Heather Akerberg
BA Writing and Literature, Poetry concentration, 2000

A Writing and Literature graduate from Omaha, Nebraska, Heather Akerberg found herself drawn to Naropa’s Writing and Poetics Department by its most famous teacher. “I saw Allen Ginsberg perform in Lincoln, Nebraska, with Phillip Glass,” she says. “Ginsberg was so charismatic; I remember thinking to myself, ‘I want what he has.’ In that evening’s printed program, it mentioned that Ginsberg had started a writing program at Naropa in Boulder.

“I went on to open a small bookstore/café. After a year of running my own business, I decided that instead of selling books, I’d like to learn how to write them. There were a series of serendipitous reminders about Naropa throughout the year. At some point, I finally decided to apply to the program.”

Heather found the diverse class offerings stimulating, and it wasn’t long before participation in studies such as t’ai-chi, African dance and somatic psychology began to influence her writing style. “My creative work tends to manifest itself in long prose poems, meditations if you like. I don’t think I would express myself the same way creatively had I not been exposed to such a variety of contemplative practices. Just as the learning experience at Naropa is experiential and tends to bleed into every area of your life, I feel that the knowledge I gained at Naropa is a part of who I am and is expressed in all that I do.”

Heather, who has taught English composition and bookbinding, as well as worked as a freelance writer, recalls the Summer Writing Program as a highlight of her time at Naropa. “It’s a real gift for a young writer; it’s like having an all-access pass to the contemporary writing world. If you want to challenge yourself, then apply to Naropa. If you’re open to changing your mind, quieting your ego and living with compassion, this is for you.”