Port Townsend Residency Site

Goddard College's low residency MFA in Creative Writing and MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts Washington programs offer residencies in two locations, on the College's main campus in Plainfield, Vermont and the other at the College's educational site at the Fort Worden State Park Conference Center in Port Townsend, Washington.

Fort Worden State Park is located on a bluff overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Admiralty Inlet. A former nineteenth century army base, much of the Fort has been renovated and turned into a year-round, multi-use facility offering miles of beach walking, wooded trails, swimming, biking, canoeing, kayaking, in-line skating, camping, tennis courts, a Marine Science Center, a Natural History Museum, and two historic military museums. As a member of the Fort Worden Collaborative, Goddard is working with the State Parks & Recreation Commission, Centrum (a not-for-profit arts education organization), Peninsula College, Copper Canyon Press (a Pulitzer-prizing winning independent press), the Madrona MindBody Institute, and other partners to share resources, create a more sustainable schedule of groups/spaces, promote the Fort's development, and to steward its future as an arts, educational, and recreational site.

Meeting and workshop rooms, faculty offices, and gathering spaces are located in a variety of renovated historic buildings across the Fort including The Common's, Fort Worden’s multi-use dining facility. Meals at The Commons are offered by Bon Appetit, a food service provider committed to providing fresh, locally grown food whenever possible and socially responsible practices. Bon Appetit also runs Local Goods, located within The Commons and offering a full service coffee bar and cafe offering a selection of beverages, hot food, sandwiches, and grab-n-go items. Outside, there are numerous places to be alone or gather in groups, to relax and reflect, including the beach, the parade ground, and the bluffs. There are also restaurants and cafes in Port Townsend for off-campus socializing. In addition to the Fort, downtown Port Townsend offers lots of shops, bookstores, restaurants, a food co-op, two movie theaters, coffee shops, cultural events, a public swimming pool, fitness centers, etc. Port Townsend is approximately two miles from the Fort and is accessible by public transportation, taxi, or on foot.

In general, residency housing consists of two-story duplexes with three to six bedrooms each, offering simply-furnished, single occupancy rooms. The houses also have furnished common areas and working kitchens. The dorms are designated as 24-hour quiet space. All buildings used for Goddard residencies are fragrance-free and non-smoking. Camping is permitted on the grounds of the Fort Worden State Park. There is ample, free parking available at Fort Worden. The computer lab includes internet and wireless access, PCs, and connections to the various online systems used by the College, including the college's intranet, library services, and student information system. During a residency, an information resources and technology librarian will be on-site to conduct informational workshops, offer individual instruction and library reference assistance, and oversee the computer lab. Students and faculty are also encouraged to bring their own laptops to residencies.

The Port Townsend site is staffed year-round by a director and an operations manager. Their offices have recently moved to the Schoolhouse, an accessible building also used by Peninsula College. During residencies, on-site staffing increases to include the information resources and technology librarian, the student affairs coordinator, the computer lab assistant, and residency assistants. The residency office becomes a hub of activity and services that include:

Student and faculty housing, as well as assistance with transportation.
Workshop and event support including copying of materials, sign-up sheets, and AV set-ups.
Implementation of College-approved ADA accommodations, particularly those related to facilities and housing, as appropriate.
Maintaining a posted residency schedule with daily changes.
Academic and enrollment services including check-in/check-out; final enrollment; posting faculty advisor assignments; printing and distributing the residency schedule, the academic calendar, and semester due dates; etc.
Providing telephone access to Goddard staff on the Plainfield, VT campus.
Mediating daily life concerns and help students and faculty who encounter problems.
Referring students and faculty to appropriate Fort Worden State Park and Port Townsend community resources.
Access to on-site final products and other college materials.

During the semester, the Residency Office is open for drop-in visits from students, faculty, community members, prospective students, and alums. Local faculty and students are also welcome to use the phone to call Plainfield and to take care of small copying jobs and access the on-site final products.

All college policies and procedures apply in Port Townsend as they do in Plainfield. Additionally, the Port Townsend site abides by all policies and procedures resulting from the College's lease and contractual arrangements with Fort Worden, as well as any requirements imposed by the State of Washington Parks and Recreation Commission (such as emergency planning) and those of the Washington State Higher Education Coordinating Board (such as required credentials for Goddard faculty).