portland state university creative writing faculty

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The English Department

Creative writing faculty.

English Department

405 Williams Building Tallahassee,

Florida 32306-1580

Phone: (850) 644-4230

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2023-2024 Bulletin > College of Liberal Arts and Sciences > English > Undergraduate programs > Creative Writing B.F.A.

The study of English has long been considered one of the best ways to obtain a liberal education. Courses are designed to develop students’ critical capabilities, to deepen their understanding of diverse cultural issues, and to improve their abilities to analyze and produce complex texts. The department prepares its majors for careers in writing and teaching, as well as for a variety of professions in which high levels of literacy and critical thought are required. Indeed, the breadth of knowledge and the communication skills that English majors typically acquire make them attractive to many potential employers and prepare them for graduate work leading to professions in fields such as law, public policy, administration, and business. For those who wish to teach, the English Department prepares majors for graduate work leading to teaching certification or for entry into graduate master’s or doctoral programs in English.

Requirements

In addition to meeting university B.A. degree requirements, the Creative Writing major must meet the following requirements for the B.F.A. degree: Literature Courses, Writing Courses, Fine Art Electives, English Electives, Writing Electives, and a Graduation Requirement (Senior Portfolio).

Fine Art Electives (8 credits)

Two courses in arts appreciation, theory, or performance (8 credits).

This requirement is fulfilled through courses in the College of the Arts prefixed Arch, ArH, Art, D, FILM, Mus, and TA.

English Electives (12 credits)

12 upper division Eng credits (With adviser approval, one upper-division WLL literature course may be applied to this requirement.)

Required Literature Courses

Historical literacy (8 credits), culture, difference, and representation (4 credits), required writing courses (12 credits), writing electives (32 credits).

16 credits in the genre of portfolio (fiction, nonfiction, or poetry), at least 8 of which must be at the 400-level:

16 credits of additional upper-division WR courses, 8 of which must be 400-level.

Note: Wr 312 , Wr 313 , Wr 407 , Wr 412 , and Wr 413 may be repeated for credit.

Graduation Requirement: The Senior Portfolio

The Senior Portfolio is submitted for approval by the end of the third week of the term in which a student intends to graduate. For summer graduates, note that portfolios must be turned in by the end of the third week of spring term. Portfolios will not be accepted over the summer. The portfolio showcases the clean revised copy of the student's creative writing in a chosen genre (i.e., fiction, nonfiction, or poetry) and should contain: (a) An introductory statement of artistic intent (6-10 pages), which provides an overview and analysis of the development and revision of their portfolio work; and (b) Writing within a genre: 30-50 pages (fiction or nonfiction), or 20-30 pages (poetry). Email the portfolio and introductory statement in a DOC format to [email protected]; it will be forwarded to a departmental committee for review. The portfolio consists of a Title Page, a Table of Contents, a Statement of Artistic Intent, and your Writing. All pages must be proofread and properly formatted with 1-inch margins, and double-spaced in a readable standard 12-point font. (There are no spacing instructions for poems.) All pages except the Title Page should be numbered.

• Title page must include name, date, student ID #, email address, BFA genre (fiction, nonfiction, poetry), and identify itself as the BFA in Creative Writing Portfolio.  Students may additionally title or subtitle the collection if desired.
• Table of Contents must include page numbers, and titles for each piece in your Writing section. Statement of Artistic Intent will address a set of prompts available from the Program Coordinator and Undergraduate Advisor.  
• Writing section may consist of a single or multiple works within BFA genre; they may be thematically connected, but this is not required. Pieces written within courses may be used, and this is indeed encouraged, but they must be clean revised copies. Each piece within the Writing section should be numbered and titled.
• Work will not be judged by its subgenre or subject matter per se, or on its experimental or conventional nature; however, students are expected to carefully analyze and contextualize their artistry in the Statement of Artistic Intent.
• The Statement and Writing will be expected to meet a high standard of aesthetic achievement and writing craft, and to observe University standards of academic honesty. 

Additional Information on Requirements

• Creative Writing majors in upper-division English courses are expected to be able to write a research paper when required. The department recommends that majors without prior training in research paper writing enroll in Wr 222 .
• Only courses in which a student receives a C or above can count for the Creative Writing major.
• Only courses taken for a letter grade can count toward the Creative Writing major.
• No more than 12 credits taken for the Minor in English may be applied to the Creative Writing major.
• A minimum of 24 credits in English and/or Writing at PSU is required to graduate from PSU with a major in Creative Writing.

Total Credit Hours: 76

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Portland State University’s Creative Writing Department

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Portland State University’s Creative Writing MFA Program hosts visiting writers throughout the academic year, as well as many author readings, talks, and lectures, and a monthly student reading series.

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Portland State University

Oregon, united states.

The Portland State MFA is an intensive program of core workshops and seminars, emphasizing faculty mentorship throughout each student’s coursework and thesis completion. Flexible electives and mixed-genre seminars encourage writers to experiment in multiple genres and with hybrid forms.

PSU is located in the heart of Portland’s robust literary community. Internship opportunities have included Literary Arts, Tin House, Hawthorne Books, Fishtrap, The Accomplices, Oregon Humanities, Earthzine, and the Portland Tribune.

MFA students edit, produce, and market Portland Review (established 1956).

Our residential program is designed to serve both full-time and part-time students.

Contact Information

PO Box 751 Department of English Portland Oregon, United States 97207-0751 Phone: (503) 725-3521 Email: [email protected] Fax: (503) 725-3561 www.pdx.edu/creative-writing

Bachelor of Arts in English +

Undergraduate program director, bachelor of fine arts in creative writing +.

Portland State's BFA in Creative Writing provides students with the core skills and experience to enter the creative field or graduate study as writers, editors, teachers, and contributors to American letters. We feature a comprehensive and intensive program of classes in craft and technique, exposure to established writers, and opportunities for students to work closely with peers and professionals as they develop their creative and critical skills.

As part of a large and diverse university, students can choose from a wide array of department electives in creative writing, literature, publishing, composition, and technical writing -- and may further explore interdisciplinary connections through PSU’s College of the Arts, including courses in Architecture, Art, Art History, Film, Music, and Theatre.

Admission to the BFA is by application only and is highly selective. Please note that out-of-state first-year and transfer applicants in Western Undergraduate Exchange states applying early for fall admission can qualify for significantly reduced tuition.

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing +

Graduate program director.

Portland State University's MFA in Creative Writing is a residency program offering concentrations in Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry. Located in the urban center of one of the most vibrantly literary cities in America, our program provides emerging writers with opportunities for creative and intellectual exploration while working closely with a faculty of distinguished writers.

The MFA program offers an intensive curriculum of workshops, craft seminars, and literature courses, with an emphasis on faculty mentorship. Consistent with PSU's mandate to serve our city's cultural and professional needs, engagement in Portland's vibrant local community of writers is central to our students' movement from academic to creative careers.

Prospective students must apply to the genre in which they wish to work. Core workshops are taken in the student's primary genre, but writing electives may allow students to explore other genres. Students of fiction and nonfiction may work in long or short form and the thesis may be a collection of short pieces or a full-length work. Many students come to our program with a background in English literature, writing, or journalism, but this is not required. The program can be completed in two years of full-time coursework; however, many students take additional courses or attend part-time, and they have a maximum of five years to complete the degree.

Master of Arts in English +

Paul collins.

Blood & Ivy. Edgar Allan Poe. Duel with the Devil. Murder of the Century. The Book of William. The Trouble with Tom. Not Even Wrong. Sixpence House. Banvard's Folly.

http://www.literarydetective.com/

Red Clocks. The Listeners. Farewell Navigator: Stories.

http://www.lenizumas.com

Lucinda. The Wasteland and Other Poems.

http://www.pdx.edu/mfa-creativewriting/mfa-faculty

Gabriel Urza

All That Followed.

http://www.gabrielurza.com/

The Sky Isn't Blue. KEROTAKIS. Daughter. Reconsolidation.

http://janicel.com/

Publications & Presses +

Portland Review

Visiting Writers Program +

Will Alexander, Kimberly Alidio, Joshua Beckman, Charles Bernstein, Lucie Brock-Broido, Amina Cain, Gabrielle Civil, Lucy Corin, Lydia Davis, Anthony Doerr, Timothy Donnelly, Dave Eggers, Brian Evenson, Jennifer Firestone, Mitchell S. Jackson, Leslie Jamison, Tyehimba Jess, Douglas Kearney, John Keene, Joanna Klink, Nam Le, Sueyeun Juliette Lee, Miranda Mellis, Fred Moten, Eileen Myles, Maggie Nelson, Audrey Petty, Omar Pimienta, D. A. Powell, Mary Ruefle, Karen Russell, Christine Schutt, Amy Stewart, Ginger Strand, Dao Strom, Gabriela Torres Olivares, Arisa White, Diane Williams.

Reading Series +

PSU Reading Series ( https://www.pdx.edu/creative-writing/readings-events )

Filament Student Reading Series ( https://www.facebook.com/PSUMFAStudentReadings/ )

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Creative Writing at Portland State University

Jump to any of the following sections:

• Available Degrees
• Student Demographics
• Related Majors

Creative Writing Degrees Available at Portland State University

• Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing
• Master’s Degree in Creative Writing

Portland State University Creative Writing Rankings

The bachelor's program at Portland State University was ranked #93 on College Factual's Best Schools for creative writing list . It is also ranked #4 in Oregon .

Popularity of Creative Writing at Portland State University

During the 2020-2021 academic year, Portland State University handed out 7 bachelor's degrees in creative writing. This is a decrease of 30% over the previous year when 10 degrees were handed out.

In 2021, 4 students received their master’s degree in creative writing from Portland State University. This makes it the #176 most popular school for creative writing master’s degree candidates in the country.

Portland State University Creative Writing Students

Take a look at the following statistics related to the make-up of the creative writing majors at Portland State University.

Portland State University Creative Writing Bachelor’s Program

Of the 7 students who earned a bachelor's degree in Creative Writing from Portland State University in 2020-2021, 29% were men and 71% were women.

The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Portland State University with a bachelor's in creative writing.

Portland State University Creative Writing Master’s Program

For the most recent academic year available, 50% of creative writing master's degrees went to men and 50% went to women.

The majority of the students with this major are white. About 75% of 2021 graduates were in this category.

The following table and chart show the ethnic background for students who recently graduated from Portland State University with a master's in creative writing.

Most Popular Related Majors

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Home > School, College, or Department > CLAS > English > Dissertations and Theses

English / Creative Writing Masters Theses

Theses/dissertations from 2023 2023.

Heartbreak and Head Trauma , August Joseph Amoroso

The Letting , Jessamyn Hayley Duckwall

Songs in My Head: Essays , Robin Bacior Emanuelson

Rush: Volume One, Section One: Super Tuesday , Ruben Angel Gil-Herrera

In-Progress Works of Fiction in Disparate Styles with Common Themes , Josef Ginsberg

The Definition of Yearning , Ryan Goderez

The Greeley Variations , Mary Haidri

Ambos , Emerson Daniel Henry

Long Season , Jieon Kim

Motherdough , Sophia Kalin Merrell

Lackland , Matthew Eugene Rebholz

Land of Unwashed Clothes , Samantha Rivas

Communion Anthropoid , Joshua Stanek

Geese , Tia-Theo Thompson

From the Water , Ambra Wilson

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Everything She Left Behind , Karina LaChelle Agbisit

TermOil , Jay Butler

Winter Tale: a Novel , Kari Davidson

The Haunted Refuge Trilogy , Mark Devendorf

The Salve of Not Knowing , Elizabeth Jane Entity

Feminostalgia , Alexis Garrett

The Comb , Rosanna Nafziger Henderson

Rooted in Deepbone , Kynna Elizabeth Jane Lovin

The Jane Stories , Katherine Elizabeth Mitchell

Dustoff , Ryan D. O'Connell

Surfer's Journal , Ann M. Petroliunas

Selected Hybrid-Genre, Short Story, and Fiction Work , Elizabeth F. Pickard

Dog Music, or, An Invitation to a Haunting , Andrew Joseph Richman

The Fig King of Fresno: The Botanical Heist That Reshaped California's Landscape , Jacob Walz Roberts

You Will Be Loved: a Mixtape , Ariana M. Rosales

Bombyx Mori , David Kysung Seung

Hesitant Claim to Life , Brent Shenton

Well of Endings , Jason Michael Stieber

The Myths They Make of Us , Kaitlin Stone

Church of Sasquatch , Scott Zeigler

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Graphite Sun , Lucie Anne Bonvalet

Songs from the Wasteland , Nitya Prem Brorson

A for Arson , Anton Taylor Jones

Immodest Transformations , Georg Sperle

Believe What You Will: Essays , Lee Ware

ten-cent flower & other territories , Charity E. Yoro

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Self-Rescue, or Something Like It , Brittany Ann Barnhouse

Debts , Karina L. Briski

En Canastas , Cynthia Carmina Gómez Norzagaray

Night Office , Mark Douglas Guziel

Time and Other Monsters , Neil Alan Hetrick

Everyone Has a Garden , David Jarecki

There But Not But Now , Kathleen Levitt

Not Coughing, Speaking Through a Dog , Joshua Pollock

Great Sand Sea , Nada Sewidan

Extended Tryptic , Samuel Arthur Willhalm

Post Bellum Wishes , Jennifer Cie Williams

Valley of , Peter Zikos

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Cascade & Run , Morgaine Lillian Baumann

Upon a Dream , Jessica Marie Fonvergne

Unmanageable , Karleigh Anne Frisbie

Bounce House of 1000 Corpses , Jessica Hiestand

Follow the Bone , Lauren Verdell Hobson

Walking the Ridge of the Whorl , David Naimon

Not Even Past: Historical Essays on Subjects Forgotten , Michael L. Schepps

Mud, Twigs, and Clover , Mark Walsh

Nine Times Out of Ten, You Don't Die , Patrick Ronald Wensink

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Staring Into the Sun: Essays on Vision and Blindness , Joshua James Amberson

You are D. B. Cooper , James Bezerra

Walter's Rules for Getting By , Patrick Brogan

Murmuration , Braeden Dillenbeck

Scattered Sandpipers , Cassie Duncanson

Creature of Detours , Emily Suzanne Flouton

Lighter Than I Remember , Shane Hayden

All Saints , Rayna Maria Jensen

A Lonely Place Where the Heart Beats Loud , Benjamin Richard Kessler

Lady Grimm , Tessa Livingstone

At the Trail's End , Naomi Marshall

Sturgis, Michigan, Notable , Tyler Ray Meese

Domestic Violence and Other Poems , Patrick Sevin Rogers

The Skins We Have Shed and Where They Are Buried: a Collection , Molly Elizabeth Simas

Discount Ceremony: a Collection of Short Stories , Tim Steele

b o y , Consuelo Wise

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Off Center Any Other Time , Kellie Constance Cook

Close Enough: Adventures in Fact-Checking , Ramona Wynne DeNies

Blackthorne: a Novel in Progress , LaVonne Griffin-Valade

AM/BITS , Alice Everly Hall

Dirty Girls , Mary E. Higgins

Meat Shack and Other Creative Works , Susannah Katherine Jayroe

A New Meridian , Catherine Ann Johnson

Human Subjects , Stephanie Wong Ken

Forget Nostalgia , Jon Jerome Krill

( stay ) go ( put ) through , Andrew P. Longhofer

New World Massive , Miguel Anthony Lopez

The Sub-Country , Jason Maurer

Animals Coupling: Stories , Corey Robert Millard

Matryoshka , Darla Mottram

A Collection of Poetry , Michael Edward Murray

Home Is Where the Gator Is: a collection of memoir and essays , Rachel Heather Palmer

Vagrant of the El Camino: a Memoir , Jacob Kevin Sauvageau

My Mouth has a Mother , Jenessa VanZutphen

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Quartz and Other Stories , Lily Brooks-Dalton

The Gate and Other Stories , Cassondra Bird Combs

The Names , Karolinn Fiscaletti

SATOR / AREPO / TENET / OPERA / ROTAS , Aaron Giesa

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Kaitlyn von behren.

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Kaitlyn Von Behren is a first-year poet from Wisconsin. She can't stop writing about mythology, healing, and being a girl. You can find her writing in publications such as The Mochila Review , Redivider , and Red Cedar Review , among others. 

Nicolette Ratz

Lila cutter.jpg.

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Pronouns: He/Him/His

Tor Strand is a poet who promises to write an essay one of these days. He is also trying his hand at the making of abstract art through stained glass. Tor is a recipient of the Mari Sandoz emerging writer award, a Fishtrap fellowship, and the Margery Davis Boyden Wilderness Writing Residency. Samples of his work can be found or forthcoming in Inverted Syntax, The Santa Ana River Review, and Palette Poetry.

Lila Cutter

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Lila Cutter is a first-year MFA candidate studying Poetry, with a background in equitable arts education work. Though originally from Iowa, she spent the past five years in California’s Bay Area, working for the writing nonprofit 826 Valencia as an educator and Internship Manager. Lila studied literature and public action at Bennington College and earned her B.A. from University of Iowa in Creative Writing. Within her poetry, Lila is interested in refracting perceptions of femininity.

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Pronouns: he/him/his

Sam Olson was raised in Portland, OR. He returns to the Oregon after nearly a decade spent between Montana and Washington, where he facilitated poetry workshops, taught environmental science, and patrolled wilderness trails. In part, his poetry seeks to respond to Elizabeth Woody’s demand that "we must all the power of our minds and hearts to bring the salmon back.".

 Hannah Ariesen

Hannah_arisen.jpg.

Pronouns: she/they

Hannah Ariesen is a first-year poetry MFA candidate from Las Vegas, Nevada. She most recently worked as a barista and part-time substitute teacher. They enjoy writing about and exploring the relationship between the self, the spirit, and the natural world. When not writing, you can find her walking aimlessly in parks and likely saying hello to trees.

Monique Lanier

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Monique originally comes from Salt Lake City, UT. She spent the last couple years in Cambridge, MA where she graduated with a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. In her poetry you will find her wrestling with theodicy, the apocalypse, motherhood, gender, and, of course, the Anthropocene and Patriarchy. To lighten things up, she explores longing, elemental distance, and the erotic/sensuality of, in, and lost, with the Beloved.

Selene Ross

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Selene Ross loves words, stories, and sounds. She is an audio producer, fiction writer and musician from Berkeley, California, or more specifically, El Sobrante–a semi-rural "census designated place" just east of Richmond. Her stories have been featured on  The Kitchen Sisters , KALW, NPR, KCRW and independent podcasts. Before moving to Corvallis, she lived in Oakland and was a senior audio producer at Dipsea, where she directed voice actors, oversaw sound-design and led the development of a new genre of sleep audio. Her short stories often explore themes of power and trust and the raptures and ruptures thereof, especially as experienced by teenage girls. She has a B.A. in Environmental Studies & Sociology from UC Santa Barbara and a love of all things weird and wonderful. Learn more at  selross.com . 

Aviva Wei Xue

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Aviva Wei Xue is a first-year fiction MFA candidate from mainland China. Having published a book and several articles in literary and feminist studies with Bloomsbury, Routledge,  International Journal of Women’s Studies  and  Comparative Literature in China , she is now working on her short stories and a novel, delving into counter-narratives and metafictional writing. She describes herself as nimble, hard-working and sensitive, daring like a leaping cat experimenting new things, and meticulous like Australian waxflowers, tiny yet blossom seriously. 

Haley Kennedy

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Haley is a computational linguist with a BA in Linguistics and an MSc in Speech and Language Processing. Her recent fiction explores our relationships with language, housing, wildlife, and water. She wants to be a xenolinguist when she grows up.

Veronica Suchodolski

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Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Veronica Suchodolski found her way to Corvallis via Western Mass, New York City, and Seattle. She holds a BA from Barnard College and worked professionally as a social media manager. In fiction, she’s interested in women, social class, and expectation — “how we thought it would be, and how it is.” Loves farmers markets, hates driving, friendly with other dogs.

Sukayna Davanzo

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Sukayna is a fiction MFA candidate, originally from Dearborn, Michigan. She previously studied literature at Wayne State University, where she earned a BA and MA in English with a concentration in Middle Eastern representation/Orientalism in modern and post-modern media. In her fiction writing, Sukayna is interested in exploring the intergenerational relationships and tensions between immigrant women. When she isn’t writing, Sukayna can be found taking long walks or watching The Great British Bake Off on repeat.

Elliot Laurence

Pronouns: He/They

Elliot 'Icarus' Laurence is a writer from St. Louis, Missouri. He drove to Oregon with his sister, his dog, and his cat to write about underrepresented groups in a style he calls 'poverty fiction'. As a transgender Air Force veteran and activist for the LGBTQ+ community, Laurence is a recipient of the Young Alumni Award from Webster University, where he earned his B.A. in English, minor in Creative Writing, and certificate in Digital Media. Laurence enjoys hiking when they have time; Laurence likes having time. 

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Grace Hime is a fiction candidate from Wisconsin, who enjoys visual storytelling as much as writing. She is constantly trying to combine the two, creating collages and scrapbooks to accompany her work, which has been described as "camp with an indelible sincerity", "Americana with classical appeals". Grace likes the term "kitschy" and would invite you to the poker table. The buy-in is two Milk-Bones and a cigar.

Miranda Kross

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Miranda hails from Connecticut and identifies as an east coast cynic. She has a B.A. in English with a double minor in Women's and Gender Studies and Philosophy from Southern Connecticut State University. Her fiction deals primarily with grief monsters, garbage, bodily yuckiness, and being a child. "Hi, Mom and Dad." 

Creative Nonfiction

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Emily Podwoiski practices écriture féminine by placing women at the heart of her narratives. Born and raised in Metro Detroit, Emily holds her BA in English from University of Michigan-Dearborn and her MA in English from Wayne State University. She is currently working on a collection of personal essays about love, loss, and the literary roots of Valentine’s Day. In her essays, she obsesses over Old Hollywood Bombshells with a capital B, Emily Dickinson’s love letters, seashell jewelry, Nicolas Cage in Moonstruck (1987), and all things valentine.

Cooper Dart

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Cooper is an essayist from central Idaho who writes in, of, and from the rural American West. His obsessions include pickled red onions, Muji’s 0.38mm gel pens, and the light fixture aisle of Home Depot. His essays can be found in  DIAGRAM ,  The Adroit Journal , and  Washington Square Review , and he holds a B.A. in environmental studies and anthropology from Bowdoin College.

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Pronouns: they/them/theirs

Bec Ehlers was raised in Seattle and has recently returned to the PNW after years in New York devising accessible theatre and petting bodega cats. Their work centers on the body, through the experiences of living in a body and being a caregiver to the bodies of others. Their writing has been seen in print with Harmony Ink Press and Sinister Wisdom , and onstage with Macha Monkey Productions and Fantastic.Z Theatre

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RT Villa is from the middle of nowhere mid-Atlantic. Her essays and prosetry explore escapism, the mundane horrors of the everyday, and the tension points of relationships between beings and themselves, others, and the objects around them. Their work has been featured in  McSweeney's ,  The Believer,  and  Grub Street , among other publications. They are the nonfiction editor of the  VIDA Review , and currently call Oregon home, along with their chunky child of a cat. 

Isabelle Robinson

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Isabelle Robinson is a cross-genre writer and poet from South Florida, by way of a long line of New York Jews. In 2018, she returned to New York to study English and creative writing at Barnard College. In all forms, her work is moored in themes of grief and loss, violence, and memory. If she had to choose an emblem of her writing, it would be an empty chair. Her other literary and academic interests include playwriting, Shakespeare, gender and sexuality studies, and the photographic essay. She loves rooftops, Scream (1996), the almighty em-dash, and everything bagels — ideally toasted with veggie cream cheese.

Natalie Van Gelder

Natalie Van Gelder’s research, writing, and teaching interests center around the use of narrative medicine in the medical humanities and writing across the curriculum, specifically as it applies to neurodiversity, child development, and trauma studies. She holds an MA in creative writing from California State University Northridge and a BA in English and sociology from CSU Bakersfield. Natalie calls Agua Dulce, California home and is often inspired by her childhood and the natural landscapes of the Mojave Desert where she grew up. When not writing or teaching, Natalie can often be found looking down at the ground in search of insects or up at the stars wondering about extraterrestrials.

Ellison Rose

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Pronouns: They/She

Ellison is a nonfiction writer and poet born and raised in the rural South. They hold a B.A. in English: Creative Writing from the University of Memphis and spent 8 years in food service before making their way to the MFA. While here, they intend to use their work to explore rural cultural wealth, as well as the legacies of immigration, assimilation, and intergenerational trauma. When not hunched over a book or a notebook, you can find them scampering through the forest taking film photographs of water droplets, or else sprawled out on the carpet making flower crowns while listening to podcasts.

Katherine Cusumano

Katherine Cusumano is a writer and editor whose work focuses on gender, culture, and the outdoors. Her essays and reportage are interested in the ways people relate to the world around them: their environments and their obsessions. Before coming to Corvallis, she spent seven years working as a journalist in New York; her writing has appeared in the New York Times , Outside , W Magazine , and many others. She grew up in Bermuda, and she still thinks of it as home. Her full portfolio exists at  katherinecusumano.com .

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Email: [email protected]

College of Liberal Arts Student Services 214 Bexell Hall 541-737-0561

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Corvallis, OR 97331-8600

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Forest Grove, Hillsboro & Eugene Campuses Closed

Update: Pacific University’s Forest Grove, Hillsboro and Eugene campuses, and all Pacific healthcare clinics, remain closed all day Friday, Jan. 19. More Details

Master of Fine Arts in Writing (MFA)

An exceptional low-residency writing program in the Pacific Northwest

Pacific University’s Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Writing program celebrates writing as an art that has the potential to make a difference in the world.

Our MFA in Writing program offers a high level of craft and conversation, upheld by the good humor and care of a community of individuals who share a passion for art. We value and promote diversity, equity and inclusion, and our work in this regard is ongoing. The talents, skills and perspectives of our individual members together create a culture of belonging, collaboration, discovery and respect. We believe in inspiration but also in revision. We believe there is no one way to write and no right way to write. Above all, we believe in quality and originality in any guise. We know that the writer’s life is a full and complex one, and the MFA in Writing program welcomes students who have full-time jobs and other obligations. Our writers will meet you where you are.

Pacific’s Master of Fine Arts in Writing program presents learning in its truest sense, meaning, simply, that we are all in this together.

We're here to help on your way to your MFA in Writing! Learn about the admissions process and contact your admissions counselor.

How to Apply

Earn a MFA in Writing

In a rigorous course of study that emphasizes the creative process, award-winning writers work closely with students to support and inspire emerging craft and voice. Through their time in the MFA in Writing program, students create a quality portfolio of fiction, nonfiction or poetry — and often work across genres — reflecting their unique styles and forms of expression.

Student and faculty relationships begin in residencies and extend throughout the semester of guided study , with students and faculty advisors engaged in a months-long dialogue about the students' writing and reading, and anything else that attends them. At the same time, the MFA faculty advisors remain hard at work on their own writing, and every exchange with a student is touched by mutual goals.

March 1, 2024, is the priority due date for the Fall 2024 semester that will begin with  residency from June 20 -30, 2024, on the Pacific University campus in Forest Grove, Oregon. We will accept applications until May 15, as space allows.

Work with Award-Winning Writers

The writers who teach as part of the faculty for the MFA program are outstanding for both their level of national or regional literary achievements and for their teaching abilities. These accomplished writers share a sense of joy around their work and around the community they comprise, bringing their diverse writing styles and voices to the mix.

Join the Residency Writers Conference

Writers seeking to deepen their craft and expand their professional community are invited to attend the Residency Writers Conference with MFA students, faculty and guest speakers. The Residency Writers Conference is open to non-degree-seeking writers who are not ready to commit to a graduate degree program or who have already earned a master’s degree but want to grow in their writing. Conference attendees are completely integrated into the community throughout the residency, and are encouraged to participate fully in the programming.

A Word from the Director

It’s my distinct pleasure to work and write at the center of this MFA, supporting the artistic visions and ambitions of an increasingly diverse and wildly imaginative group of writers. Being supported by them. We are committed to what’s known at Pacific as the Grand Conversation, a collaborative creative hum that resonates across the generations of writers we’ve brought together, a promise of deep artistic engagement and development that carries on today and into our shared future. Feel free to reach out with questions. I’m around. Scott Korb [email protected]

Pacific University Master of Fine Arts in Writing Program 503-352-1531 | [email protected]

530 NW 12th Ave., Portland, OR 97209 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday

Pacific University MFA students earn a master's degree in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry over the course of two years.

The Master of Fine Arts in Writing program welcomes students who have demonstrated talent, commitment to the writing process, an openness to critique, and a dedication to individual voice and vision.

Explore MFA in Writing tuition and financial aid.

Writers seeking to deepen their craft and expand their professional community are invited to attend the Residency Writers Conference. Join MFA students, faculty and guest speakers for an outstanding Northwest writers conference.

Meet the writers who serve as faculty for the Pacific University Master of Fine Arts in Writing program.

When you give a gift to the Masters of Fine Arts in Writing scholarships, you are assisting writers whose art reflects the full and rich diversity of our humanity.

As a community of artist-citizens and teaching artists, we embrace our responsibility to educate and help shape diverse poets and storytellers who abhor racism and who understand their roles in shaping culture through their talent and hard work.

We are pleased to welcome international students to the Master of Fine Arts in Writing program where we value diverse ideas, cultures and aesthetics.

Upcoming Events

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The Pacific University MFA is thrilled to celebrate the news that faculty poet Kwame Dawes has been named the Poet Laureate of Jamaica, serving a term lasting from 2024-2027.

The experience of competing at the NCAA Division I wasn't all that Sydnie Binder '22 MFA '24 hoped for. She has become a standout at the Division III level for Pacific, both on the tennis court and in the classroom.

Videos of the fall and winter 2023-24 Mapmakers Alumni Institute sessions are now available.

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2024 | Faculty Promoted to Associate Professor

31 osu faculty are promoted to associate professor.

As Oregon's land grant university, Oregon State University is committed to educating, both on and off-campus, the citizens of Oregon, the nation, and the international community, and in expanding and applying knowledge. Candidates for promotion are evaluated objectively for evidence of distinction in their performance of assigned duties and in their scholarship or creative activity. The excellence of our faculty is paramount and we are very proud of the faculty recently promoted to the rank of associate professor.

Andrew J. Annalora  Associate Professor, Senior Research | Environmental and Molecular Toxicology

Hailing from Gallup, New Mexico, Dr. Annalora's upbringing near the Navajo Nation instilled in him a profound appreciation for cultural diversity. His journey in science began at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, where he studied vitamin D hormone biochemistry, and earned a PhD in the Biomedical Sciences delving into the protein structures of important therapeutic targets for cancer and chronic kidney disease. Postdoctoral achievements at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, led him to Oregon State University, where he conduct research on xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes, mentor students, and am deeply committed to toxicology, addressing pivotal environmental health issues.

Gerrad Jones  Associate Professor | Biological and Ecological Engineering

Dr. Gerrad Jones has experience in biology, ecology, hydrology and hydraulics, environmental chemistry and engineering, and inorganic geochemistry. While seemingly disparate, many environmental problems are complex and cannot be solved with the tools from a single discipline. His interests focus on understanding how ecosystem health is driven by complex interactions between biological, chemical, and physical processes. Often, synergistic/antagonistic interactions among variables can mask true patterns. Without understanding these complex interactions, we can misinterpret our data, which can lead to poor management decisions or designs. By embracing environmental complexity, we can build resilient systems that work with nature instead of against it.

Josh Stewart  Associate Professor | Agricultural Education and Agricultural Sciences

Josh Stewart is an Associate Professor of Agricultural Education in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University. He primarily teaches graduate courses in the Agricultural Education program, where he also serves as the program Director. Among other duties, Josh oversees agriculture teacher candidate placement, supervision, and licensure. Josh’s research interests include pedagogical content knowledge development in early career teachers, experiential learning in agriculture teacher preparation, and attrition and retention in agricultural education. Josh enjoys running, cycling, hiking, and golf, as well as time with his wife and two daughters.

Roberto Valdivia  Associate Professor, Senior Research | Applied Economics

Roberto Valdivia is an Associate Professor, Senior Researcher in the Department of Applied Economics at Oregon State University. He holds a Ph.D. in development and environmental economics from Wageningen University in Netherlands. He co-leads the regional economics team of the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP) and is co-developer of the Tradeoff Analysis Model for Multi-Dimensional Impact Assessment (TOA-MD). Roberto’s research focuses on Africa, Asia, Latin America and the US. His research includes analysis of agricultural systems and impact assessment: assessing socio-economic and environmental impacts of policy and technologies, tradeoff analysis, foresight, and climate change, adaptation and mitigation impacts.

Karthik Murali  Associate Professor | Management, Entrepreneurship, and Supply Chain

Karthik Murali is an Associate Professor of Supply Chain and Logistics Management at Oregon State University. He teaches quantitative courses at the undergraduate and MBA levels including Operations Management, Supply Chain Modeling and Decision Analysis, and the Supply Chain Capstone. Karthik's research interests are in the areas of environmental sustainability and social justice in the contexts of food systems, consumer goods supply chains, and renewable energy technologies. His work has been published in the leading field journals Management Science, Manufacturing & Service Operations Management and Production and Operations Management. In his spare time, he is most likely to be found birdwatching, hiking with his dog, or on the squash courts.

Dina Ribbink  Associate Professor | Management, Entrepreneurship, and Supply Chain

Dina Ribbink is an Associate Professor of Operations Management in the College of Business at Oregon State University – Cascades. She received her Ph.D. from the Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland in 2010. Dina earned her MS in Business Administration from Maastricht University, the Netherlands in 2003. Before joining the faculty at OSU-Cascades, Dina was at the Ivey Business School at Western University, Canada. Dina's primary focus in research is on contractual buyer-supplier relationships, with a focus on international relationships and a special emphasis on behavioral experiments. In addition, she researches in the related fields of food supply chains as well as supply chains of emergency relief aid. Dina’s research has been published in top tier journals in the field like the Journal of Operations Management, International Journal of Operation and Production Management and Transportation Journal, as well as the Journal of Service Management, the Journal of Transportation Research Forum, and Managing Service Quality.  

Emily Eidam   Associate Professor | Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences

Dr. Emily Eidam is a coastal oceanographer and marine geologist who studies the transport and deposition of sediments in fluvial, coastal, and continental shelf systems. Originally from Alaska, she holds BS degrees in Civil Engineering and Geology (from UAA) and MS and PhD degrees in Oceanography (from UW). Presently much of her research is based in the Arctic, and includes studies of sediment transport during the summer and freezeup seasons. She is also actively involved in service projects aimed at training new oceanographers in best practices for managing research surveys on polar vessels.

Maria Kavanaugh   Associate Professor | Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences

Maria Kavanaugh is a seascape ecologist who focuses on the intersection of marine biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and climate-ocean dynamics. She utilizes a multi-pronged approach that includes lab and field-based studies, satellite remote sensing, and data science. She collaborates broadly across disciplines and sectors to codevelop indicators and observation systems to assess and track changes in ecosystem health. Kavanaugh also is a student-centered educator and mentor who aims to provide a diverse population with tools and support to critically observe natural phenomena and communicate findings to scientists and the general public.

Nicholas Siler   Associate Professor | Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences

Nicholas Siler is an Associate Professor of Atmospheric Science at OSU and the Associate State Climatologist for Oregon. He teaches courses in climate science, meteorology, mathematical methods, and data analysis. His research focuses on understanding the water cycle and its response to climate change across a wide range of spatial scales, from small watersheds to the entire globe. He holds an AB in Physics from Harvard College and a PhD in Atmospheric Science from the University of Washington. He is a veteran of the US Air Force.

Abraham Cazares-Cervantes   Associate Professor, Clinical | Counselor, Adult, and Higher Education

Abraham Cazares-Cervantes is a licensed school counselor in the state of Oregon. Abraham earned a BA in psychology & Spanish and an MS in Mental Health & School Counseling from Central Washington University and a doctorate in Counseling from Oregon State University. He is an experienced bilingual/bicultural (English/ Spanish) counselor originally from Mexico. He worked for eight years as a mental health counselor and school counselor in Washington State before becoming a university faculty. Prior to joining OSU, he was an Assistant Professor at Northwest Christian University where he served as a faculty and later as the Program Director for the College of Education. He is currently an Associate Clinical Professor of Counseling at Oregon State University, teaching, and supervising counselors in training from all tracks, the clinical mental health, school counseling and the Ph.D. counseling program. Outside teaching and supervising, Abraham enjoys spending time with family, gardening and doing DIY home projects.

Melisa DeMeyer   Associate Professor, Clinical | Counselor, Adult, and Higher Education

Dr. Melisa DeMeyer has been a faculty member at OSU-Cascades since 2019. She is a licensed professional counselor and a national certified counselor. DeMeyer's professional experiences include providing services to children, adolescents, couples, and families. She was previously the department chair of an integrative mental health program in Portland, Oregon. She is the owner of a private practice in Bend, Oregon where she specializes in couples counseling. Dr. DeMeyer's areas of interest and wonder include: reflectivity and reflexivity, systems-based counseling and supervision practices, the importance and impact of mentorship, couple and family counseling, feminism, and social constructionism.

April LaGue   Associate Professor, Clinical | Counselor, Adult, and Higher Education

Dr. April LaGue (she/her) has been a faculty member in Oregon State University’s Counseling Program since 2018. April serves as both the current Chair of the program and the Clinical Coordinator. She has been a part of Oregon State University as an alumni since 2014 when she graduated from the Counseling program with her Ph.D. Dr. LaGue’s areas of interest include student leadership and advocacy in the areas of school counseling and clinical mental health. She is passionate about collaborating with her students in the COUN program to support their growth and development around research, advocacy, and leadership.

Lucy L. Purgason   Associate Professor | Counselor, Adult, and Higher Education

Dr. Lucy L. Purgason, is an associate professor of Counseling at Oregon State University-Cascades. A licensed school counselor, she brings five years of service in schools, including work with newcomer immigrant and refugee students. Her research centers on recognizing and incorporating the cultural strengths of students and their families. In addition, she pursues scholarship on counseling mentoring and supervision. She is a recipient of research awards from practitioner and academic outlets. As co-director of the Department of Education grant-funded program PATH-SC, she endeavors to enhance the number and diversity of school counselors in high-needs, rural schools in Central Oregon.

Samuel Briggs Associate Professor | Nuclear Science and Engineering

Samuel Briggs’ research revolves around addressing materials challenges for next-generation nuclear reactor designs, including degradation in liquid metal and molten salt coolants and high-temperature, high-radiation conditions. He is particularly interested in the combined effect of simultaneous corrosion and mechanical stress on the accelerated breakdown of metal alloys in extreme energy environments. His research group employs unique experimental facilities and advanced characterization techniques to develop a robust understanding of phenomena affecting long-term materials performance in advanced nuclear systems. Dr. Briggs received his B.S. from Oregon State University, and his Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Yue Cao  Associate Professor | Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Yue Cao joined OSU in 2018. Before that, he has worked at Amazon Prime Air, Apple, Halliburton, and Oak Ridge National Lab. His research interests include power electronics, motor drives, and energy storage with applications in renewable energy integration and transportation electrification. He has been a PI or co-PI of projects sponsored by NSF, DOE, Navy, Portland General Electric, Amazon Prime Air, and Grainger Foundation. He received 2023 OSU Promising Scholar award, 2022 NSF CAREER award, 2022 NAE FOE fellowship, and 2020 OSU Learning Innovation Grant. He is an IEEE Senior Member and an associate editor of two IEEE Transactions.

Joseph Davidson Associate Professor | Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering

Dr. Davidson received his B.S. from the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY in 2004. After serving in the Army for five years, Dr. Davidson worked as a project manager for the CH2M HILL Plateau Remediation Company at Hanford, WA from 2009 to 2012. He received his M.S. and Ph.D. from Washington State University and was a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 2016 to 2018. Dr. Davidson's group performs fundamental and applied research at the intersection of mechanics, machine learning, and controls. Current areas of emphasis include robotic manipulation and soft robotics.

Naomi Fitter Associate Professor | Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering

Dr. Fitter’s past degrees include a B.S. and B.A. in mechanical engineering and Spanish from the University of Cincinnati and an M.S.E. and Ph.D. in robotics and mechanical engineering and applied mechanics from the University of Pennsylvania. She completed her doctoral work in the GRASP Laboratory’s Haptics Group and was a Postdoctoral Scholar in the University of Southern California Interaction Lab from 2017 to 2018. Her past experiences in industry include fluid modeling and simulation for the Procter & Gamble Oral Care Division and wearable health monitoring device development and evaluation for Microsoft Research. As a member of the Collaborative Robotics and Intelligent Systems (CoRIS) Institute, Dr. Fitter aims to equip robots with the ability to engage and empower people in interactions from playful high-fives to challenging physical therapy routines.

Meagan Wengrove  Associate Professor | Civil and Construction Engineering

Dr. Meagan Wengrove is a coastal engineer and scientist who leads the Coastal Boundary Dynamics Research Group at Oregon State University. Their research focus is on the physics of natural and engineered coastal systems. Including creating engineering guidance for the use of coastal dunes and dynamic cobble revetments for coastal protection, quantifying mechanisms of ice-ocean boundary layer interaction that contribute to melting of tidewater glaciers and icebergs, and exploring the technology of distributed fiber optic sensing as an ocean sensing technology. Wengrove also enjoys teaching both graduate and undergraduate classes at Oregon State focused on coastal dynamics, programming and sensors, and fluid mechanics.

Matthew Powers Associate Professor | Forest Engineering, Resources and Management

Dr. Matthew Powers, a leading researcher in silviculture, holds a Ph.D. in Forest Science (2008) from Michigan Technological University. Specializing in sustainable wood and biomass production, biodiversity conservation, and climate change adaptation, his work evaluates tradeoffs among diverse management objectives. With an extensive academic background, including an MS in Forest Ecology and Management and a BS in Biology, Matthew focuses on understanding how silvicultural practices impact forest structure and function. His dedication extends to unraveling the intricate processes driving stand development and spatial complexity following management activities, providing valuable insights into the dynamics of forest ecosystems.

Marit Bovbjerg  Associate Professor | Nutrition and Public Health

Marit Bovbjerg ’s research focuses on US maternity care, particularly midwifery and community birth for low-risk women. Marit is also interested in physical activity during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and potential effects on maternal outcomes.

Ana Milena Ribero  Associate Professor | Writing, Literature, and Film

Ana Milena Ribero joined the School of Writing, Literature, and Film in 2016 after receiving her PhD from the University of Arizona. Her research and teaching focuses on rhetorics of im/migration, rhetorics of race, critical literacies and pedagogies, and Women of Color feminisms. She is the author of Dreamer Nation: Immigration, Activism, and Neoliberalism (University of Alabama Press, 2023), which tells the rhetorical story of Dreamers and the activism in which they engaged during the Obama years. Her award-winning scholarship can be found in Rhetoric Review, Peitho, Performance Research, and Present Tense: A Journal of Rhetoric in Society.

Jennifer Richter  Associate Professor | Writing, Literature, and Film

Jennifer Richter teaches graduate and undergraduate creative writing, literature, and narrative medicine courses and arranges multigenre student collaborations between SWLF and other schools. Her first poetry collection, Threshold, was a national bestseller and was chosen by former U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey for the Crab Orchard Series; her second collection, No Acute Distress, was a Crab Orchard Editor’s Selection; both were named Oregon Book Award Finalists. Richter’s new collection, Dear Future, won the Tenth Gate Prize for midcareer poets. Before arriving at OSU, Richter spent six years as a Wallace Stegner Fellow and Jones Lecturer in Poetry at Stanford University.

Shaozeng Zhang  Associate Professor | Language, Culture, and Society

Shaozeng Zhang is an Anthropologist whose research strives to understand the development and use of scientific knowledge and technological tools in environmental and cultural change. He’s also committed to anthropological methodological innovation for academic and applied research. Dr. Zhang has been working largely in the fields of Science and Technology Studies (STS), environmental anthropology, and applied anthropology with geographic foci in Brazil and the U.S. Dr. Zhang received his Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of California, Irvine, and his M.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Peking University in Beijing, China.

Molly Burke  Associate Professor | Integrative Biology

Dr. Molly Burke was born and raised in the Los Angeles suburbs and earned her B.S. in biology from UCLA in 2004. She attended graduate school at UC Irvine, where she studied the evolutionary biology and genetics of aging. She earned her PhD in 2010, and her doctoral work was published in Nature and featured in the New York Times. She continued to broaden her perspective as an evolutionary geneticist through postdoctoral positions at UC Irvine and then UC San Diego. Dr. Burke established her lab in the Integrative Biology Department at Oregon State University in 2015. Since then, her lab has been doing experiments with yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) to test fundamental questions in evolutionary biology. Current projects include: searching for genetic mechanisms that may potentiate health and reproduction at old ages, studying how to traits relevant to human health and medicine evolve in real time, and predicting how populations will evolve in response to the stresses imposed by global climate change. This work is currently funded by the National Institutes of Health. In addition to running her lab, Dr. Burke teaches upper-division classes in genetics and evolution at OSU, and she helps coordinate IB's graduate program.

Jamie Cornelius Associate Professor | Integrative Biology

Jamie Cornelius studies the behavioral and physiological adaptations of birds to environmental challenges such as winter storms, wildfire smoke and food shortages. Her work has appeared in journals such as Proceedings of the Royal Society B, Biology Letters, TREE and Hormones and Behavior, and has been supported by the National Science Foundation, The Nature Conservancy and National Geographic. Jamie earned her B.S. from University of Washington and her Ph.D. from University of California-Davis, followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at the Max Planck Institute of Ornithology in Germany. She was a 2013 Fulbright Fellow in Russia and a 2022 National Geographic Society Explorer. Prior to her appointment in Integrative Biology, she was an Assistant Professor at Eastern Michigan University. Jamie is also a singer-songwriter and is active in the Art-Sci collaborative at Oregon State University.

Maude David  Associate Professor | Microbiology and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Dr. Maude David is a faculty with a split appointment in the department of Microbiology and the department of Pharmaceutical Sciences since 2018. Dr. David’s research is focused on the gut-brain-microbiota axis, and in developing new analytical methods to integrate multi-omics data from of microbial community from a variety of ecosystems. She has worked on implementing a transdisciplinary program, with notably industry partners on autism spectrum disorder, and many interdisciplinary collaborations across microbiome fields. Dr. David is particularly invested in mentoring: in the last 5 years she has advised 7 graduate students, 14 undergraduates students who have received altogether over 30 awards, and she is the recipient of the Breaking Barriers in Education award – Oregon State University President’s Commission on the Status of Women – recognizes OSU member whose high impact teaching and mentoring has paved the way to advance gender equity in higher education.

Chad Giusti  Associate Professor | Mathematics

Chad Giusti is a mathematician working in the area of topological data analysis, which characterizes mesoscale and qualitative structure in complex systems. His research involves both mathematical foundations and applications, principally in areas of neuroscience. This work appeared in journals such as PNAS, the Journal of Topology, and Crelle's, and has been supported by the NSF, AFOSR, and AFRL. He grew up in Oregon, and obtained his BS and PhD in mathematics at the University of Oregon in 2003 and 2010, respectively. Prior to his current appointment, he was an Assistant Professor of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Delaware, a Warren Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, and held postdoctoral positions at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and Willamette University.

Kyriakos Stylianou Associate Professor | Chemistry

Dr. Kyriakos C. Stylianou, originally from Larnaca, Cyprus, earned his Ph.D. in materials chemistry at the University of Liverpool, United Kingdom, under the guidance of Prof. Matthew J. Rosseinsky and co-supervision of Prof. Darren Bradshaw. His doctoral research focused on the rational design, synthesis and characterization of open porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for advanced applications. Following completion of his Ph.D., he was awarded the prestigious Marie Curie fellowship, enabling him to join the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology and collaborate with Prof. Daniel Maspoch. During this period, Dr. Stylianou applied his expertise in synthetic chemistry to surface chemistry and the growth of porous materials on surfaces, utilizing nanolithography and inkjet printing methodologies. In 2015, he moved to École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne/Valais in Sion, Switzerland, as a team leader within the Laboratory of Molecular Simulations, and started his independent research career. He was awarded with the prestigious Ambizione Energy Grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation, to investigate the potential of MOFs in photocatalysis, specifically for water splitting and hydrogen production. His group also investigated the utilization of high-throughput methodologies to accelerate the discovery of novel nanoporous materials for energy- and optical-related applications. In 2019, Dr. Stylianou joined the Department of Chemistry at Oregon State University as an Assistant Professor and established the Materials Discovery Laboratory (MaD Lab). His research team is dedicated to designing and synthesizing functional MOFs for carbon capture and utilization, hydrogen generation and storage, the capture of hazardous molecules such as ammonia and iodine, and sensing applications. Throughout his career, Dr. Stylianou supervised six graduate students, co-supervised the Ph.D. thesis of two more graduate students, advised three master students, mentored over 30 undergraduate students, and published over 80 peer-reviewed journals (h-index 38) including in Nature, Science, JACS, Angew. Chem., Chem. Sci., and many others. Currently, he mentors one postdoctoral fellow, six graduate students and nine undergraduate students. Dr. Stylianou was awarded with several research and teaching awards from the Department of Chemistry, College of Science at Oregon State University, and Foundations, highlighting his dedication to education.

Haley Leeper  Associate Professor, Clinical | Clinical Sciences

Haley Leeper is originally from Pendleton Oregon and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from Oregon State University in 2007. While applying to veterinary school she gained hands on experience in the specialty of veterinary oncology at the University of California Davis Veterinary Teaching Hospital as a hired veterinary assistant. She attended veterinary school in Southern California at Western University of Health Sciences between 2008 and 2012. Upon graduation she completed a one-year small animal rotating internship at Oklahoma State University. She then returned to Oregon State in 2013 for an oncology internship followed by a three-year residency in medical oncology. Dr. Leeper joined the faculty as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine in 20 I 7. Over the past six years, she has fo1mulated a teaching philosophy of creating lifelong learners and critical thinkers based on her experience with problem-based learning at Western University. In addition, she has expanded her clinical research to include numerous retrospective studies as well as prospective clinical trials. Dr. Leeper became the service head of oncology in 2020, and recently was hired into a part-time hospital role of Small Animal Chief of Staff May of 2023.

Fikru Nigussie Associate Professor, Clinical | Biomedical Sciences

Dr. Fikru Nigussie received his DVM in 1994 from Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, then his PhD in Biomedical Science at Texas A&M University, where is also worked as a Post Doc studying adult hippocampal neurogenesis research and teaching both micro- and gross anatomy.  He has been a Clinical Assistant Professor in Gross Anatomy, teaching both small and large animal veterinary anatomy, since 2015. He recently began coordinating a new Applied Anatomy course in 2022. His collaborative research at Dr. Kathy Magnusson’s laboratory here contributed to understanding the impact of early changes in NMDA receptor activity on development of Alzheimer’s disease in later stages of life.

William Whitler Associate Professor, Clinical | Clinical Sciences

Graduated from the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1985. The next 7 years were spent in mixed practice in Pennsylvania, Florida and Oregon. After completing a one year large animal clinical fellowship at Oregon State University's College of Veterinary Medicine stayed on at OSU in the large animal ambulatory service, becoming ABVP certified in Equine practice in 1993. After 6 years on the faculty providing ambulatory and in house theriogenology services and teaching, started the process of becoming board certified via the alternative route. Family responsibilities took him back to Florida in 1999, passing the ACT boards while in a large animal ambulatory private practice in North Florida. After a couple of more years in mixed practice, purchased a large animal ambulatory practice in Sarasota, Florida where the next 11 years were spent. Returning to Oregon in 2016 began his current faculty position at Oregon State, teaching Theriogenology and providing clinical services to all species, small and large. Elected to the board of directors of the Society of Theriogenology in 2018 and continued on the board eventually becoming president in 2022. Professional passions include clinical teaching and infertility in horses and dogs. Personal passions include most things outdoors. Snow skiing and scuba diving have become less commonplace with age but have been replaced with fishing and crabbing along the Oregon coast and anywhere else with water.

School of Writing, Literature, and Film

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Creative Writing Major

Field of study and learning outcomes.

The Creative Writing major at OSU combines the study of the craft of creative writing with an in-depth study of literature. We prepare our students to think and write creatively, as well as hone their analytical, critical, technical, and editorial skills. Students learn to write, read, analyze, and communicate powerfully for a variety of fields and contexts.

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Creative Writing Major Requirements

Creative writing requirements - 53 credits total.

Lower Division: 17 credits

• Students must take all 3 200-level creative writing courses (9 credits)
• WR 224: Introduction to Fiction Writing
• WR 240: Introduction to Nonfiction Writing
• WR 241: Introduction to Poetry Writing
• Pick any 2 200-level ENG courses (8 credits)

Upper Division: 36 credits

•  WR 324: Short Story Writing*
• WR 340: Creative Nonfiction Writing*
• WR 341: Poetry Writing
• WR 424: Advanced Fiction Writing*
• WR 440: Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing*
• WR 441: Advanced Poetry Writing*
• Pick 1 pre-1800 upper-level (4 credits) ENG course
• Pick 1 post-1800 upper-level (4 credits) ENG course
• Pick 3 upper-level electives (12 credits) in ENG, WR, or FILM

*Note:  WR 324, 340, 341, 424, 440, 441 are repeatable for 8 credits

Learning Outcomes

Having completed the Creative Writing major, student will be able to:

• Analyze craft in a variety of forms, genres, and cultural contexts
• Apply aesthetic principles to their own creative work
• Respond to the work of peers in oral and written critiques
• Use practices of revision to produce polished and/or publishable manuscripts
• Recognize and interpret a wide variety of literature and genres (may include visual material and inter-cultural texts) using a range of theoretical and interpretive strategies including close reading, and write effective arguments about these texts.

Contact Info

Email: [email protected]

College of Liberal Arts Student Services 214 Bexell Hall 541-737-0561

Deans Office 200 Bexell Hall 541-737-4582

Corvallis, OR 97331-8600

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Transfer and Returning Student Resources

PSU Transfer Champion List

PSU Faculty & Staff Transfer Champions

In honor of Transfer Appreciation Day on Tuesday, April 23rd, Portland State University faculty, staff, and alumni have added their names to the Transfer Champion list. This list recognizes those faculty, staff, and alumni who were transfer students, to make transfer students visible both in and outside of the classroom.

*This list will continue to be updated on an ongoing basis.

Were you a transfer student?

The Transfer & Returning Student Resource Center (TRSRC) invites you to add your name to the first Portland State University (PSU) Transfer Faculty & Staff List.