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Director of Creative Writing Major Jackson Featured in Vanderbilt Magazine
Jun. 18, 2025—Major Jackson was recently featured in Vanderbilt Magazine, providing expertise on how to read a poem. The full story can be found here.
Assistant Professor Lydi Conklin Releases Novel, Songs of No Provenance, with Catapult
Jun. 3, 2025—Creative Writing Assistant Professor Lydi Conklin has released their debut novel, Songs of No Provenance. Grab a copy at your local bookstore today or visit the Vanderbilt Bookstore! Songs of No Provenance tells the story of Joan Vole, an indie folk singer forever teetering on the edge of fame, who flees New York after...
Lara Hughes (MFA ‘22) Wins 2025 PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers
May. 29, 2025—Creative Writing MFA Alum Lara Hughes (’22) was recently awarded the PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers. Twelve debut writers were chosen for originality, craft, and pushing the boundaries of the genre. Their exceptional short stories will be published by Catapult in the annual anthology Best Debut Short Stories: The PEN America Dau...
Merrill Moore Prize: Winners Announced
May. 12, 2025—2025 Merrill Moore Prize Winners Announced Three recent Department of English graduates have been awarded the 2025 Merrill Moore Prize. This distinction is voted on by Vanderbilt’s creative writing faculty and conferred by the English Department. The award is presented to a graduating senior who is selected based on “literary promise and the psychological...
Creative Writing MFA Alum Max McDonough Wins St. Lawrence Book Award with Debut Poetry Collection
Apr. 22, 2025—MFA Alum Max McDonough (’17) recently won the St. Lawrence Book Award with his debut poetry collection, Python with a Dog Inside It (Black Lawrence Press). Congratulations, Max! Set on the marshlands of working-class southern New Jersey, Python with a Dog Inside It traces the tangled story of two gay brothers as they endeavor to...
Creative Writing MFA Alum Rita Bullwinkel Wins 2025 Award in Literature from The American Academy of Arts and Letters
Mar. 14, 2025—On March 6, The Academy of Arts & Letters announced that Creative Writing MFA Alum Rita Bullwinkel (’16) is the recipient of the Addison M. Metcalf Award of $10,000. This award honors “a young writer of great promise.” The literature awards will be presented at Arts and Letters’s annual Ceremonial in May 2025. Congratulations, Rita!...
March 20, 7 PM – Fiction Reading with Adam Ross
Mar. 3, 2025—On Thursday, March 20, Fiction Author Adam Ross will visit Vanderbilt for a book signing and a reading of his latest novel Playworld. The book signing begins at 6:30, followed by the reading at 7pm. Adam Ross is the author of the short story collection Ladies and Gentlemen, and the novels Playworld and Mr. Peanut, which was selected as...
Congratulations Class of 2023!
May. 3, 2023—Congratulations to the 2023 Graduating English Majors and Minors!
The Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy’s 2023 Poetry Contest Open
Feb. 15, 2023—The Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy is open for poetry submissions from students currently enrolled in any Tennessee college or university. This is in partnership with Vanderbilt University’s Department of English and MFA Program in Creative Writing. Submissions are due by midnight CT on March 15, 2023. More info can be found here.
Lydia Conklin – PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for Debut Short Story Collection Finalist
Feb. 6, 2023—Congratulations to Assistant Professor of English, Lydia Conklin for being a finalist for one of the Pen America Literary Awards. The PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize is presented to an author whose debut collection of short stories represents distinguished literary achievement and suggests great promise for future work. More info on the awards can be found...