The conference was founded in 1995 by West Chester professor Michael Peich and poet Dana Gioia, who stepped down as co-director of the conference in 2003 in order to become chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.
The conference was founded in 1995 by West Chester professor Michael Peich. The conference was founded in 1995 by poet Dana Gioia. Poet Dana Gioia stepped down as co-director of the conference in 2003. This was to become chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts.