UMKC Creative Writing MFA Program

Congrats to our graduates Brandon Allen Writes, Jessica Barbee, Alex Tretbar, Barzallo, Reinberg!! We were so excited to celebrate you.

Big news!!

Both Miranda Reinberg and Ismael Rodriguez repped UMKC and scored AWP Intro Journals Projects Awards this year! Go Miranda and Ismael! Y'all are rock stars.

2026 Winners Congratulations to the winners of the 2026 AWP Intro Journals Project! Winners were selected by Allegra Solomon (fiction), Christina Rivera (creative nonfiction), and Han VanderHart (poetry).

New Letters is now accepting entries for our annual literary awards:

*The Conger Beasley Jr. Award in Nonfiction
*The Patricia Cleary Miller Award in Poetry
*The Robert Day Award in Fiction

Each winner receives $2,000 and publication in New Letters.

Deadline: May 18, 2026

Submit through Submittable and claim your chance to join our legacy of award-winning writers. Guidelines here: https://bit.ly/47QxvwG.

Congratulations, congratulations!!

Congratulations to our MFAs and alums on their recent accomplishments!:

Bayleigh Williams for scoring a piece in Arrythymia Magazine! https://arrhythmiamagazine.substack.com/p/bayleigh-williams

David Newkirk for scoring an Honorable Mention in the New Millennium Writing Contest!

Benjamin Jasnow for a new piece in Salon! https://www.salon.com/writer/benjamin-jasnow

Courtenay Kantanka for an acceptance by the Bear Review!

Alex Tretbar for a new essay in The Rumpus!
https://therumpus.net/2025/09/10/porcelain/

Brandon Allen for scoring fiction in Saturday Evening Post & Pleiades!
https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2025/03/divinity/?fbclid=IwY2xjawOII2dleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFSWDA3QmxreHdvUWluYVlZc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MghjYWxsc2l0ZQEyAAEeqVOn7-utJhbVXMgX26rajMHEPwI9aCWCBIQlXaJPb5if85U4eGNZGEgVV_Q_aem_BGAI5riIO0y45Euug65_9Q

https://secure.touchnet.com/C20040_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=639

Daniella Barzallo's work was performed by the UMKC conservatory!

Liz Schroeder has a new piece in Cincinnati Review!
https://www.cincinnatireview.com/author/liz-schroeder/

Check 'em out!

Divinity | The Saturday Evening Post Bly’s family has been hiding the truth about his grandfather, and he doesn’t understand why.

Come join us!

The annual Writers for Readers benefit dinner is happening on Thursday November 20th from 6:00pm -8:30pm at UMKC’s Student Union in room 401. The event will feature author and journalist Candice Millard.
The Maya Angelou Book award winner will also be announced!
The link to the event information is available in our bio.

Kansas City! Please check out an upcoming reading from Amie Barrodale at Rainy Day Books!

Amie Barrodale, Trip Amie Barrodale, Trip Join Rainy Day Books at Unity Temple to celebrate the release of Trip by Amie Barrodale! This release party takes place in Unity Temple's Hall (downstairs) and includes a conversation between Amie and Clancy as well as an opportunity to get your book signed and personalized. Vie...