West Virginia University alumni Christine and Richard Vaglienti of Morgantown have established the Vaglienti Visiting Writer Endowment in the WVU Department of English. The endowment will support and encourage the study and appreciation of creative writing at WVU .

Specifically, the endowment will provide funds for annual programming connected with the creative writing program in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences. The fund will cover the costs of honoraria, travel and other associated expenses annually for the visit of one published writer who will be invited to campus for a public reading.

“There are few things more important to young writers than the opportunity to listen to professional writers read from their work,”said James Harms, director of the creative writing program.”The Vaglienti Visiting Writer Endowment allows us to continue and expand our visiting writers series and to provide our students with even greater access to the world of letters. Its a tremendous giftsomething were very grateful for.”

The creative writing program at WVU offers the master of fine arts degree at the graduate level and a creative writing concentration for undergraduate students. Each semester the program brings in writers to visit the campus and participate in the visiting writers series. The writers share their work and wisdom with students.

The Vaglientis are longtime supporters of the Department of English. A published writer herself, Christine earned a bachelors degree in English in 1985.

“My husband and I are lifelong residents of West Virginia and met while attending WVU ,”Christine Vaglienti said.”We know that our success is based, in a large part, on the foundation built at WVU and wanted to do something to acknowledge the importance of the university and the relationships weve built because of the university.”

Christine followed her undergraduate education with a 1988 doctor of jurisprudence degree from the WVU College of Law. She currently is a managing member of the Morgantown law firm Flaherty, Sensabaugh, and Bonasso.

Richard earned a bachelors degree in 1978 from WVU and a medical degree in 1986 from the WVU School of Medicine. He completed a residency in anesthesia and a fellowship in chronic pain management at the university as well. He now is co-medical director of the West Virginia Pain Treatment Center and a clinical assistant professor at the WVU School of Medicine.