Student Correspondent

Poet Billy Collins is kind of a big deal.   

He served as U.S.  Poet Laureate in 2001 and 2003 in addition to a number of other awards and fellowships.

Now, he is the 2007-08 Scholar-in-Residence. Collin College will get to experience Collins up close and personal when he speaks at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 27 as well as signing books and holding a creative writing workshop. 

Honors Institute Chairman Scott Yarbrough believes that Collins was a good choice for Scholar-in-Residence. 

“One of the things I told different council members is that I wanted someone who will come in here and set people on fire,” Yarbrough said. “ I want someone who will educate and motivate, not someone who is just a motivational speaker." 

Collins, who has written several volumes of poetry including She was just Seventeen and Sailing Alone Around the Room has also been honored with several fellowships from the likes of the Guggenhiem Foundation and the New York Foundation for the Arts. 

Though having someone as prestigious as Collins serve as Scholar-in-Residence for the school, Yarbrough believes that while it speaks volumes about Collin College, the ultimate reason for having Collins comes down to the students. 

"Honestly, it's not about the college but about giving an experience like this to the students. I've seen many speakers and often I've walked away with nothing,” he said. “ I wasn't motivated or enlightened. I try to think of what would have moved and motivated me, what would make me think of what I'm going to become?  For students to be able to see something like that I think is a phenomenal thing."

Yarbrough believes that the greatest thing about having Collins as the Scholar-in-Residence is the fact that the renowned poet will not just be giving a speech. 

"They don't just fly in and save everyone and then leave. Billy will be staying for two days and rubbing elbows with the students. What's great is that students will get to see the human side of Billy Collins not just the literary side. We'll get to see what makes a poet laureate tick,” Yarbrough said. 

Yarbrough believes that to Collins, that is just a small detail of being the school's Scholar-in-Residence. 

"Billy Collins himself was very instrumental when he knew it was a community college,” Yarbrough said. “He really worked with his agent to be here because I think that he really wants to be here." 

The speech is open to the public and will be followed by a book signing.  For more information on the creative writing workshop to be held by Collins, contact the Honors Institute at 972.881.5120.