Dorothea Benton Frank Fellows

During its 250th Anniversary in 2020, the College of Charleston seeks to capitalize on ts place within a world class city, its core liberal arts programs and the extraordinary relationships forged on its behalf by the Creative Writing Program’s favorite mentor, maker and guide star, the late Dorothea Benton Frank.

Her commitment to creative writing at the College of Charleston made her the most important supporter and nurturer of the MFA program from its very beginning. Her dedication to the business acumen and discipline necessary to becoming a successful writer continues as the exemplar of what students need to know to find lasting achievement in the world of words.

Aunt Dot, as she was known to MFA students, could see what aspiring writers needed, and believed that if prepared well, they too could navigate successfully the growing demand for their talents. Business thinker Daniel Pink also saw the opportunity when he said, “Currently, creativity and graduate arts degrees have rising market value in all industries. The Master of Fine Arts or MFA is the new MBA, more Americans today work in arts, entertainment, and design than work as lawyers, accountants, and auditors.”
The College and the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Program is grateful for the opportunity to honor the extraordinary life of Dorothea Benton Frank and forever link her name and understanding of the need for professionalism in writing to the very community so prominently featured in her books.