The priority application deadline for creative writing Graduate Assistantship consideration is February 15. Review of assistantship applications will continue after this deadline on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. Graduate Assistantship award recipients will be notified in the spring.
Each tuition remission assistantship is awarded at the start of the recipient's first year in the program. Assistantships will be re-awarded during the recipient's second year as long as they are a full-time student in good standing.
Margaret Lehr Whitford MFA’07 Fellowship in Writing
This fellowship covers full tuition for two years. The Whitford Fellow is responsible, with the Fellow from the previous year, for coordinating the Word Circus reading series—a monthly reading series which features four MFA students followed by an open mic. Additionally, this individual will serve as a liaison between the students and faculty. *Note: this is a full tuition award.
Graduate Teaching Fellowship – English Class Support (ENG 105)
The individuals awarded with these positions will assist professors in undergraduate Humanities classrooms (literature, creative writing or composition) during each semester of their first year and teach two sections of First Year Writing during each semester of their second year. TAs are required to participate in an orientation and mentoring group every semester and take a pedagogy course designed to prepare them for the ENG 105 classroom during the spring of their first year. All TAs must pass this course with a grade of "A," and be formally recommended by the professor, MFA program director and Humanities Chair before being assigned to a course. If a TA does not meet these requirements, or if they elect not to teach for any reason, they will forfeit their award for the second year. Competitive applicants for these positions will have experience providing instruction, particularly of composition or creative writing, in the classroom or workshop environment. *Note: this position involves 15 hours per week of work during the academic year. (Tuition remission in first year: $6,000 — Tuition remission in second year: $10,000)
Graduate Assistant (Newsletter)
This position requires attendance at all virtual, on- and off-campus MFA events in order to provide content and imagery for the monthly and annual MFA newsletter. A competitive applicant will have experience with designing newsletters or similar materials and have experience with Adobe InDesign, Microsoft Publisher or another design software. *Note: this position involves 15 hours per week of work during the academic year. (Tuition remission per year: $9,000)
