Current & Former Fellows

Current Fellows

Steven Espada Dawson (MFA: Purdue University) will be the 2022-2023 Jay C. and Ruth Halls Fellow in Poetry. He is the son of a Mexican immigrant and a 2021 Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Fellow. His poems appear or are forthcoming in the Adroit Journal, Guernica, Ninth Letter, POETRY, Split Lip, and Waxwing.

Yalitza Ferreras (MFA: University of Michigan) will be the 2022-2023 Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow. She received a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers’ Award and is a recent Steinbeck Fellow at San Jose State University. Winner of the 2020 Bellevue Literary Review prize in fiction, her stories have also appeared in Best American Short Stories, Kenyon Review, The Southern Review, Aster(ix) Journal, Colorado Review and elsewhere.

Chessy Normile (MFA: Michener Center for Writers, UT Austin) will be the 2022-2023 Ronald Wallace Poetry Fellow. Her first book, Great Exodus, Great Wall, Great Party, was selected by Li-Young Lee for the 2020 APR/Honickman First Book Prize. She edits a zine series called Girl Blood Info.

Amanda Rizkalla (MFA: University of Wisconsin) will be the 2022-2023 Hoffman-Halls Emerging Artist Fellow in Fiction. Her work is published in No Tokens Journal, The Esthetic Apostle, and the fiction anthology of Allegory Ridge. A graduate of Stanford University, she has been awarded the Bocock/Guerard Fiction Prize, the William Woo Award for Opinions Writing, and the Kemper Knapp graduate fellowship.

Taymour Soomro (PhD: University of East Anglia) will be the 2022-2023 James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow. He is a Pakistani writer whose debut novel Other Names for Love is forthcoming from FSG in 2022, and whose short fiction has appeared in The New Yorker and The Southern Review. He has published a textbook on law with Oxford University Press, and he is the co-editor of the anthology Letters to a Writer of Colour: Fourteen Authors on Craft, Race and Culture, forthcoming from Random House in 2023.

Recent Fellows

Adrienne Chung (MFA: University of Wisconsin) was a 2021-2022 Hoffman-Halls Emerging Artist Fellow in Poetry. Her work has appeared in Recliner and has been supported by the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference. She is a graduate of Stanford University, and is at work on a first book of poems.

K. Iver (PhD: Florida State University / MA: Mississippi State University) was the 2021-2022 Ronald Wallace Poetry Fellow. They are a nonbinary poet born in Mississippi, and their work has appeared or is forthcoming in Boston Review, BOAAT, Gulf Coast, Split Lip, Puerto del Sol, Salt Hill, Peach Magazine, The Common, and elsewhere. In summer 2022 their poetry manuscript Short Film Starring My Beloved’s Red Bronco was selected by Tyehimba Jess for the 2022 Ballard Spahr Prize for Poetry, and will be published by Milkweed.

Itiola Jones (MFA: University of Wisconsin) was a 2021-2022 Hoffman-Halls Emerging Artist Fellow in Poetry. She is an American Nigerian poet and music journalist, and a Graduate Fellow with The Watering Hole. She holds fellowships from Callaloo, BOAAT Writer’s Retreat, and Brooklyn Poets, and her works have appeared or are forthcoming in Guernica, Washington Square Review, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Hobart Pulp, The Rumpus, The Offing, Shade Literary Arts, Blood Orange Review, and elsewhere. Itiola’s poems were chosen by Khadijah Queen as a finalist for the 2020 Sublingua Prize for Poetry.

Claire Luchette (MFA: University of Oregon) was the 2021-2022 James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow. Claire’s first novel, Agatha of Little Neon, was published in August 2021 by FSG and in September Claire was honored by the National Book Foundation as a 5 Under 35 honoree. A 2020 NEA Fellow, Claire’s short fiction has appeared in Ploughshares, Granta, Virginia Quarterly Review, Kenyon Review, and Iowa Review. They will be a fellow at the New York Public Library in 2022-2023.

Shaina Phenix (MFA: Virginia Tech) was the 2021-2022 Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow. Shaina is a queer, Black femme poet, and educator from Harlem, New York. Her work has appeared in Crooked Arrow Press, West Branch Wired, Glass, DIALOGIST, Foglifter Press, Salt Hill, The Pinch, and Puerto del Sol. Shaina begins a tenure-track position as Assistant Professor of English at Elon University in 2022-2023.

Alberto Reyes Morgan (MFA: Warren Wilson College) was the 2021-2022 Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow. His writing has been published by the Michigan Quarterly Review and anthologized in Catapult’s Best Debut Short Stories 2021: The PEN America Dau Prize. His interviews and translations have appeared in the books Invisible Hands: Voices from the Global Economy; Underground America: Narratives of Undocumented Lives; Solito, Solita: Crossing Borders with Youth Refugees from Central America, and others. He has provided literary criticism on Texas Public Radio’s Book Public and was the 2011 recipient of the Tillie Olsen Award for Socially Conscious Writing. He hails from the Mexicali–Imperial Valley border region and has taught in Ethiopia and Spain. He is at work on a novel and will hold the Philip Roth Residency at Bucknell University in Fall 2022.

Former Fellows

2020-2021

Emma Binder (MFA: U. of Wisconsin), Hoffman-Halls Emerging Artist Fellow
Jari Bradley (MFA: U. of Pittsburgh), First Wave Poetry Fellow
Sasha Debevec-McKenney (MFA: NYU), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Victoria C. Flanagan (MFA: Virginia Commonwealth U), Ronald Wallace Poetry Fellow
Sandra Hong (MFA: Brooklyn College), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow
Taylor Koekkoek (MFA: Johns Hopkins U), Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow

2019-2020

Claire Agnes (MFA: NYU), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow
Cassandra J. Bruner (MFA: Eastern Washington U), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Sean Hammer (MFA: Hunter College), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Fiction Fellow
Clemonce Heard (MFA: Oklahoma State U), Ronald Wallace Poetry Fellow
Wes Holtermann (MFA: U. of Wisconsin), Hoffman-Halls Emerging Artist Fellow
Gabriel Louis (MFA: Washington U), Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow
Natasha Oladokun (MFA: Hollins U), First Wave Poetry Fellow
Xandria Phillips (MFA: Virginia Tech), First Wave Poetry Fellow

2018-2019

Aria Aber (MFA, NYU), Ronald Wallace Poetry Fellow
Chekwube O. Danladi (MFA: U. of Illinois), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Natasha Oladokun (MFA: Hollins U), First Wave Poetry Fellow
Emily Shetler (MFA: U. of Wisconsin), Hoffman-Halls Emerging Artist Fellow
Lucy Tan (MFA: U. of Wisconsin), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow
Mary Terrier (MFA: Johns Hopkins U.), Carl Djerassi Fellow
Kate Wisel (MFA: Columbia College Chicago), Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow

2017-2018

Oliver Baez Bendorf (MFA, MLIS: U. of Wisconsin), Halls Emerging Artist Fellow
Leila Chatti (MFA: North Carolina State U.), Ronald Wallace Poetry Fellow
Tia Clark (MFA: Indiana U.), Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow
Tiana Clark (MFA: Vanderbilt U.), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Marta Evans (MFA: Washington University in St. Louis), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow

2016-2017

Derrick Austin (MFA: U. of Michigan), Ronald Wallace Poetry Fellow
Jamel Brinkley (MFA: Iowa Writers Workshop), Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow
Natalie Eilbert (MFA: Columbia U.), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Sarah Fuchs (MFA: NYU Low-Residency in Paris), Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellow
Marcela Fuentes (PhD: Georgia State / MFA: Iowa Writers Workshop), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow
Barrett Swanson (MFA: U. of Wisconsin), Halls Emerging Artist Fellow

2015-2016

Jordan Jacks (MFA: Washington U.), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow
Josh Kalscheur (MFA: U. of Wisconsin), Halls Emerging Artist Fellow
Karyna McGlynn (PhD: U. of Houston / MFA: U. of Michigan), Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellow
Mika Taylor (MFA: U. of Arizona), Carol Houck-Smith Fiction Fellow
Mark Wagenaar (PhD: U of North Texas / MFA: U of Virginia), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow

2014-2015

Brian Booker (MFA: Iowa Writers’ Workshop), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow
Ben Hoffman (MFA: U. of North Carolina–Wilmington), Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow
Lauren Russell (MFA: U. of Pittsburgh), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Walter B. Thompson (MFA: U. of of Wisconsin), Halls Emerging Artist Fellow
Meg Wade (MFA: U. of Arizona), Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellow

2013-2014

Jesse Damiani (MFA: U. of Wisconsin), Halls Emerging Artist Fellow
Patricia Grace King (MFA: Warren Wilson), Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow
Jennifer Luebbers (MFA: Indiana U.), Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellow
Bonnie Metzgar (MFA: U. of Iowa), Carl Djerassi Playwriting Fellow
Matthew Modica (MFA: Emerson College), Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellow
D. J. Thielke (MFA: Vanderbilt U.), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow
Timothy Daniel Welch (MFA: San Dieago State U., PhD: Florida State U.), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow

2012-2013

Ari Banias (MFA: Hunter), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Miriam Cohen (MFA: Sarah Lawrence), Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow
Jaquira Diaz (MFA: U. of South Florida, Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellow
Sara Gelston (MFA: U. of Illinois), Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellow
Sarah Hulse (MFA: U. of Oregon), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow
Alyssa Knickerbocker (MFA: U. of Wisconsin), Halls Emerging Artist Fellow
Elaine Romero (MFA: U. of Arizona), Carl Djerassi Playwriting Fellow

2011-2012

Nicole Cullen (MFA: U. Texas-Austin), Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow
Laura Eve Engel (MFA: U. of Houston), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Pilar Gomez-Ibanez (MFA: Cornell U.), Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellow
Mehdi Tavana Okasi (MFA: Purdue U.), Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellow
Jacques J. Rancourt (MFA: U. of Wisconsin), Halls Emerging Artist Fellow
Emily Ruskovich (MFA: U. of Iowa), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow
Martin Zimmerman (MFA: U. of Texas-Austin), Carl Djerassi Playwriting Fellow

2010-2011

Laurel Bastian (MFA: U. of Wisconsin), Halls Emerging Artist Fellow
Sean Bishop (MFA: U. of Houston), Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellow
Lydia Fitzpatrick (MFA: U. of Michigan), Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellow
Sarah Gubbins (MFA: Northwestern U.), Carl Djerassi Playwriting Fellow
Rebecca Hazelton (MFA: Notre Dame; PhD: Florida State U.),
Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Andrew Mortazavi (MFA: U. of Arizona), Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow
Sterling HolyWhiteMountain (MFA: U. of Iowa), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow

2009-2010

Lauren Berry (MFA: U. of Houston), Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellow
Nate Brown (MFA: U. of Wisconsin), Halls Emerging Artist Fellow
Jason England (MFA: U. of Iowa), Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellow
Len Jenkin, Carl Djerassi Distinguished Playwriting Fellow
Chris Mohar (MFA: U. of Washington), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Fiction Fellow
John Murillo (MFA: NYU), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Michael Sheehan (MFA: U. of Arizona), James McCreight Fiction Fellow

2008-2009

Traci Brimhall (MFA: Sarah Lawrence), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Andrew Milward (MFA: U. of Iowa), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow
Stuart Nadler (MFA: U. of Iowa), Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow
Michael Weller, Carl Djerassi Distinguished Playwriting Fellow
Jill Osier (MFA: U. of Alaska), Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellow
Amanda Rea (MFA: U. of California-Irvine), Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellow
Emma Straub (MFA: U. of Wisconsin), Halls Emerging Artist Fellowship

2007-2008

Danielle Deulen (MFA: George Mason U.), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow.
Kevin A. Gonzalez (MFA: U. of Wisconsin; MFA: U. of Iowa),
Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow
Nick Lantz (MFA: U. of Wisconsin), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow.
Shara Lessley (MFA: U. of Maryland), Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellow.
Dan O’Brien, Carl Djerassi Distinguished Playwriting Fellow
Edward Porter (MFA: Warren Wilson), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow
Tim Scott (MFA: NYU), Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellow.

2006-2007

Danielle Evans (MFA: U. of Iowa), Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow
Sean Hill (MFA: U. of Houston), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Jennifer Key (MFA: U. of Virginia), Dianne Middlebrook Poetry Fellow
Laleh Khadivi (MFA: Mills College), Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellow
Derek Mong (MFA: U. of Michigan), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
April Wilder (MFA: U. of Montana), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow

2005-2006

Colleen Abel (MFA: Vermont College), Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellow
Gabrielle Daniels (MFA: U. of California-Irvine), Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellow
Rebecca Dunham (MFA: George Mason U.), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Brandi Reissenweber (MFA: NYU), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow
Adam Stumacher (MFA: Saint Mary’s College), Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow
Kate Umans (MFA: U. of Michigan), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow

2004-2005

Eric Burger (MFA: U. of Arizona), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Justin Haynes (MFA: Notre Dame), Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellow
John Lee (MFA: U. of Michigan), Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow
Ellen Litman (MFA: Syracuse U.), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow
Kirk Lee Davis (MFA: U. of Michigan), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Cynthia Marie Hoffman (MFA: George Mason U.), Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellow

2003-2004

Josh Bell (MFA: U. of Iowa), Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellow
Matt Frieidson (MFA: U. of Oregon), Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellow
Frances Hwang (MFA: U. of Montana), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow
Nathan S. Jones (MFA: U. of Michigan), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Jacinda Townsend (MFA: U. of Iowa), Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow
Sharmila Voorakkara (MFA: U. of Virginia), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow

2002-2003

Ashley Capps (MA: Ohio U.; MFA: U. of Iowa), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Miriam Gershow (MFA: U. of Oregon), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow
Tamara Avila Guirado (MFA: Mills College), Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellow
Lydia Melvin (MFA: Western Michigan U.), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Srikanth Reddy (MFA: U. of Iowa), Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellow
David Zimmerman (MFA: U. of Alabama), Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow

2001-2002

Deborah Bernhardt (MFA: U. of Arizona), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Susanna Daniel (MFA: U. of Iowa), Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellow
Ha-yun Jung (MFA: Emerson College), Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow
Erika Meitner (MFA: U. of Virginia), Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellow
Imad Rahman (MFA: U. of Florida), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow
Mitch Raney (MFA: Bowling Green State U.), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow

2000-2001

Ryan G. van Cleave (MFA: Florida State U.), Anastasia Hoffman Poetry Fellow
Blas Manuel De Luna (MFA: U. of Washington), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Aimee Nezhukumatathil (MFA: Ohio State U.), Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellow
Erica Olsen (MFA: U. of Montana), Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellow
Jennifer Vanderbes (MFA: U. of Iowa), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow
Antoine Wilson (MFA: U. of Iowa), Carol Houck Smith Fiction Fellow

1999-2000

Quan Barry (MFA: U. of Michigan), Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellow
Anthony Doerr (MFA: Bowling Green State U.), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Fiction Fellow
Rick Hilles (MFA: Columbia U.), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Holiday Reinhorn (MFA: U. of Iowa), Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellow
Lysley Tenorio (MFA: U. of Oregon), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow

1998-1999

Beth Ann Fennelly (MFA: U. of Arkansas), Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellow
John McNally (MFA: U. of Iowa), Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellow
Judith Claire Mitchell (MFA: U of Iowa), James C. McCreight Fiction Fellow
Stephen Schottenfeld (MFA: U. of Iowa), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Fiction Fellow
Katharine Whitcomb (MFA: Vermont College), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow

1997-1998

Allyson Goldin Loomis (MFA: U. of Montana), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Fiction Fellow
Sarah Messer (MFA: U. of Michigan), Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellow
Brad Owens (MFA: Stanford U.), Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellow
Jennifer Tonge (MFA: U. of Utah), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow

1996-1997

Anne Caston (MFA: Warren Wilson), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Fiction Fellow
Joseph Skibell (MFA: U. of Texas-Austin), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Fiction Fellow

1995-1996

Jon Loomis (MFA: U. of Virginia), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Nancy Reisman (MFA: U. of Massachusetts), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Fiction Fellow

1994-1995

Joel Brouwer (MFA: Syracuse U.), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Eileen Fitzgerald (MFA: Indiana U.), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Fiction Fellow

1993-1994

Aaron Anstett (MFA: U. of Iowa), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Rebecca Lee (MFA: U. of Iowa), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Fiction Fellow

1992-1993

Sara Corbett (MFA: U. of Iowa), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Fiction Fellow
Lisa Rhoades (MFA: Columbia U & Louisiana State U.),
Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow

1991-1992

Charles D’Ambrosio (MFA: U. of Iowa), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Fiction Fellow
Karen Kovacik (PhD: Ohio State U.), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow

1990-1991

Michael Barrett (MFA: U. of Michigan), Jay C and Ruth Halls Fiction Fellow
Max Garland (MFA: U. of Iowa), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow

1989-1990

Heather Aronson (MFA: U. of Arizona), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Fiction Fellow
Adele Ne Jame (MFA: U. of Iowa), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow

1988-1989

Lise Goett (MA: NYU), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Poetry Fellow
Ann Packer (MFA: U. of Iowa), Jay C. and Ruth Halls Fiction Fellow

1987-1988

Mari Hatta (MFA: U. of Virginia), Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing Poetry Fellow
Marly Swick (MFA: U. of Iowa), Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing Fiction Fellow

1986-1987

Juanita Brunk (MFA: George Mason U.),
Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing Poetry Fellow
Debra Spark (MFA: U. of Iowa), Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing Fiction Fellow