MEDIA, Pa. — Erin Murphy, the 2026-27 Penn State Laureate, will present “With These Hands: A Collaborative Poetry Experience” at 12:10 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at the Penn State Brandywine library in the Vairo Building. The event is free and open to the public.

During her presentation, Murphy will read from and discuss her latest books, “The Book of Jobs: Poems About Work” and “Swoon: New & Selected Poems.” Attendees will have the opportunity to create their own lines of poetry as part of a collaborative poetry project.

Murphy also will lead a poetry writing workshop at the Middletown Free Library from 6-8 p.m. on Sept. 22. Registration is required for this event.

Murphy is professor of English at Penn State Altoona and the author or editor of 16 books. During her tenure as Laureate, she is conducting presentations and workshops throughout the state. At the end of her term, she will compose a collaborative poem from lines written by students, faculty and staff from across the University.

The Penn State Laureate is a full-year position awarded to a full-time faculty member in the humanities or arts, designed to bring greater visibility to the arts, humanities and broader University mission. Each laureate brings a unique scholarly or artistic perspective to a wide variety of audiences across Pennsylvania.