About Us

The Literary Arts Institute (LAI) of the College of St. Benedict, serving the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, was founded in 1997 to foster creative writing, publishing, and interaction between students and writers. The LAI brings nationally recognized authors to CSB/SJU for our Minnesota Street Visiting Writers Series, in which our community benefits from the knowledge, expertise and entertainment of their words.

The LAI has also fostered the mentoring of CSB/SJU undergraduates by sponsoring the McNeely Creative Writer in Residence, who provides constructive feedback and advice for undergraduate creative writers.  Additionally, the LAI recently supported publications and authors via the Sister Mariella Gable Prize which was given by the College of St. Benedict for an important work of literature published by Graywolf Press, and encourages the artistry of fine letterpress through its partnership with the Welle Book Arts Studio and independent presses such as Bruno Press.