The Professional Practica

Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (MFA)
Visiting Writer Series
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Professional Practicum Opportunities

As a student in the MFA at EWU, you’ll have the opportunity to serve in professional practica throughout the community. Whether you’re interested in writing, editing, publishing, or teaching, we have something for you.

For students in their second year of study, three graduate service appointments (GSA) are available, one for each professional practicum—Managing Editor, Willow Springs; Managing Editor, Willow Springs Books; Programs Assistant for the Get Lit! Programs and Student Director for Writers in the Community.

These appointments grant each recipient a full resident tuition waiver plus a monthly stipend. Learn more on our paying for school page.

If you have more questions about professional practicum opportunities, reach out to the program director:

Gregory Spatz
Program Director
gspatz@ewu.edu
509.828.1310

 

Creative Writing Instruction – Writers in the Community

Writers in the Community is a project that places MFA students as creative writing teachers in public schools, alternative schools, hospitals, corrections facilities, factories, halfway houses, nursing homes, and other locations throughout the Spokane area. Founded in 1994 by faculty member Nance Van Winckel, the project encourages interchange between the university, the community, and the region, and it helps to share the mystery and power of creative writing.

For more information on Writers in the Community, please contact the Graduate Student Director at witc.ewu@gmail.com, or at 509.828.1488.

More About Writers in the Community

Literary Editing & Design – Willow Springs Magazine

Willow Springs was founded in 1977 and has become an internationally-respected literary journal. Sponsors have included the National Endowment for the Arts, the GE Foundation, and the Coordinating Council of Literary Magazines, from which the journal earned the prestigious Citation of Excellence for Editorial Vision. The magazine features poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and translations from all over the world as well as student-conducted interviews. Check out the magazine’s web page for more information on recent contributors and interviewees!

An integral part of the MFA program, Willow Springs offers students the opportunity for real editorial work and influence on the design and composition of the magazine, which is published twice yearly. For more information on Willow Springs, you can contact a staff member at willowspringsewu@gmail.com, or at 509.828.1486

More About Willow Springs 

Literary Editing & Design – Willow Springs Books

The professional practicum in Literary Editing through Willow Springs Books offers hands-on instruction in the craft and business of book publishing. On-the-job learning covers acquisitions, typography, cover design, copy editing, author interaction, printing, binding, marketing and advertising, promotion, publication law, and publishing house operation and structure.

Members of the class will help to screen submissions to the Spokane Prize for Short Fiction competition as well as the Emma Howell Rising Poet Prize and will assist in the design, production, marketing and promotion of the winning entry, to be published each year by Willow Springs Books. The professional practicum also offers students the opportunity to assist in the planning and production of Spokane’s annual literary festival, Get Lit!, which occurs each year in April.

The secondary emphasis in literary editing and design consists of 15 or more credit hours drawn from internships with Willow Springs or the Literary Editing professional practicum, and from courses in design, editing, marketing, and desktop publishing. It is one of our most popular secondary emphases.

Send an email to the current student director of Willow Springs Books at willowspringsbooks@gmail.com, or leave a voice message at 509.828.1487.

More About Willow Springs Books

Community Outreach & Event Organization – Get Lit! Programs

Get Lit! Programs is a non-profit organization housed within Eastern Washington University that celebrates the power of the written word. Get Lit! promotes community engagement through an annual literary festival that brings thousands of writers and readers together for four full days of free and low-cost events at many venues throughout Spokane and Cheney.

Get Lit! Programs also helps to facilitate and promote year-long ongoing educational outreach programs in collaboration with EWU’s Writers in the Community and Visiting Writers Series.

The annual Get Lit! Festival brings highly acclaimed authors to Spokane to celebrate alongside our own vibrant writing community, for a weekend of readings, panel discussions, craft classes, virtual events, and more. Past festivals have featured authors such as Kurt Vonnegut, bell hooks, Anne Lamott, Roxane Gay, Joyce Carol Oates, and many others. We were thrilled to feature US Poet Laureate Ada Limón for our 25th anniversary in 2023.

Taking professional practicum credits with Get Lit! give students the opportunity to assist in the planning and production of the literary festival and events related to the outreach programs. Students gain real world experience in many areas including graphic design, marketing and public relations, content writing and editing, grant research and grant writing, professional correspondence, and much more. For more information about these and other positions, visit the Get Lit! website, telephone 509.828.1435, or send an email to getlit@ewu.edu.

More About Get Lit!

Mailing Address

The MFA at EWU
C/O Eastern Washington University
CAT 400
601 East Riverside Ave.
Spokane, WA 99202

Contact Us

We welcome comments and encourage questions from prospective and incoming students. Feel free to write, call, or email us with queries about the program, application process, or moving to Spokane (definitely check out our Frequently Asked Questions, too).

Lisa Denker
Senior Secretary
mfa@ewu.edu
509.828.1317
Gregory Spatz
Program Director
gspatz@ewu.edu
509.828.1310