On April 25, 2025, we celebrated nine BA/MA graduates who have earned their MA in creative writing. At the event, students read excerpts from their final projects

To begin, fiction writer Maria Pavlenko read from her thesis titled, Home Wherever You Are.

Claire Williams read from her collection of poetry, Going Back To The Body.

Karysa Infante, who is also a poet, read from her thesis, Born Blue.

Matthew Ramos read a short story from his collection, Malegría.

Ashleigh Earyes, a fiction writer, read a story from her thesis, Experience Being Human.

Dana Lynch, who concentrates in nonfiction, read from her successful application to the MFA program at Columbia. Her essay collection is entitled, Thank You To My Parents.

Melissa Zavala, also a nonfiction writer, read an excerpt from her thesis, To Get That Far.

Fiction writer Paige Harris read from her thesis titled, Apologies For Ghosts.

Julianna Herriott, who concentrates in fiction, concluded the reading with an excerpt from her thesis, The Blackhall Effect.

Congratulations, graduates! We will miss you and look forward to following your writing journeys.

In addition to celebrating the graduating BA/MA class with family, faculty, and friends, we also welcomed the 10 incoming members of the BA/MA class of 2027 and said farewell to the wonderful Toby Thompson who has taught creative writing at Penn State for forty years.

On Friday, April 19, 2024, the Penn State creative writing community gathered to listen to excerpts from the final projects by nine BA/MA students who will graduate with their MA in creative writing this spring.

Pictured below are the BA/MA Class of 2024 (L to R): back row–Nikolai Korbich, Ava Wendelken, Emmanuela Eneh, Aliyah Rios, Barbara Kutz, Margaret Dressler; front row–Kiera Sargent, Cynthia Rodi, Eliza Nicewonger.

Congrats to the graduates!

In addition to celebrating the graduating BA/MA class with family, faculty, and friends, we also welcomed the 10 incoming members of the BA/MA class of 2026, said farewell to Alison Jaenicke, who has served as Assistant Director of Creative Writing for the past 11 years, and welcomed the new Assistant Director of CW, Ellen Skirvin.