Director, MFA Writing Program
BA, University of New Mexico. Author of three poetry collections, most recently Dolefully, A Rampart Stands (Penguin, 2019). Recipient of awards and fellowships from Poets & Writers, The Boomerang Foundation, Jentel Foundation, Vermont Arts Council, and The Willowell Foundation. SLC, 2015–
Graduate Courses 2025-2026
Master of Fine Arts in Writing
Literary Colloquium
Seminar—Fall and Spring
WRIT 7205
The Master of Fine Arts Literary Colloquium is a weekly series of talks given by writing faculty members, visiting writers, and publishing professionals and touching on every aspect of the writing life. Multiple credit-eligible events are offered each week, with many only open to Master of Fine Arts writing students and some open to the public and whole Sarah Lawrence campus. Students enrolled in the one-credit colloquium are responsible for attending four eligible events by the end of the semester and may select which events they wish to attend. Students are encouraged to attend as many events as are of interest.
Faculty
Literary Colloquium
Seminar—Fall and Spring
WRIT 7210
The Master of Fine Arts literary colloquium is a weekly series of talks given by writing faculty members, visiting writers, and publishing professionals and touching on every aspect of the writing life. Multiple credit-eligible events are offered each week, with many only open to Master of Fine Arts writing students and some open to the public and whole Sarah Lawrence campus. Students enrolled in the two-credit colloquium are responsible for attending six eligible events by the end of the semester and may select which events they wish to attend. Students are encouraged to attend as many events as are of interest.
Faculty
Teaching Good Prose: Pedagogy Craft Class and Internship
Seminar—Fall
WRIT 7890
Prerequisite: completion of at least two semesters in the MFA Writing program; acceptance into the internship conditional upon application
This course will prepare student teachers with a working knowledge of theories, methods, and procedures for teaching functional and academic reading and writing skills to first-year college students. The course has two main components, which include attendance in this pedagogy seminar and a supervised teaching assistantship in a freshman writing class at SUNY Purchase. In the pedagogy seminar, readings and class discussions will explore strategies for designing and teaching lessons that will improve students’ ability to compose analytical college essays; express ideas clearly and effectively in well-developed, focused arguments with relevant and adequate evidence; and use the style and conventions of standard academic prose. Student teachers are supervised by an instructor and are required to attend one session of a freshman writing class per week. Additionally, student teachers are expected to meet with students outside of class for 1-2 hours per week.