Student Work

Thesis work (video still), spring 2021

Thesis work (video still), spring 2021

Zipter's first novel, Infraction, is forthcoming from Rattling Good Yarns Press in June 2021. She notes, "I was in the early stages of working on this book while at Vermont. Diane Lefer, Walter Wetherell, and Sydney Lea all contributed to improving this book."

Amara Okolo's short story "Fear Is a Chemical" was published in A Long House on January 3, 2021.

Andrew Hahn's short story "Trash" as published in Pithead Chapel in April 2019. Learn more about Andrew at andrewhahn.me.

Evan Griffith's picture book Secrets of the Sea: The Story of Jeanne Power, Revolutionary Marine Scientist will be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on March 9, 2021. Griffith notes, "I wrote the early drafts of this picture book during my time at VCFA under the mentorship of Mary Quattlebaum and Martha Brockenbrough." Learn more at evangriffithbooks.com.

Jenn Bailey's picture book A Friend for Henry, which was part of her creative thesis at VCFA, was published by Chronicle Books on February 26, 2019. Learn more at jennbailey.com.

Yamile Saied Méndez's picture book Where Are You From? was published by HarperCollins on June 4, 2019. In an interview for the Wild Things blog, Méndez said, "I can’t pinpoint to any specific lectures or classes during VCFA to credit them in the creation of my picture book. I wrote it in between semesters, and I never turned it in to any advisors. However, I read it at my graduate reading, and the reception was so warm and enthusiastic, that after my graduation I submitted it to my agent who sent it out to editors. We had offers for it right away. Although the poem isn’t the direct product of one particular assignment, the collective influence of my reading and writing during the program definitely helped me write the poem that became my picture book."

Cate Berry's rhyming picture book Chicken Break was published by Feiwel and Friends on October 29, 2019. In an interview for the Wild Things blog, Berry noted, "I started working on it as a class assignment and I continued revising it all through VCFA. [And] I actually sold my first book in my first semester of VCFA. I signed with my agent right before first residency and we went on sub during res!"

Liza Nash Taylor's short story "Mrs. Walker" won the San Miguel Writer's Conference Writing Contest in the fiction category in 2016 and was published by the conference. Learn more about Liza at lizanashtaylor.com.

Anne McGrath's short nonfiction piece "Leaving Helen" was published in the Columbia Journal on July 15, 2020. Learn more about Anne at annemcgrathwriter.com.

Current student Robert Atwood founded Dress Blues Press and its Online Journal of Military Experience, "dedicated to the brave men and women who have served our country in times of war and peace," along with current student Brent Atkinson ('22) and alumnx Christy Parrott ('11). Learn more at dressbluespress.org.