Ty Young
Over the summer working in the MFA program was a great experience not only for my career path but also as a reader in general. Being exposed to such greatness as an undergrad allowed me to be open to joining a low res program and receive a job offer to work in our MFA office this upcoming year.
Throughout the program I was able to work different projects while also attending sessions. Some of my favorite sessions were Viet Thanh Nguyen readings and Kate Hopper’s craft seminar. Listening to Nguyen read after reading one of his books over the previous school year solidified my interest in him as a writer overall. Hearing Hopper talk about the different ways to get to the end of a thesis and turn the small pieces into a book made me feel better about my writing overall. Going to her talk also allowed me to use her different methods to work on my upcoming capstone project.
The MFA internship as a whole is an amazing way to gain new knowledge and insight into the writing world and begin making connections early. It is a great opportunity and more students should attempt to take advantage of it.
Throughout the program I was able to work different projects while also attending sessions. Some of my favorite sessions were Viet Thanh Nguyen readings and Kate Hopper’s craft seminar. Listening to Nguyen read after reading one of his books over the previous school year solidified my interest in him as a writer overall. Hearing Hopper talk about the different ways to get to the end of a thesis and turn the small pieces into a book made me feel better about my writing overall. Going to her talk also allowed me to use her different methods to work on my upcoming capstone project.
The MFA internship as a whole is an amazing way to gain new knowledge and insight into the writing world and begin making connections early. It is a great opportunity and more students should attempt to take advantage of it.
Madeline Worcester
I loved serving as an MFA residency intern in both 2020 and 2021, especially as I rose to the full summer intern position this year! It has been a great opportunity to meet renowned authors and to hone my own writing. Additionally, it has given me a glimpse into a joyful, creative, hardworking group of people at all stages of life. When the world went digital due to the coronavirus, those of us on staff worried about successfully facilitating a sense of community for the students.
Luckily, the MFA program has thrived amidst adversity, and the connections have remained strong beyond any single residency. I never expected to be so moved by nightly readings and brilliant craft talks; moreover, I never anticipated that I would get to read at open mic nights myself and receive feedback on personal pieces. There was a lot of hard work behind the scenes - I can't tell you how many libraries and bookstores I emailed over the course of the summer - but it was never without purpose. I would recommend the MFA internship to anyone, whether the program is online or in person.
