Student Profiles

Lana Reeves, a second-year MFA student, has had her poem “Gyotaku of Myself” accepted for publication in the upcoming issue of Gulf Coast. In May, she was named a finalist for the 2025 Iowa Review Poetry Prize. Additionally, she received funding this summer to attend the Kenyon… Read More

MFA student Kanchi Sharma was accepted to and received support from workshops at Tin House, Kenyon Review, VONA, Fine Arts Work Centre, Skidmore College’s NYS Summer Writing Institute, Community of Writers, and the Napa Valley Writers Conference. Congratulations!… Read More

Athena Nassar recently had a book review published in The Adroit Journal and has a poem forthcoming in The Atlantic. She is a Tennessee Williams Scholar for the 2025 Sewanee Writers’ Conference. Congratulations, Athena!… Read More

Sydney Mayes has been awarded several prestigious scholarships, including the C.D. Wright Memorial Scholarship to attend the Community of Writers, the Donald Justice Scholarship for the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, and an Emerging Writers’ Fellowship for Lighthouse’s LitFest. Her poems are set to be published in upcoming issues… Read More

Mackenzie Smith, a graduate student in the Molecular Pathogenesis and Immunology (MPI) program, has been awarded a Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31) from the NIH/NCI for her project, “Characterizing the Role of Cancer-Associated U2AF Mutations in Immune Dysregulation.”Congratulations Mackenzie!… Read More

MFA student, Christiana Castillo, served as a juror for the 2025 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Her poems are forthcoming in Poetry Online and Lucky Jefferson. She was selected for a residency at Casa Na Ilha. Congratulations, Christina! … Read More

Ajla Dizdarevic, a second-year Creative Writing MFA student, has achieved several notable accomplishments. Her full-length manuscript has been selected as a finalist for the 2025 Ohio University Press Hollis Poetry Prize. Additionally, her poem titled “Intersection of Francuska and Braće Jugovića” will be published in Southword, while another poem,… Read More

Congratulations to 3rd-Year Creative Writing MFA student Alissa M. Barr, who has recently published poems in West Branch! Barr’s poetry has also appeared in Poet Lore, Muzzle Magazine, Ninth Letter, and elsewhere. She is the recipient of a Bread Loaf-Rona Jaffe scholarship and a Sewanee Writers’ Conference Tennessee Williams… Read More

We’re excited to celebrate Serena Sweet for successfully defending her dissertation! Throughout her time in the Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Serena has approached her research with creativity, determination, and a clear passion for scientific discovery. Her work not only deepens our understanding in the field but also sets… Read More

Congratulations to Jared Phillips on successfully defending his dissertation! As a member of the Department of Pharmacology, Jared has demonstrated exceptional dedication to his research and academic development. His work is a significant contribution to the field and reflects the perseverance and passion that characterize our graduate student community. We… Read More