California author Mark Irwin wins 2018 Levine Prize for Poetry

Author Mark Irwin

The Fresno State Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing announced California author Mark Irwin as the winner of the 2018 Philip Levine Prize for Poetry book contest, which includes a $2,000 award and publication of his 10th book, “Shimmer.”

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Seven Creative Writing Alumni Publish First Books in 2017-18

Seven Creative Writing Alumni Publish First Books in 2017-18

Seven alumni authors from the Fresno State Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing published their first books in 2017 and 2018, following a record publishing year in 2016. In total, 15 of the program’s alumni have now published their first books in the past three years.

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Graduate student symposium features keynote on the humanities and hope

~ By Jefferson Beavers, communication specialist, Department of English English faculty and award-winning translator Dr. Steve Adisasmito-Smith will deliver a keynote address entitled “The Humanities: An Evolving Hope” as part of the second annual Students of English Studies Association symposium on Dec. 13 and 14 on campus. Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, dean of the College of […]

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‘Normal’ Authors Explore Narratives of Family, Growth, and Identity

Angela Morales and Bich Minh Nguyen

By Jefferson Beavers Authors Beth Bich Minh Nguyen and Angela Morales will read from their work at The Normal School fall reading event on Friday, Dec. 7, inside The Backroom at The Revue coffee bar, 620 E. Olive Ave. The authors are returning to Fresno after teaching this past summer in The Normal School’s Creative Nonfiction […]

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Peter Everwine, poet and Fresno State professor emeritus, dies at 88

Peter Everwine, Poet and Emeritus Professor at Fresno State

By Jefferson Beavers Dr. Peter Everwine, a professor emeritus of English at Fresno State and nationally acclaimed poet and translator, died in Fresno on Oct. 28 at the age of 88. Services for Mr. Everwine are scheduled for 11 a.m. on Nov. 10 at Farewell Funeral Services, 660 W. Locust Ave. #101 in Fresno. The […]

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Reading Series Features New Faculty, Professor Emeritus

C. G. Hanzlicek

The fall 2018 Fresno Poets’ Association reading series celebrates Fresno State writers, including an accomplished poet and professor emeritus, and a featured reading with two new fiction faculty from the Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing. Admission is free to all three community readings, which are sponsored by the Fresno State College of […]

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The Normal School’s ‘The Spirit of Disruption’ book is on sale now

The Spirit of Disruption book cover. Selections from The Normal School magazine.

~ By Benjamin Kirk, communications specialist for the College of Arts and Humanities A decade in the making, The Normal School teamed up with San Francisco-based publisher Outpost 19 to publish a series of the magazine’s best essays. The Normal School is the locally grown, nationally known literary magazine produced at Fresno State. Graduate students […]

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This month in the Arts and Humanities — May’s Top 5

May's Top 5 Fresno State College of Arts and Humanities

We reflect on the exciting events this month in the College of Arts and Humanities. Here are the top five stories from the month of May. Arts and Humanities student excels in France while completing his degree See how MCLL undergraduate student of distinction, Leslie Hille, has succeeded during his time studying abroad in France. […]

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Symposium embraces complexities of late alumnus, poet

Juan Felipe Herrera speaks at a national poetry symposium, “Together We’ll Be a Song: A Celebration of Andrés Montoya.”

Photo above: Juan Felipe Herrera gave a rousing keynote to open the symposium, followed by readings by winners of the Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize with Francisco Aragón. ~ Article and photos by Jefferson Beavers, communications specialist, Department of English More than 30 published authors from all over the country, including U.S. Poet Laureate Emeritus Juan Felipe […]

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Join us as the University Press celebrates its authors

University Press Author Reception

The Press at California State University, Fresno, will celebrate several of its recently published authors at a reception from 4:30-6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 19, in the Smittcamp Alumni House. Featured authors and publications will include: Armen Bacon, author of “My Name is Armen (Volume II), Outside the Lines.” This book is a follow-up to Bacon’s […]

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Fresno State professors embark on a CSU Summer Arts journey

Three Arts and Humanities professors will teach Summer Arts courses: Steven Church, Anthony Radford and Faith Sidlow

Students from the world over are drawn to study CSU Summer Arts each summer. The opportunity to live, learn and work in an immersive environment for two weeks with world-renowned artists is just too hard to pass up. But, what draws professors to teach a class during the summer?
Three Fresno State professors from the College of Arts and Humanities can answer that.

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National symposium honors late Fresno State alumnus, poet

A Celebration of Andrés Montoya

More than 30 published authors from all over the country, including U.S. Poet Laureate Emeritus Juan Felipe Herrera, will gather in Fresno on April 13 and 14 for a national poetry symposium, “Together We’ll Be a Song: A Celebration of Andrés Montoya.”

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Communication student presents at WSCA’s Undergrad Conference

Adrian Carli, Communication Student presents at WSCA's Undergrad Conference

Adrian Carli, a communication student who recently received her B.A. from Fresno State, presented her piece “Mourning the Living: Grieving a Transgender Relative’s Previous Gender Identity” at the Western States Communication Association’s 15th annual Undergraduate Scholars Research Conference Feb. 16, in Santa Clara.

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Creative Writing students perform at 2018 Rogue Festival

Fresno Writers Live at this year's Rogue Festival

Graduate creative writing students from the Fresno State Master of Fine Arts program will headline the “Fresno Writers Live” performances at the 17th annual Rogue Festival, scheduled March 1-10 in Fresno’s Tower District.

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Spring reading series features Levine Prize winner, MFA faculty

Lineup for the spring Fresno Poets' Association Reading Series: Rachel Rinehart, Tim Skeen and Steven Church

The Fresno State Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing will feature the 2016 winner of the Philip Levine Prize and two of its own accomplished faculty authors in its Spring 2018 Fresno Poets’ Association reading series.
Each of the readings will start at 7 p.m. in the Alice Peters Auditorium (Peters Business building, Room 191) inside the University Business Center.

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Alabama author wins 2017 Levine Prize for Poetry

Tina Mozelle Braziel is the 2017 winner of the Philip Levine Prize for Poetry

The Fresno State Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing announced Alabama author Tina Mozelle Braziel as the winner of the 2017 Philip Levine Prize for Poetry book contest, which includes a $2,000 award and publication of her debut full-length book, “Known by Salt.”

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University honors late poet with tree, bench, writing prize

Dedication of a bench and tree in memory of late poet Mireyda "Mia" Barraza Martinez

~ By Jefferson Beavers, communications specialist, Department of English, reprinted from FresnoStateNews.com Faculty, students and community friends of the Department of English at Fresno State held a dedication ceremony Dec. 9 for a memorial tree and bench on campus in honor of the late poet and alumna Mireyda “Mia” Barraza Martinez. Barraza Martinez (pictured) died […]

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‘Normal’ magazine earns high marks for inclusion, notable essays

The Normal School literary magazine wins accolades

~ By Jefferson Beavers, communications specialist, Department of English, reprinted from FresnoStateNews.com Fresno State’s locally grown, nationally known literary magazine, The Normal School, has again earned high marks for gender parity in a nationwide report. The magazine also had five essays and stories mentioned in the newest editions of the annual Best American series. Founded […]

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Featured Supporters: The Fisher family

The Fisher Family - A photo of Ruth and Ray

The Fisher family transformed loss into legacy, endowing memorial scholarships for music and creative writing students in honor of their loved ones.

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‘Normal’ authors share stories of diaspora, memory

The Normal School Fall Reading with Jericho Parms (left) and Lina María Ferreira Cabeza-Vanegas (right)

Nonfiction authors Jericho Parms and Lina María Ferreira Cabeza-Vanegas will read from their work at The Normal School fall reading event on Thursday, Nov. 16, at Fresno State. The evening will feature readings from each of the authors’ latest works, followed by a reception and book signing. The Normal School reading is free and open to the public.

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Remembering, honoring Poet Laureate Philip Levine

Philip Levine

California State University, Fresno continues to find new ways to honor the late U.S. Poet Laureate Philip Levine, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and professor emeritus of English, more than two years after his death. In May 2017, Fresno State dedicated the new Philip Levine Reading Room inside the Henry Madden Library, a room that now houses Levine’s extensive collection of more than 2,000 books. Levine’s wife, Frances, donated their personal library, a gift made to inspire future generations of poets and readers.

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Fresno Poets Archive Project brings literary history to life

Archive of recordings from past poetry readings

A new video archive project founded in the fall of 2016 provides a way for multiple generations of creative writers to connect with authors essential to the literary fabric of Fresno. The Fresno Poets Archive Project is a series of recorded poetry and prose readings, with dates ranging from the 1980s to the early 2000s.

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Jarrar book ‘Him, Me, Muhammad Ali’ wins American Book Award

Randa Jarrar's book "Him, Me, Muhammad Ali wins American Book Award

Author Randa Jarrar, an associate professor of English at Fresno State, has won a prestigious American Book Award for her latest book, “Him, Me, Muhammad Ali.” The award, one of six presented this year, is given for outstanding contributions to diversity in American literature — “without restriction or bias with regards to race, sex, creed, cultural origin, size of press or ad budget, or genre.”

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Tickets for Summer Arts events go on sale Monday!

Contra Tiempo dancers

Photo above: The CONTRA-TIEMPO Urban Latin Dance Theater will perform at 7 p.m. June 26 in Fresno State’s John Wright Theatre. Tickets for Summer Arts events will go on sale Monday, June 5. CSU Summer Arts guest artists work intensively with their students during the day and inspire their students and the Fresno community after dark […]

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Laureate Lab: spaces for creativity — 4 poet laureates at open house

~ By Tom Uribes, reprinted from FresnoStateNews.com For the past year, Fresno State has been hatching a unique project with one of its most famous sons, United States Poet Laureate-emeritus Juan Felipe Herrera – the Laureate Lab Visual Words Studio located in the Henry Madden Library. Opened in the fall, the Lab has undergone a […]

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Fresno State to dedicate Philip Levine Reading Room

Poet Philip Levine

~ By Jefferson Beavers, reprinted from FresnoStateNews.com Fresno State will mark the opening of the Philip Levine Reading Room inside its Henry Madden Library with a dedication ceremony at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 5. The dedication will be co-hosted by the College of Arts and Humanities, the library and Fresno State Provost Lynnette Zelezny. The ceremony […]

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English alumni inspire high school writers and teachers at campus conference

Young Writers Conference

~ Photo above (taken by Jefferson Beavers): Department of English lecturer Tanya Nichols, who has coordinated the Young Writers’ Conference for more than a decade, welcomes area high school students and teachers to campus. ~ Video by Jenny Toste, University Communications ~ Article by Jefferson Beavers, communications specialist for the Department of English Two alumni […]

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LitHop festival features Fresno State student writers and faculty

LitHop with Randa Jarrar and Gary Soto

~ By Jefferson Beavers, reprinted from FresnoStateNews.com More than 150 writers will gather in Fresno’s Tower District Saturday, April 29 for LitHop 2017, a free literary festival that will be headlined by Fresno State alumnus and author Gary Soto. At least half of the 150 writers performing at LitHop have connections to Fresno State as […]

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Young Writers’ Conference draws hundreds to Fresno State campus

Winners from 2017 Young Writers' Conference

~ Video by Jenny Toste, University Communications ~ Photos by Jefferson Beavers Almost 250 students and 37 teachers from 22 schools came to the Fresno State campus for the 37th annual Young Writers’ Conference on Wednesday, March 29. At the opening ceremony in the Satellite Student Union, student writers learned who had won various prizes. The […]

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Creative Writing Program announces three new writing prizes for students

The Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing announces the addition of three new creative writing prizes, in addition to the six existing prizes. The deadline for entry for all nine prizes is Tuesday, April 4. NEW – 2017 Mireyda Barraza Martinez Prizes for Social Justice About the Prize: The Mireyda Barraza Martinez Prizes for Social Justice will […]

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Poetry and Prose from Fresno State At the 2017 Rogue Festival

Poetry and Prose flyer for Rogue Festival

Current U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera says that Fresno is the “Capital of Poetry in the World” and the Fresno State Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing takes that literary legacy seriously. Hear the latest poetry and prose from emerging #FresnoWriters in four storytelling and spoken-word shows at the 16th annual Rogue […]

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Trio of authors visit English Department conferences

Kristin FitzPatrick, Arturo Arias and Wendy Rose

~ By Jefferson Beavers, reprinted from FresnoStateNews.com Three distinguished authors will headline two conferences presented by Fresno State’s Department of English this spring. The eighth annual Undergraduate Conference on Multiethnic Literatures of the Americas will take place March 10 and 11, featuring keynote addresses from scholar, critic and author Arturo Arias and poet, artist and […]

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Last Fresno State Talks features Tim Skeen

Fresno State Talks speaker Tim Skeen

~ By Kathleen Schock, reprinted from FresnoStateNews.com On Wednesday, Feb. 22, Dr. Tim Skeen, award-winning poet and professor of creative writing, will present the final talk in this year’s Fresno State Talks series, “The Times They Are a Changin’: Nobel Laureate Bob Dylan and the Beat Poets.” Skeen will cover Dylan’s influence on both music […]

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Fresno State Talks lecture series covers chemistry, camaraderie and Bob Dylan

Fresno State Talks

~ By Kathleen Schock, reprinted from FresnoStateNews.com Three Fresno State professors — nominated and selected by students for their abilities to engage, challenge and inspire — will share their bold ideas and discoveries with the public during the fifth annual Fresno State Talks lecture series in February. The free, public lectures will be Feb. 8, […]

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Jarrar book ‘Him, Me, Muhammad Ali’ wins Story Prize award  

Randa Jarrar

~ By Jefferson Beavers, reprinted from FresnoStateNews.com Author Randa Jarrar, a Fresno State associate professor of English, won The Story Prize Spotlight Award for the best short story collection published in 2016. Jarrar’s latest book, “Him, Me, Muhammad Ali,” was published by Sarabande Books. The award, which honors works that demonstrate “an unusual perspective on the writer’s craft,” includes a […]

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West Virginia author wins 2016 Levine Prize for Poetry

Rachel Rinehart

~ By Jefferson Beavers, reprinted from FresnoStateNews.com The Fresno State Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing announced West Virginia author Rachel Rinehart as the winner of the 2016 Philip Levine Prize for Poetry book contest, which includes a $2,000 award and publication of her first book, “The Church in the Plains.” The Creative […]

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Spring reading series features four poets, a novelist, a graphic memoirist

Writers in the spring readers series

~ By Jefferson Beavers, reprinted from FresnoStateNews.com The Spring 2017 Fresno Poets’ Association Reading Series will include four prize-winning poets, a graphic memoirist and a newly published faculty member from the Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing at Fresno State. All readings in the series will be held in the Alice Peters Auditorium […]

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Eight creative writing alumni publish first books in 2016

~ By Jefferson Beavers, reprinted from FresnoStateNews.com Eight alumni authors from the Fresno State Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing published their first books in 2016, a new record for the program. The graduate Master of Fine Arts program offers advanced training in the writing of poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. The heart […]

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Soul Vang Scholarship and Hmong minor forge connections with community

  A new Hmong minor and the establishment of a new scholarship will allow Fresno State “to connect more closely with our Hmong neighbors in this community and beyond,” President Joseph I. Castro said last night at a celebration attended by more than 200 people. The event was held in honor of the Soul Vang Scholarship, […]

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Alumnus Soul Vang creates endowed scholarship, poetry prize

~ By Jefferson Beavers, reprinted from FresnoStateNews.com Fresno State celebrated trailblazing Hmong-American alumnus Soul Vang (soulvang.net/) for creating an endowed scholarship and annual poetry prize aimed at encouraging students to pursue their passion for writing about the Asian-American experience. Vang, a poet and educator who holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing and a […]

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Fall literary readings feature celebrated writers, film premiere

~ by Jefferson Beavers, reprinted from FresnoStateNews.com; Creative Writing Program graduate assistant Rose Galaviz contributed to this report The fall 2016 Fresno Poets’ Association Reading Series will include an acclaimed literary publisher, faculty from the Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing (fresnostate.edu/creativewriting) at Fresno State and a special film premiere featuring a beloved Fresno poet. […]

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Studying Arts & Humanities arms students for success

~ By Lisa Maria Boyles Arts and Humanities graduates leave Fresno State well-armed for success in the post-college world. Several national surveys gave Fresno State high rankings this year: Fresno State was singled out as the nation’s Best Public University in graduation rate performance in U.S. News and World Report’s 2017 Best College Rankings. Fresno […]

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ALUMNI NEWS: Rachel Starnes on ‘The War at Home’

MFA Creative Nonfiction graduate Rachel Starnes was interviewed on NPR’s Fresh Air by Terri Gross for her recently released memoir, “The War at Home: A Wife’s Search For Peace And Other Missions Impossible.” Her book grew out of Rachel’s MFA thesis. Here is the Fresh Air intro to the interview: As the wife of a Navy fighter […]

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