Pederson, Miriam E.
January 5, 1948
Place of Birth: Windom, MN
Place of Principle Residence: Grand Rapids, MI
Biography:
Miriam E. Pederson was born to Regina and Gordon Kling in Windom, MN. She graduated with a BA from Bethel College in 1966 and taught for several years in secondary education as an English teacher. In 1981 she went back to school at Western Michigan University, earning her MFA in creative writing. Since 1983 she has taught at Aquinas College as a professor of English, specializing in creative writing and literature. Her poetry has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, including New Poems from the Third Coast. Besides teaching and writing, Pederson gives poetry workshops and presentations to local schools and groups. Recently her poems have been on display in local and regional galleries in collaboration with her husband’s (Ron) sculpture. She lives in Grand Rapids Michigan with her husband and has two children, Benjamin and Madeline.
Selected Works:
- This Brief Light (2003)
- The Third Coast (1990)
- Primavera (1981)
Awards:
- 1984, 1985 Cranbrook Writers’ Conference Scholarship
- 1984 Winner of Kent County Poetry Competition
- 1989, 1990 Faculty Development Grants, Aquinas College
- 1997 Honorable Mention - “Renaissance Garden Exhibition,” Grand Rapids Art Museum (poetry in collaboration with sculpture by Dana Freeman)
Critical Reception:
Pederson has received several honors and awards, including an Honorable Mention at the Grand Rapids Art museum and Faculty Development Grants at Aquinas College.
Relevance of Place to Author’s Work:
Pederson is a professor at Aquinas College, teaches workshops at local schools, and has won several awards from the Grand Rapids area. In addition, she has had her poetry displayed galleries both in Grand Rapids and the Michigan region with her husband’s sculptures.