ALTOONA, Pa. — A poetry reading by Gerry LaFemina will take place at Penn State Altoona from 12:05 to 1:20 p.m. on Thursday, March 14, in the Titelman Study of the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts.

LaFemina is the author of over 20 books, most recently “After the War for Independence” and “The Pursuit: A Meditation on Happiness.”

Among his awards and honors is a Pushcart Prize and grants from the Maryland State Arts Council, The Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, and the Irving Gilmore Foundation.

A noted literary arts activist who has served on the Board of Directors of the AWP and edited numerous literary journals and anthologies, LaFemina is the former director of the Center for Literary Arts at Frostburg State University, where he is a professor of English, serves as a mentor in the M.F.A. program at Carlow University, and is a current Fulbright Specialist in Writing, Literature, and American Culture.

He is also the principal songwriter and front man for Allegedly Records recording artists The Downstrokes.