UC Riverside Professor Appointed California Poet Laureate

RIVERSIDE - A UC Riverside creative writing professor was appointed today by Gov. Jerry Brown to be California's poet laureate.

Professor Juan Felipe Herrera, 63, was chosen following a nearly yearlong process during which the California Arts Council reviewed a number of applications, according to spokeswoman Kristin Margolis.

''We're really excited to have him,'' she told City News Service. ''He has such a great personality. People relate to him, and he's especially great with the younger crowd. He will be in great demand.''

Herrera's appointment must still be confirmed by the state Senate.

Herrera, who has authored 28 books, serves as the Tomas Rivera Endowed Chair in the Department of Creative Writing at UCR. He previously chaired the Latin American Studies program at Cal State Fresno.

According to Margolis, serving as California poet laureate requires a two-year commitment, during which the appointee is asked to make a minimum of six public appearances, though she noted that most laureates make far more than that.

The appointee receives an annual $5,000 stipend and acts as one of the state's leading promoters of literary arts.

Herrera will make his first appearance as acting laureate on Sunday during a ''Poetry Out Loud'' contest in Sacramento, according to Margolis.