Stu Krieger, who wrote the beloved animated classic "The Land Before Time," will appear on campus as part of the Living Writers Series at 3 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 6, in the Marano Campus Center auditorium (Room 132).

"I'm thrilled Stu is coming to the Living Writers Series," said organizer Sari Fordham of the English and creative writing faculty. "Students grew up with 'The Land Before Time,' so there's an element of nostalgia in his visit. What students will discover, now that they're creators themselves, is the genius storytelling that went into that classic. And I happen to know that Stu is a particularly fun guest."

In this highly anticipated talk, Krieger will trace his artistic journey from Rochester in Western New York to Hollywood, sharing stories from his many successes — and lessons from a few failures.

Krieger is the creative force behind more than a dozen television movies, including 10 original Disney Channel hits such as "Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century" (and its two sequels), "Smart House," "Tru Confessions" and "Going to the Mat." He co-wrote the Emmy Award-winning miniseries "A Year in the Life" and delivered a widely praised TEDx Talk in 2015 titled "Choose Joy." He is also the author of two novels: "That One Cigarette" and "Raft."

"I curated the series around the theme of home," Fordham added, "because I was interested in the artistic conversations different writers would have with that theme."

Krieger approaches the idea of home through a distinct lens. “My work, whether in film, television or my two novels, has always centered on family,” Krieger said. “From 'The Land Before Time' to 'Smart House,' 'Zenon' and 'Raft,' the idea of ‘home’ is personified by the people, not the place.”

Krieger recently retired as professor of screen and television writing in the University of California, Riverside’s Department of Theatre, Film and Digital Production. He also taught for nearly two decades in University of Southern California’s prestigious Peter Stark Producing Program, helping shape the next generation of storytellers.

Living Writers Series events are free and open to both campus and community. They are made possible by ARTSwego and the Student Arts Fee, as well as generous support from other campus partners.

For more information on the series, visit the SUNY Oswego events calendar.

— Submitted by the Living Writers Series