The Pat Conroy Literary Center hosted a reception to welcome new Executive Director Robert Gwaltney on Friday Sept 16, 2026, at the Center’s Bladen Street headquarters in Beaufort.
Photos by Asa Aarons Smith/The Island News
A Few Words from Robert Gwaltney
An introductory statement from new Executive Director Robert Gwaltney from The Pat Conroy Literary Center’s website:
“It is a joy to be writing to you from Beaufort as I begin my new role as Executive Director of the Pat Conroy Literary Center. I have long admired Pat Conroy — not only as a writer, but as someone who believed deeply in the power of stories to connect us, challenge us, and help us better understand ourselves and one another. To now have the privilege of helping steward his literary legacy is both humbling and exciting.
“As I enter my third week at the Center, our Board and I have already begun the important work of strategic planning and imagining what the next chapter of the Conroy Center can be. Three priorities are guiding that work: preserving legacy, expanding reach, and deepening impact.
“I come to the Conroy Center with tremendous respect for what has already been built here. Through years of thoughtful programming and community engagement, the Center has become far more than a place that preserves the legacy of a beloved writer. It is a place where Pat’s belief in the transformative power of the written word continues to live.
“We see that legacy in the students who discover their own voices through programs like Storybuilders and Camp Conroy; in the teachers who are encouraged and supported in the vital work they do; in the readers who find connection, conversation, and community through books; and in the writers who find inspiration, encouragement, and opportunities to grow their craft.
“Now we have the opportunity to build upon that extraordinary foundation — to introduce Pat’s work and values to new audiences, strengthen the communities we already serve, and ensure that the Conroy Center remains a vibrant literary home for generations to come.
”There is much ahead, and I could not be more excited to begin this journey with you.
“The next chapter of the Pat Conroy Literary Center is waiting to be written. We hope you will help us write it.”
