Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers Announces The Rona Jaffe Foundation Graduate Fellowship in Creative Writing
For release, from Warren Wilson College
The Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers and The Rona Jaffe Foundation are pleased to announce The Rona Jaffe Foundation Graduate Fellowship in Creative Writing. The fellowship will cover two consecutive semesters’ tuition and the fees for two residencies, plus a generous stipend to cover books, travel to residencies, childcare, or loss of income while attending each residency.
The Rona Jaffe Foundation will award one fellowship annually to an incoming female creative writing student in poetry or fiction. The Rona Jaffe Fellow will be chosen by the MFA Admissions Committee in consultation with the Director. The decision will be based on the quality of the application manuscript, essays, and recommendations.
“We’re thrilled to be able to offer an incoming student this remarkably generous support from the Rona Jaffe Foundation,” says Debra Allbery, Director of the MFA program. “Our low-residency MFA attracts ‘emerging’ writers of all ages, from a wide variety of backgrounds; this fellowship recognizes the full range of costs involved in pursuing this degree. We’re honored to be the first low-residency MFA program to receive this funding.” The Foundation has also established graduate fellowships for women writers in Ms. Jaffe's honor at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and the graduate Creative Writing MFA Program at New York University.
“The Rona Jaffe Foundation is very pleased to support a first-year, female graduate student at Warren Wilson College,” said Beth McCabe, Foundation Trustee and Director of the Writers’ Awards program. “Our collaboration seems like a natural fit. For over fifteen years, the Foundation has supported emergent women writers through its Writers’ Awards program. More recently, it has established fellowships with several distinguished graduate programs and artist colonies to further its mission.”
McCabe adds, “Many of Warren Wilson’s students come to the low-residency program because it allows them the opportunity to pursue their MFAs without uprooting their lives. For some writers this is key for returning to school. In particular, many women writers have to juggle the multiple responsibilities of work and motherhood while struggling to sustain their writing careers. We are pleased to be able to help some of the most talented among them pursue their creative goals by supporting their graduate study in creative writing at Warren Wilson.”
The first Rona Jaffe Foundation Fellowship will be awarded in March 2011 for a student entering the Warren Wilson MFA program in July.
The Rona Jaffe Foundation recognizes that women writers make special contributions to our culture and, through its Writers’ Awards program and sponsored fellowships, tries to address the difficulties that some of the most talented among them have in finding time to write and gaining recognition. Celebrated author Rona Jaffe (1931-2005) established The Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers’ Awards program in 1995. It is the only national literary awards program of its kind dedicated to supporting women writers exclusively. Since the program began, the Foundation has awarded more than $1 million to emergent women writers.
More info about funding at Warren Wilson: http://www.warren-wilson.edu/~mfa/newwebsite/FINANCIAL_AID.php
More info about low-residency MFAs: The Low-Residency MFA Handbook: A Guide for Prospective Creative Writing Students available at amazon
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