The Cornell College Center for the Literary Arts celebrates the study, teaching, and creation of writing that explores human experience, communicates insight, embodies inspiration, and transmits value. To that end, it fosters the cultivation of imaginative writing and communication across disciplines.

The center is housed in a charming home with a long tradition of creative activity, and it supports a variety of programs that bring distinguished visiting writers to campus for courses, workshops, and readings. The center also assists students in creating the literary journal Open Field, along with other creative work.

The center is assisted by an Emerging Writer Fellow, who lives in the Van Etten-Lacey House while teaching courses, supporting programs, and working on his/her own creative projects.