Among the oldest and most respected MFA programs in the country, the MFA for Poets and Writers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a three-year program dedicated to writing workshops and the completion of a book-length manuscript in prose or poetry. The MFA for Poets and Writers champions the creation of new and important writing, and for over fifty years has been a place for writers to concentrate on their work and to write their books.

Founded in 2004, the Juniper Initiative for Arts and Action engages the community at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, in Western Massachusetts, and beyond with outstanding and diverse literary programming and provides opportunities for MFA candidates to develop professional skills, participate in critical issues of the day, and cultivate a network of professional and academic colleagues. 

This year's MFA graduates have faced the challenges of teaching, learning, and living through a pandemic alongside the rest of the world. They have navigated this wild and unpredictable year with creativity and grit, all while completing their theses and graduation milestones. We are so proud of them and their incredible work.