If poetry is the language of the soul, then Hudson Valley professor Lucia Cherciu is fluent in the language.

Cherciu is an English professor at Dutchess Community College. Her wisdom for words and reverence for reading earned her the honor of being named the 2021 poet laureate of Dutchess County.

Throughout the next year, she will work to bring words to life through poetry in the community. She will be taking part in a series of poetry learning and appreciation events, spreading the linguistic love beyond the classroom.

“I'm thrilled for Dutchess Community College, to use this as an opportunity to talk about poetry, to inspire students to read so that when they arrive here for a new semester in the fall, they'll feel like they're connected, that their teachers are passionate about writing and reading,” says Cherciu.

She is no stranger to language, as she is an award-winning author with a goal aimed at inspiring students and the community to discover joy in reading and writing poetry.

“Our job as teachers is to put students in contact with the right book. You know, sometimes students say, 'I don't like that book,' or 'I don't like to read.' The reason for that is they haven't found the right book,” says Cherciu.

A professor of English turned ambassador of language and the new Dutchess County poet laureate, Cherciu is challenging everyone to write a poem for a family member or someone that has been important to them during COVID-19.