Honoring Aurelie Sheehan
A Legacy of Teaching, Empathy and Literary Courage
n a 2006 video from the Poetry Center, Aurelie Sheehan reads her piece “Big Truck” — a tale of a woman riding as a passenger in a monster truck around Tucson. Relatable and hilarious, Aurelie drives the listener through the adventure, reading earnestly while sometimes stifling a mischievous grin.
Aurelie Sheehan, professor of creative writing for nearly 24 years and former head of the Department of English at the University of Arizona, died on August 3, 2023. Her husband, Reed Karaim, with additional donations from family, friends, faculty, and former students, established the Department of English Aurelie Sheehan Memorial Scholarship, to support undergraduates and later, as the scholarship fund grows, graduate students who study creative writing.