lives, Dr. and Mrs. Heyen established their creative writing scholarships. Each year the scholarships recognize two graduate students: one poet and one writer of fiction, lyrical essay, or creative non-fiction.

A student’s application to the graduate program in creative writing, with supporting materials, such as writing samples and letters of recommendation, establish eligibility for a Heyen Scholarship.