The Power of Words: The James S. Goldwasser Award for Excellence in Writing

When Jim Goldwasser’s three-year-old son darted into a CCS classroom mid-lecture to wrap himself around his father’s leg, a photography student captured the moment: a laughing little boy, a delighted professor and a room full of smiling classmates taking in the unexpected happening. The photo lives on in the Goldwasser family album — an unscripted snapshot of the warmth and humanity that Professor James S. Goldwasser brought to the College for Creative Studies.

“He had a genuine interest in his students, a devotion to the classroom, and a deep appreciation for fine literature and well-crafted writing,” recalls his wife, Judy Goldwasser.

Making Writers Visible in an Art & Design College

For three decades, Goldwasser championed the idea that the same thinking process behind writing is not only essential to producing the visual arts, but it also has much in common with the very core of creative output.

As he once wrote in “Topic and Talk,” a publication of the Art School of the Society of Arts and Crafts (the forerunner of today’s College for Creative Studies):

“The sound created by walking on the parking lot cinders or the view from the window of a classroom on a spring day may prove to be the original catalyst that produces your photography, your painting or my short story or novel.”

After earning his MFA from the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop — where he studied under literary greats such as Kurt Vonnegut, Nelson Algren and Richard Yates — he spent four years teaching English at Wayne State University before he joined CCS. He quickly became part of the CCS fabric: advising students, chairing the General Studies Department and various committees, and showing up for nearly every exhibition and event throughout Metro Detroit.

Creating a Living Tribute

James S. Goldwasser

Scholarship in Action

This year, Illustration Senior Lily Jarnac captures the empathy and imagination Jim inspired in his classrooms with her winning story, “The Glowing Tree.”  She describes the experience of winning the writing award as a moment of affirmation:

“I’m very thankful for this award. It is hard for me and for most students to comprehend that they deserve that title, that they are professional artists, writers, or photographers, no longer the children who spent their time admiring the world around them. The Goldwasser Award cemented this idea in my mind. It reminded me that I am allowed to take up space in the creative world, that I am capable enough, and that people might actually care about the words I put on a page. They are words so personal and private that I often forget there is someone out there who feels them as deeply as I do.”

For fellow award winner Fiona McCabe, Concept Design Senior, the recognition brought a new sense of confidence:

“I have never been a very confident person, always doubting myself and my writing skills. As much as I love writing, I always thought that I didn’t have what it takes to make compelling stories that people would be invested in. I wasn’t even going to apply to the Goldwasser writing competition until my professors, friends and family heavily encouraged me to do so. I’m an artist and designer, and I had begun to think that maybe that’s all I would ever be good at, that maybe I should just stay in my own lane. But when I was notified that I was a winner, it was an eye-opening moment for me. Winning this award has given me new confidence and shown me that I don’t have to stay in my lane of visual arts. I can move forward knowing I can expand outward and find success in another form of storytelling that I deeply love.”

Together, their reflections speak to the spirit of the award, encouraging students to trust their voices, take creative risks, and recognize the value of their own storytelling. The award continues the work Jim did best: noticing talent, encouraging creativity and helping writers feel seen.

A Legacy of Presence and Mentorship

Jim’s students have vivid memories of their times with him both in and outside of the classroom.

“When I think of Jim, it’s always with a smile,” observes Mary Haddad Raveane, Advertising Design BFA ’79, who took several of his classes. “He was an integral part of my education, and he had a way of connecting writing to art. His approach to writing in Composition 101 helped me see that writing quick essays was the equivalent of gesture poses in life drawing, and he used the art studio method of having students read each other’s essays and critique them in class. His American Novels class helped me develop a lifelong love of reading.”

“In addition to being a great teacher, Jim was a wonderful human being. He had a sparkling, dry wit that was contagious. He was just fun to be around. When we had evening classes, Jim would often join students and Fine Arts faculty members for picnic dinners. I always thought of him as the jovial parent in a group of adolescents.”

Looking Ahead

Now, as CCS marks the 25th anniversary of the James S. Goldwasser Award for Excellence in Writing, the College celebrates more than a competition. It celebrates a legacy — one that continues to nurture artists who write, writers who design and creatives who use words to see the world more clearly.

The award stands as a living tribute to Jim’s life and teaching — a reminder that words, when chosen with care, have the power to shape not only art, but lives.

For more information about establishing a scholarship or to learn more about the College for Creative Studies, please contact Katie Rusak at [email protected] or 313.664.7861.