Why Graduate School at FSU?

For me, a doctoral degree was a chance to solidify my commitment to the discipline, both as a writer and an educator. FSU was an easy choice: a world class creative writing program, with writers of fiction I really wanted (needed!) to learn from, and the space/time to complete projects I just wasn't finishing. Major bonus points for the fact that I was born just six hours down the road in Naples, and always heard great things from my parents, who spent time in Tallahassee in the late seventies.

Importance and/or impact of research and work

I would say that creative literature continues to find ways to better capture the “essence” of a subject, helping readers connect across eras and cultures. I'm now traveling to France, for a Fulbright Research Fellowship through the Université Paris-Saclay, to research and rewrite a novel concerning the First World War. Studying for my preliminary exams, reading and reviewing two hundred and fifty works for four days of testing, has opened my eyes to the tradition I've been writing in, motivating me to craft the kind of stories that resonate with readers, regardless of their discipline or background.

Career aspirations

Ideally, to create lasting works that allow people to feel seen (even just one or two), and to do the same in the classroom, preferably through interdisciplinary teaching. To be a writer who teaches, instead of a teacher who writes, is always the ultimate goal, but we're taught to know better.

Advice for anyone considering graduate school

It's not for the faint of heart, but if you love learning and are committed to being a life-long learner and student, you will succeed.

Accomplishments during graduate career

Beyond persisting, I'm grateful to have had the chance to teach courses outside of my traditional discipline on The Beatles, cowboy movies, and baseball which cemented my love for learning alongside others. Also, I just returned from teaching aboard Semester at Sea, covering ten countries (Thailand to Germany) in one hundred days. Aside from teaching two courses, I also served as the Writing Center Director, and was their youngest professorial hire in recent history. I also pitched professionally in Europe for a season between my MFA and PhD just for inspiration for a book.

I've been honored to receive some internal awards from the English department including the Bryan Hall Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Sassaman Graduate Creative Writing Award.