Iowa State MFA program celebrates 20 years of interdisciplinary storytelling

Over 20 years ago, Iowa State University’s creative writing program wanted to elevate its Master of Arts program to a Master of Fine Arts, but the University of Iowa was already home to one of the most acclaimed MFA programs in the country. Iowa State University created something different — an MFA program focused on creative writing and the environment. On this episode, we mark the 20th anniversary of ISU's Creative Writing and Environment MFA program with professor Debra Marquart. We discuss the literary journal that predated it, the 'Flyway Journal of Writing and the Environment,' with founding editor Steve Pett. We also hear from Zara Chowdhary, a graduate of the program and assistant professor of English at the University of Iowa, and Charissa Menefee and Claire Boyles who teach in the program. The 20th anniversary will be marked at the annual Home Voices Festival, a celebration of the publication of new books by writers with ties to the Creative Writing Program.