i can't even tell you what a thrill it is to introduce sarah smarsh tonight. i first met sarah before she started a ku and was fortunate enough to have her in my freshman writing seminar so you want to be a writer and still going on 24 years. we have a lot of writers. and you have the benefit of her abilities and she was the seminar system are the same class for senior year. during those years i watched her become a tenacious thinker and writer. one who is hungry to explore her own world and tell its truths. she's been doing that ever since. there holds an mfa in nonfiction writing from columbia as well as degrees in journalism and english from the university of kansas. her previous educational aid southern kansas schools for may 2000 student high school to a two room prairie schoolhouse. terrace decorative writing journalism at washburn university, columbia university, ottawa university and the lawrence arts center. she has reported on socioeconomic class politics and public policy for "the guardian," "the new york times," "the new yorker" and harper's. she is