International slam champion and MFA graduate Lady Brion emceed the event.
On Oct. 24, 2021, UBalt's MFA in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts program celebrated its sixteenth anniversary with a Sweet Sixteen Festival, held outdoors at Racers' Cafe in Parkville, MD. The event honored graduates of the MFA program and their achievements, and brought them together to catch up and reconnect. In addition to publishing nationally recognized fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, alums of the program work at libraries, bookstores, publishers, magazines, websites, reading series, book festivals and writing programs. They are an essential part of the literary community in Baltimore and beyond.
One hundred fifty people gathered in a safe and celebratory way, recapturing some of the magic that was lost to a year of quarantine. There were featured readings by 10 of the most celebrated graduates of the program, with their books for sale by the Ivy Bookshop. There was a vibrant open mic and a table featuring the works of students who graduated during the pandemic and were unable to showcase their final projects during our usual public capstone event. Attendees also signed up to be part of the Plork Pages, an ongoing alumni directory that will allow grads to make the most of our alumni family through networking for future opportunities and projects.
Read
Writers, Publishers Gather to Celebrate MFA's 16th Anniversary
Watch event mini-documentary
View event photo album
A committee of alumni worked closely with Professors Steven Leyva and Marion Winik to coordinate the event.
The featured readings captivated a crowd of 150.
The Ivy Bookshop sold books by graduates of the program.
Featured Readers
- Kondwani Fidel, MFA '20
- Tracy Gold, MFA '16
- Judith Krummeck, MFA '14
- Steven Leyva, MFA '12
- Christine Lincoln, MFA '11
- Anthony Moll, MFA '14
- Timmy Reed, MFA '13
- Nikki Richard, MFA '16
- Dwight Watkins, B.A. '09, MFA '14
Alumni Committee
- Lauren Campbell, MFA '18
- Tracy Dimond, MFA '15
- Christine Drawl, MFA '18
- Erin Drew, MFA '16
- Tracy Gold, MFA '16
- Ana Preger Hart, B.A. '16, MFA '21
- Andrew Klein, MFA '16
- Mandy May, MFA '16
- Anthony Moll, MFA '14
- Meredith Purvis, MFA '10
- Bryonna Sieck, B.A. '17, MFA '20
With thanks to
- Jennifer Artis
- Betsy Boyd
- John Burns
- Kelley Chase
- Jane Delury
- Monica Queen
- Emily Rosen
- James Shea
- Emma Snyder
- Dean Christine Spencer
- Barbara Toll and the Racers' staff
- Mark Wadley
Faculty Coordinators
- Steven Leyva, MFA '12
- Marion Winik
For more information about applying to The University of Baltimore's MFA in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts program, contact gradadmission@ubalt.edu or call 410.837.4777.