Eric Patterson graduated in 2002 from Saginaw Valley State University where he earned a bachelor's degree in English. Eric's major focus has been on the cultural and literary impact the writer's of the Beat Generation had on America. As a new graduate, he presented his paper entitled Rebirth of the Author in Jack Kerouac's On the Road at the Hawaii International Conference on Arts and Humanities. Eric is currently planning a return to the classroom to pursue a Master's Degree in American Studies. Until then, he continues to read and write about the Beats and those they have influenced.