It’s been a busy spring semester for the students and faculty of Fresno State’s MFA Program! First, let’s celebrate recent awards and publications:
Fresno Arts Council Horizon Award and Northwest Review Publication
Poetry Professor and Porgram Coordinator Connie Hales has been awarded a prestigious Fresno Arts Council Horizon Award. The award is given to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions toward the enrichment of life in our community through excellence in the arts. In addition, Connie’s poems “Forgiven” and “Failed Blessing” have both been accepted for publication in the Northwest Review. Congratulations, Connie, and well-deserved for all that you do!
Full Teaching Assistantship awarded to recently accepted PhD in Creative Writing candidate
Soon-to-be-graduate in nonfiction Sarah Fawn Montgomery has been awarded a full teaching assistantship to the University of Nebraska’s PhD program in creative writing, plus a $15,000 a year stipend. Congratulations to Sarah Fawn, who rose to the top of the applicant field in a competitive year for PhD programs nationwide!
CALYX Publication
Heart congratulations to poetry student
Megan Baptista Geist, whose poem “Elegy for a 1962 Ford Falcon Ranchero” has been accepted for publication in CALYX magazine. Way to go, Megan!
Redactions: Poetry & Poetics Publication
Poetry student
Barbara Price strikes again with a publication in
Redactions: Poetry & Poetics, which accepted her poem, “Switch.” Way to go, Barbara!
Graduate Dean’s Medalist and Outstanding Thesis Award
Congratulations to soon-to-be-graduate nonfiction writer, Rachel Jackson, who was selected as this year’s College of Arts & Humanities Graduate Dean’s Medalist AND recipient of the College of Arts & Humanities Outstanding Thesis Award for her memoir, Here and Gone.
Graduate Research and Creative Arts Symposium
Congratulations to poets Murleen Ray and Marcus Chinn, who will present their poetry at the Fresno State Graduate Research and Creative Arts Symposium!
Brevity Publication
And finally, because no KUDOS post is complete without mention of one of our busiest colleagues, who is having a great year… Nonfiction Professor Steven Church‘s essay, “Lag Time,” which he read at his book release party last Friday (for BOTH of his new books released in 2010), appears in the most recent issue of Brevity. Way to go, Steven– keep ‘em coming!
The San Joaquin Literary Association is at it again, this time at Fresno’s coolest fringe festival. Please come hear MFA students and members of SJLA read their poetry and prose at the 2012 Rogue Festival. All readings will be held at the amazing Spectrum Art Gallery in the tower district (608 E. Olive). Each of four dates (March 8, 9, and 10) features four readers. Admission is five dollars. We hope to see you there!
