1. "Real-world advice about publishing." 
2. "The faculty and students are amazing."
3. "Recommended by Poets & Writers magazine."
4. "The flexible course schedule works great for me."
5. "Impressive alumni."
6. "I love the great variety of courses."
7. "Ideal city for artists and writers: affordable and vibrant."
8. "Super cool Reading Series."
9. "I love the diverse community of students and its commitment to social justice."
10. "You'll walk away with your own published book!"
Kimberly Uslin (New Oxford, PA) is one of two inaugural recipients of the Michael F. Klein Fellowship in Creative Writing and Social Justice. Though she has a background in journalism and magazine writing, she now serves as the Communications and Marketing Specialist for Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. She is passionate about immigrant and refugee rights, politics, and pop culture. At UBalt, she is exploring creative nonfiction and hopes to use her writing to raise awareness of the impact of addiction on families.
The three-and-a-half years I’ve spent at UBalt have been some of the most tumultuous and difficult times of my life. Having a safe, constructive environment and a supportive cohort has allowed me to explore and process my emotions through writing, and I’m proud of the result.
Ally Waldon (Baltimore, MD) works as a support and services representative for an independent book distributor in Cockeysville, MD. Books are her life. She graduated from Western High School and received her B.A. in English Literature from Thiel College. Ally served as the 2020 fiction editor for the 54th Volume of Welter, University of Baltimore's literary magazine. Many of her short story ideas come from an elaborate dream journal she keeps in the notes section of her phone. Even though writing is her passion, you can also find Ally performing in local community theaters and choirs.
Plork (play + work) is more than a creative writing philosophy, it's a way to approach life. The task at hand ends up not feeling like labor. It's more like something you want to do for fun and for self-betterment.