George Bilgere directs the Creative Writing Program and the Visiting Writers Series at John Carroll University. His fundraising efforts in the Cleveland community have allowed him to bring four current or former U.S. Poet Laureates to perform their poetry and work with students at John Carroll in the past five years: Billy Collins, Rita Dove, Robert Pinsky, and Ted Kooser.

He is the host of Wordplay, a weekly radio program on WJCU that features poetry by local and nationally known poets. He is the winner of the 2008 Distinguished Faculty Award, the highest honor John Carroll bestows upon a faculty member in recognition of outstanding teaching and scholarship. In 2006 he won the prestigious May Swenson Poetry Award for his book of poems, Haywire. In the same year he received the Ohioana Award, which honors an Ohio poet who has made significant contributions to poetry and teaching.

In 2002 his book of poems, The Good Kiss, was chosen by U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins to win the University of Akron Poetry Prize, and in 2003 he received the Cleveland Arts Prize in literature. Radio host Garrison Keillor has read a number of Bilgere’s poems on the nationally syndicated program, The Writer’s Almanac, most recently on July 5, 2008. Bilgere has received two grants from the Ohio Arts Council, most recently in 2007. He has also received grants and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Witter Bynner Foundation, and the Fulbright Foundation.

George has read his poetry at schools and various venues around the country, and on four occasions at the Library of Congress. He has also performed at the 92nd Street Y in New York with Billy Collins. George Bilgere teaches modern literature and creative writing at John Carroll.

John Panza

Short Fiction

John Panza is a professor, musician, and writer. He is a professor of English at Cuyahoga Community College. He is the co-editor with Mary Weems of Awake at the End (Bottom Dog Press 2008), an anthology of the Cleveland Heights Poet Laureates.

He plays drums in the noise pop band Humphry Clinker and produces a weekly arts and culture podcast called Heights.Arts.Radio.

He lives in Cleveland Heights with his wife, Jane, and daughter, Eva.

Susan Weber

Song Lyrics

Susan Weber is a critically acclaimed songwriter and bandleader from Cleveland, Ohio.

Her 2007 album of original rock, called Monet’s Orbit, was named one of the top ten local releases by Cool Cleveland. Weber holds a Free Times Music Award for Best Singer-Songwriter. She garnered the Great American Song Contest’s Honor Award for 'Better Safe Than Sorry', an unreleased but often performed song in her eclectic repertoire.

Ms. Weber grew up as a classical pianist, and then moved on to acoustic and electric guitar. Her songwriting is distinguished by impressionist musical poetry delivered with clear diction over Weber’s lead guitar figures and the rock solid rhythms of her band.

You can learn more about Susan and her artistry by visiting her Susan Weber website.