Congratulations to the following MFA and MA/MFA students:

Makena Metz, 2023 James L. Doti Outstanding Graduate Student
Montez Jennings, Tom Massey Award for Outstanding Dual Degree Student
Sinclair Adams, Terri Brint Joseph Award for Outstanding MFA Student
Constance Von Igel de Mello, Paul Frizler Award for Outstanding MA Student

For those who’ve graduated recently, we want you to be aware of your Alumni Benefits, including lifetime access to your email account and ongoing support from Career Services (see more info below). If you have questions about alumni benefits, have new contact information, or would like this newsletter to go to a different email address, let David Krausman know. David will also be sending an exit survey to this year’s grads; the program benefits from a high response rate.

The incoming cohort is registering for fall classes now. So, welcome to the new MFA students!

May everyone’s summer include both reading and writing!

—Dr. Anna Leahy, Director of MFA in Creative Writing

Your Career Connection For Life

In conjunction with the Wilkinson College Manager of Career Development and Alumni Relations, Wilkinson College offers its graduate students comprehensive career coaching. 

An advanced degree in the arts, humanities, and social sciences allows you to embark upon a broad range of career paths, and Wilkinson College supports its graduate students in identifying their skills, interests, and values and choosing the career path that’s right for them.

Wilkinson College students and alumni not only enjoy access to university-wide career services with Career and Professional Development but also program- and industry-specific support.

Beware of Publishing Scams

The Author's Guild has recently published a piece on the rise of publishing scams, as well as common scams, what to look out for, and how writers can protect themselves.

Faculty Achievements

Alum Achievements

Student Achievements

Job, Internship, and Fellowship Opportunities

Internship: SUPERCOLIDER offers an internship program for current and recent graduate students. This includes opportunities for volunteer or work-study/internship credits in exchange for mentorship and collaboration. SUPERCOLIDER offers partnerships with local and (inter)national universities for quarterly, bi-annual, or yearly internships both remote and in-person. Roles and responsibilities vary depending on expertise, which include: art + sci + tech research and compilation, marketing and promotion, and exhibition and programming support.

Events

The Historical Novel Society North America conference will take place from June 8-10, 2023, at the Marriott Rivercenter in San Antonio, TX. #HNS2023 is the place for authors and lovers of historical fiction to meet and mingle, to learn new writing techniques, to pitch their writing project to an agent, and to share their writerly passions. The conference includes options to attend in-person or virtually, with registration deadlines of May 15 and June 4, respectively.

Mendocino Coast Writers’ Conference offers morning workshops in a wide range of genres and afternoons of craft seminars, panels, one-on-one consultations, and open mics. The 2023 Conference will be held from August 3-5, 2023. Registration for the next conference will be open from March 15-June 30, 2023.

Inlandia is offering free writing workshops in poetry, prose, nonfiction, and memoir. The focus varies from writing about Black art to food writing to writing for children and young adults, and workshops for seniors will be available. To become part of the Inlandia community of writers, register today! All workshops are free and open to the public. Registration is required.

Volunteer Opportunities

American Book Review (ABR) is seeking volunteer book reviewers and contacted our program precisely because of our reputation as book reviewers. ABR is published in hard copy and a digital edition available through university libraries and subscriptions. Books are assigned for review rather than an open call for completed reviews. Assigned reviews are almost certain to be published in ABR. The wait-time for publication is long, but these are also substantive reviews and make a good portfolio for gaining paid work as a reviewer. Dr. Leahy is happy to meet with any student assigned a book review to discuss a draft. If interested, contact Cris Mazza at cmazza@uic.edu. 

BookLife Fiction Prize

BookLife seeks student critics for the BookLife Fiction Prize. Students interested in becoming a critic should email Matia Burnett at mburnett@publisheresweekly.com.

BookLife Book Reviewer

BookLife also has paid opportunities for students interested in reviewing indie books. Interested students should reach out to alum Marrissa Childs at mchilds@chapman.edu. 

The Friends of the Orange Public Library are looking for volunteers to work in book donation services, internet services, the resale bookstore, or other roles. Visit foplca.com or orangepubliclibrary.org to submit a Volunteer Application.

Poets interested in reading submissions for Narrative should contact Dr. Anna Leahy for possible volunteer opportunities.

Publication Opportunities

In collaboration with Center for Imagination in the Borderlands (CIB), Red Ink Journal, Thousand Languages Project, and the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing, Hayden's Ferry Review announces its first Indigenous Poets Prize. The deadline for submissions is June 10th.

Submissions are open for the annual Poetry London Prize. Entry fee is £5 per poem if you subscribe; £10 per poem if you don't. Poems limited to 80 lines. The top 500 poems go to the final judge. Winners announced by the end of September, with the top poem awarded £5000. Keeping in mind that the UK is in another time zone, the submission deadline is June 30.

The Connecticut Poetry Society is seeking submissions for the 2023 Experimental Poetry Contest. The deadline to submit is July 31.

Trio House Press has launched its first creative nonfiction manuscript contest: The Aurora Polaris Creative Nonfiction Award. Award winners receive $1,000 and twenty copies of their book. The deadline to submit is August 31.

Action, Spectacle seeks art, comics, commentary, fiction, interviews, memoir, music, poetry, and reportage. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis. The deadline to submit to the annual Poetry & Prose Prize is October 1.

Kaleidoscope (a publication of United Disability Services) seeks fiction, nonfiction, poetry, artwork, and book reviews that challenge and overcome stereotypical, patronizing, and sentimental attitudes about disability. No fee, and it's a paying outlet.

Fresh Words is looking for poetry, short stories, essays, and plays for their regular monthly issues. Pieces are to be sent to freshwordsmagazine@gmail.com.

Poets & Writers has an extensive list of literary journals with website links and reading periods included, and you can filter by genre. There is also a good list of contests that rolls according to impending deadlines and a list of book review outlets.