Join us via Zoom at 7 p.m. ET on Sept. 11 as Julie E. Bloemeke ‘94 leads a discussion on “Two Truths and a Lie: On Life as a Poet.” Click here for the Zoom link!

Julie E. Bloemeke is the author of “Slide to Unlock” and co-editor of “Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology.” A two-time recipient of the Books All Georgians Should Read recognition, she is also the 2021 Georgia Author of the Year finalist. Her poems have been featured on NPR, The Slowdown, and Verse Daily!, as well as appearing in numerous anthologies and publications. An associate editor for South Carolina Review, newsletter producer for the award-winning Rough Draft Atlanta, and a Virginia Center for the Creative Arts fellow, she is also a contract-based writer, editor, teacher, and consultant. In 2023, a broadside of her poem, “Glass City,” was commissioned by the Hiltons at Toledo Downtown to be on permanent display as part of the hotel’s commitment to arts and industry collaboration.  

Julie E. Bloemeke holds a master’s degree in American literature from the University of South Carolina, and a master’s in fine arts in poetry from the Bennington Writing Seminars. At Bethany, she served as senior fellow for the Communications Department, was awarded Outstanding Senior Woman of her graduating class, passed comps with Distinction, and graduated Summa Cum Laude.  

Bethany College and the Alumni Council are excited to bring you the annual Bethany Connect Speaker Series. On select dates, the Bethany community will join to think about the questions raised by our times. The series started as a Zoom event during the height of the pandemic, but what once was an adaptation to a tricky situation has since proven to be an effective way to join the entire Bethany community together. Bethany is committed to engaging Bethanians of all ages through this series. So, join us—listen, learn, and ask questions. We look forward to connecting current students, faculty, and staff with the broader Bethany community through our Bethany Connect Speaker Series.