Student Ambassadors
Connect with current MFA students, ask questions, arrange a campus tour, and learn about the student experience from our Student Ambassadors.
Current Students by Cohort
Read about some of our dynamic Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Poetics students, their educational backgrounds, and writing interests.
2019 Cohort
Scott Bentley
Undergraduate Degree: English and Creative Writing, California State University, San Bernardino
Writing interests: Beat writers, surrealist and experimental poetry
Other interests: The Velvet Underground & Nico, Lou Reed, coffee, Hunter S Thompson, and podcasts.
Greg Buck
Undergraduate Institution: Aesthetics, Philosphy, Creative Writing, Evergreen State College;
Additional Degrees: Associate of Culinary Arts and Sciences, Johnson & Wales University
Writing interests: Philosophy and aesthetics, the personal body and the social body, experimental writing/form
Other interests: Interests include art and coffee. Reading, conversations, dinner and other meals all appeal to me; I try to partake of them often. The absurd and utopian, balanced by the perfectly reasonable and dystopian all interest me.
Annika G.R. Bunney
Undergraduate Degrees: English, University of Washington, Seattle
Additional Degrees: Associate of Arts, Bellevue College
Writing interests: mass media, video games, science fiction, and fantasy
Other interests: historical reenacting, working with children and animals, cosplaying, going to conventions, camping, cooking, and baking.
Alec Owen Gabin
Undergraduate Degree: Poetics, Evergreen State College 2017
Writing interests: absurdity / cultural theory / post-modernism / aesthetics / spirituality / animism / theater theory / the self / schematics for useless machines
Other interests: minimalist music / metaphysics / prayer / highways / bela tarr films / richard foreman plays / la monte young music / collage / piano
Troy T. Landrum, Jr.
Undergraduate Degree: Theology & Pastoral Leadership, Marian University Indianapolis, IN
Writing interests: Non-fiction, fiction, memoir and novels
Other interests: Nature, sports as as physical and mental art form (boxing, basketball), music ( Hip-Hop, R&B, Soul, classical), favorite musical artist include Nipsey Hussle, J Cole, Kendrick Lamar and The Notorious B.I.G, enjoy reading memoirs, fiction, and creative non fiction, community, family, faith, African American History, inspired and fascinated by the timeless work of James Baldwin, James McBride and Tah-Nahesi Coates.
Chris Ryan Lauer
Undergraduate Degree: Arts, Media, and Entertainment, University of Arizona
Writing interests: Free Verse & Prose
Other interests: Cinema, Poetics, Visuals, Philosophy, and Baseball
Joe Niduaza
Undergraduate Degree: English Writing Practices, Humboldt State University
Writing interests: Archetypes, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Satire, Tragedy and Comedy, Literature and Film.
Other interests: Hi my name is Joe. I'm a Libra, and I love literature, film, recreational sports, and the occasional beer on trivia night at the local bar.
Sanika Nalgirkar
Undergraduate Degree: B.Sc- Food and Nutrition (Hons.), Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda
Additional Degrees: Diploma in Creative Writing, Symbiosis University
Writing interests: Poems, short stories, novels, stories that convey some kind of message to the audience
Other interests: Reading, Dancing, Travelling, Listening to music, Adventure sports, astronomy, watching movies, exploring different topics
Rose O'Connor
Undergraduate Degree: English, Skidmore College
Writing interests: Writing Interests: speculative fiction, story-telling, the uncanny, melancholia, ambiguity, experimental styles, dystopias, screenwriting
Other interests: Other Interests: knitting, bonfires, quoting movies, inventing my own languages, the ocean, baking, listening to podcasts, maps, the color green, office supplies, kayaking, dogs, and laughing at my own jokes
Julie Voss
Undergraduate Degree: BBA from South Champagne Business School (France) and BA in International Negotiation from the University of Regiomontana in Monterrey, Mexico (as an exchange student)
Writing interests: Speculative YA, Manga, Non-fiction, Self-help blog, Memoir
Other interests: Photography (landscapes and portraits), my two cats Toby DeVito and Pixie, Chocolate
Cliff Watson
Undergraduate Degree: - Bachelor of Science in Applied Math, Brown University
Additional Degrees: Master of Science in Applied Math and Certificate in Business Administration, University of Washington Seattle
Writing interests: Narrative writing, poetry, interdisciplinary writing for live performance - circus arts/movement/spoken word, lyrics, screen/plays, humor, gaming modules, quirky character backstories
Other interests: Doing anything with my family, singing/acting/spoken word performance, my dog Winston, moving movies, podcasts, baking with constraints, D&D, puns, avoiding cleaning my office.
Yuan Zhuang
Undergraduate Degree: BFA in Printmaking, Pratt Institute of Fine Arts
Additional Degrees: AOS in Culinary Arts at The Culinary Institute of America
Writing interests: Food
Other interests: Food History, Environmental Protect, Printmaking, Cooking, Nutrition, Wine
2018 Cohort
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Eric Acosta
Undergraduate Institution: University of Texas at El Paso
Undergraduate Degree: Creative Writing
Writing interests: Prose, poetry
Other Interests: Old movies, cable TV, Godzilla, music, comic books, standup comedy, reading
Marina Burandt
Undergraduate Institution: Chapman University
Undergraduate Degree: English Literature
Writing Interests: Extremely short stories, graphic novels, non-fiction, memoir, sexuality, queer studies, feminism.
Other Interests: Sushi, my two darling baby cats, smoothies, moss, lichens, mushrooms, illustration, rock collecting, fuzzy socks, apple cider, sea glass
Nicolas Hauser
Undergraduate Institution: University of Washington Bothell
Undergraduate Degree: Media and Communication Studies, a minor in Creative Writing
Writing Interests: Poetry, experimental writing, screenwriting, academic work, short-form prose, social commentary, and mythology/history
Other Interests: I also enjoy music, art, history, photography, traveling (especially around Washington), and spending time with those important to me...including my cat
Sabina Livadariu
Undergraduate Institution: "Al. I. Cuza" University of Iasi, Romania
Undergraduate Degree: Romanian Language and Literature, English Language and Literature
Other Degrees or Certificates: Master's Degree in American Cultural Studies
Writing Interests: writing for children, science fiction and fantasy, memoir, satire and dystopias
Other Interests: hiking, camping, mothering, getting to know other people and their stories
Abigail Mandlin
Undergraduate Institution: Portland State University
Undergraduate Degree: English major, writing minor
Writing Interests: novels, video games, TV shows, flower language, authentic dialogue, literary allusions, love conquers all, linguistics, LGBTA+ themes, character studies, allegories
Other Interests: puppies and kitties, babies, Japanese language/culture, scarves and furry boots, coffee and tea, the sound of rain, sunsets, warm hugs, a good pun
Ashley Noelle
Undergraduate Institution: Western Washington University
Undergraduate Degree: Therapeutic Recreation with a Minor in Psychology
Writing Interests: poetry, prose, memoirs, creative non-fiction, novels
Other Interests: yoga, mental health, cooking, podcasts, French bulldogs, true crime
Matt Porter
Undergraduate School: Ithaca College
Undergraduate Degree: English
Writing Interests: absurdity, horror, poetry, plays, every day stuff, disorientation
Other Interests: music, more music, experimental sound, performance art, big coats
Stephanie Segura
Undergraduate Institution: California State University, San Bernardino
Undergraduate Degree: English
Other Degrees or Certificates: BA in Entrepreneurial Management
Writing interests: Surrealism, prose poetry, cultural identity, documentary poetics, experimental writing
Other interests: Drawing endless blind continuous portraits, Frank Ocean, tacos, sunsets that melt into purple, patterned socks, photoshoots in the desert, perfect lattes, Chamoy Lucas popsicles, colorful leaves, and hiking
Nicholas Sweeney
Undergraduate Institution: Western Washington University
Undergraduate Degree: English with an Emphasis in Creative Writing
Other Degrees or Certificates: TEFL Certification from ITTT
Writing Interests: Speculative Fiction, surrealism, magical realism, prose poetry, badass women, fairy tales, mythology, “smutty” queer fiction, word-riddled poetry, and fractured realities
Other Interests: Hot cups of tea, D&D, partner dancing, burritos, languages, staring off into space, world myths (religions), Undertale, tarot cards, puppies, wolves, doodling, astrology, and incense burning