“Write That Book!” may have been the title of The Ursuline School”™s inaugural Master Class series held Thursday, Dec. 8, but that only tells part of the story. This community-building event featured alumna, best-selling author and Emmy Award-winning producer Yvette Manessis Corporon who captivated the diverse crowd with an in-depth discussion on how to strengthen and build marketable writing skills. But perhaps just as impactful was her heartfelt desire to give back to the place where she first discovered her passion for writing as a seventh-grade student at the all-girls Catholic school.
To host a Master Class event, you need to be a true expert in your field. An engaging storyteller who is fiercely committed to lifelong learning, Corporon clearly delivered as she skillfully unpacked what it takes to become a published author. With more than 80 in-person attendees and a live-stream, interactive audience of alumnae and community members from across the country, the vast audience collectively found inspiration in Corporon”™s disciplined, can-do approach.
The Master Class event also cast a spotlight on the school”™s innovative Writing Center, which was launched last spring in direct response to the growing interest among students to create a dedicated space for writing at the school.
School Principal Theresa Napoli, said, “The Writing Center is a collaborative community of competent and confident student writers.” The center”™s student leadership, comprised of National English Honor Society members, empowers fellow students by creating opportunities to discuss and improve both academic and creative writing. The Master Class series is the latest initiative at The Ursuline School, underscoring its efforts to connect current students in meaningful ways with accomplished alumnae, talented parents and community leaders.
After the program the in-person crowd gathered in the school lobby for a reception and book signing with the author.
To date, Corporon has authored three best-sellers. Her books have been internationally acclaimed and translated into 16 different languages. Her latest was selected as one of “Good Morning America”™s Buzz Books” in August 2022.
Founded in 1897, The Ursuline School is an all-girls, Roman Catholic, independent college-preparatory school, for grades 6-12 located on a 13-acre modern campus in New Rochelle.
