St. Clair County Community College will use a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to bring Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Franz Wright to campus in April.

The grant is one of two state and national grants SC4 received to benefit Patterns, the college’s literary and arts publication of student work.

The college also received a $4,000 grant from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the Anton Art Center in Mount Clemens.

Patterns is the longest continually published community college literary and arts magazine in the state. The publication each year features the best of SC4 student work.

This year marks the 50th edition of Patterns, and SC4 is celebrating by releasing two volumes. The first is a compilation of selected work from the past 49 years, and the second will contain new work by current SC4 students.

Both grants will be used to produce the publications and to bring Wright and two other prominent guest authors to campus in April. All three will judge student work, give readings and provide writing advice to students.

Wright of Massachusetts is the author of 14 collections of poetry. Walking to Martha's Vineyard was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 2004.

Also coming to SC4 will be authors Michael Perry and Mike Magnuson. Perry of Wisconsin is a humorist and author of the bestselling memoir Population 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time. Magnuson, an associate professor at Southern Illinois University, has written four books, including Lummox: The Evolution of a Man.

All three writers will be part of the Patterns Reception from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, April 27, in the college’s Fine Arts Theatre and College Center Atrium.

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St. Clair County Community College throughout 2008 is celebrating the 85th anniversary of its founding in 1923.