Photo courtesy of the Poetry Club
By María José Solís
An exciting anticipation fills the room as a student raises their hand to read their poem.
There are no disclaimers, no apologies for the words they are about to share. Instead, there is trust — a safe space where vulnerability is embraced and creativity flourishes.
The Poetry Club at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus is more than just a gathering of poets; it is a growing community where anyone who connects with words and emotions is welcome.
The club has steadily grown into a space where students find support, inspiration and motivation to explore their creativity. Serena Lozandi, a senior biology major with a minor in creative writing, has served as the club’s president for two years. She first joined as a sophomore when the club was much smaller. Since then, she and the executive board have worked hard to promote the club, tabling at events like Get on Board Day and organizing student-centered activities.
“I feel like constant communication and constant safe spaces are really helping people to stay in poetry,” Lozandi said. “We have this rule where you can’t say any disclaimers about your poetry. If you share your work, you are going to feel confident and safe around us.”
The commitment to fostering a supportive environment has made the club a special place. It is not just for seasoned poets; it is for anyone who wants to explore self-expression.
Joaquina Ortuño, a senior majoring in psychology and the vice president of the club, emphasized how the club has provided them with a consistent, low-pressure space to practice their writing.
“You don’t always have to share your work or write according to the prompt. It’s really just about having the freedom to write whatever you want,” Ortuño said.
Ortuño also mentioned how often club members remind each other that one does not have to be a poet to love poetry, a sentiment reflected in the club’s Instagram biography.
“I also say that you can just call yourself a poet at any moment in time,” Ortuño said. “For me, it is a lens that you see the world through. Just being able to understand the beauty of certain things — that is being a writer. It’s just kind of this self-title that you can give yourself.”
This welcoming atmosphere encourages students to take creative risks, whether they are experienced writers or sharing their work for the first time. For many, the club is a stepping stone to becoming more confident in their writing and self-expression.
One such student is Julia Ferrara, a junior majoring in interdisciplinary social sciences and the club’s marketing chair, who found the club through Bulls Connect in fall 2024. Though she had been writing poetry for a while, she had never shared her work in a group setting before joining.
“It was really daunting,” Ferrara said. “The most people I had shared my work with before were maybe three close friends. But at my first meeting, I shared a very personal poem. My voice was shaking the whole time, but I got through it, and everyone was super supportive. Now, I don’t feel so scared anymore to share my poetry.”
For Ferrara, the club has been a space of growth. It has challenged her creativity and introduced her to poetry events beyond campus.
“I’ve started writing more regularly, a couple of poems a week, which I wasn’t doing before,” she said. “This club inspires me to try new things.”
Many members of the Poetry Club have also connected with the broader St. Petersburg poetry community. The city’s vibrant spoken word and literary events provide opportunities for students to engage with poets outside the university setting.
“Neptune,” a local poetry journal, has even featured the work of some Poetry Club members, bridging the gap between student writers and the wider literary world.
Whether on campus or in the city, spaces dedicated to poetry and self-expression are essential. They offer students and community members alike the chance to connect, grow and explore their creative voices.
“I think everyone, whether they believe so or not, has a poet inside of them,” Ferrara said. “Even if you come to just one meeting, you might be surprised at how much you connect with poetry.”
Most of the club’s executive board will be graduating in May, and they are eager to welcome new members who might feel encouraged to step into leadership roles and continue fostering this creative space. They invite anyone with a love for words, whether they write poetry or simply appreciate it, to give it a try and help the club grow.
At its core, the club is more than just a place to write — it’s a place to belong. Whether someone walks in with a notebook full of poems or just a quiet curiosity, they’ll find a space where words are valued, voices are heard, and creativity continues to bloom.
The Poetry Club meets on Mondays from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Palm Room on the second floor of the University Student Center. To stay updated on events, students can follow the club on Instagram, @thepoetryclubusfsp.
