This week is a good week to be a ‘baby writer’ at Mississippi State University. Stretching from March 1 to March 4, MSU’s Writer-in-Residence program welcomed, admired and learned from award-winning and revolutionary writer, Dorothy Allison. 
 Allison, who read Tuesday from her best-selling book “Bastard Out of Carolina,” (a story in the same setting of poverty, abuse, and intolerance she herself grew up in)  explored topics of self-growth and realization in the face of adversity and demonstrated finding solace in humor.
 William Hays, director in MSU’s Institute for Humanities who organized the Writer-in-Residence program, said it was an honor to have a guest as influential as Allison travel to MSU for the sole purpose of helping students grow as both writers and individuals. 
 “It was an emotional performance. She was in tears at one point,” Hays said. “People were on the edge of their seats. Dorothy really had them enthralled.”
 Catherine Pierce, co-director of creative writing at MSU, said while Allison’s work is extraordinary, what made her visit special was not only her writing, but the message she departs to anyone who listens.
 “She was a great fit,” Pierce said.  “She’s an important American author and her work is incredible. We were really lucky to be able to have her.”
 While Allison said she did not feel like she spent enough time with the student writers, (stating she couldn’t name any one more impressive than the other), she did say she was impressed with MSU’s English Department as a collective and supportive community conducive to creative writing.
 “They seem like they actually like each other,” Allison said through a half-cocked smile. “That really is not the case everywhere. There are a lot of schools that are competitive and viscous, but here everyone supports each other.”