Alumni

We love to hear from former students!  Check out our alumni news stories below, or view our alumni profiles. Fill out the alumni update form to send us your news.

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Recent Alumni News

An image of a woman reading Aiiieeeee!

UW Press celebrates Shawn Wong's Aiiieeeee! and a 50-year legacy of Asian American Literature

The UW Alumni Magazine, Viewpoint, published an article about the 50th anniversary of Shawn Wong's anthology, Aiiieeeee! along with 50 years of UW Press publishing Asian American writing, mentioning many English Deptment graduates who published books as well. To read the article click here:… Read more
Cascadia Field Guide

Alumni Updates 2024

Derek Sheffield (BA ’90, MFA ’99) wanted to let you know about the book he recently published with C Marie Fuhrman and Elizabeth Bradfield (BA ‘98): Cascadia Field Guide: Art, Ecology, Poetry.  Cascadia Field Guide features select UW English Alums and faculty, including Colleen J. McElroy, Linda Bierds, David Wagoner, and Frances McCue. Says Derek: This book was… Read more
Photo of E.J. Koh

E.J. Koh Featured in UW Magazine

On the occasion of the publication of E.J. Koh's (PhD 2023) debut novel, The Liberators, the University of Washington Magazine celebrates Koh's remarkable, award-winning achievements as an artist and scholar: During her time as a UW graduate student, Koh published a critically acclaimed memoir, completed her novel and worked as a writer adapting the best-selling novel by Min Jin Lee, “Pachinko,” for an Apple TV+ series. “These works, combined with her dissertation, demonstrate a writer… Read more
Alignment Problem book cover

MFA Alum's Book Named to New York Times Five Best Books About Artificial Intelligence

Brian Christian's (MFA 2008) most recent book of nonfiction, The Alignment Problem has been named as one of the "5 Best Books About Artificial Intelligence" by The New York Times. As the NYT reviewer writes: If you’re going to read one book on artificial intelligence, this is the one. Though it was published in 2020, which in terms of A.I. is practically prehistory, I still think it’s fairer and more illuminating than almost anything published since. Its chief value is its… Read more
Removal Acts book cover

Erin Marie Lynch Poetry Reading

The English department is pleased to announce that well-known author and UW Creative writing alumnus Erin Marie Lynch will be doing a poetry reading from her new book, Removal Acts. The reading is scheduled on November 6th at 7:00 PM in the UW Husky Union Building room 332. More information about the event can be found here.… Read more
Book cover of We Had Our Reasons

English Alumni Ricardo Ruiz Wins Washington State Book Award for Poetry

Ricardo Ruiz's (BA, English Creative Writing 2021) first book of poetry, We Had Our Reasons: Poems by Ricardo Ruiz and other hard-working Mexicans from Eastern Washington (Pulley Press), has won the Washington State Book Award for poetry.  The Washington State Book Awards honor works of outstanding literary merit by Washington authors. We Had Our Reasons is a collection of poems… Read more
First edition cover art. Painting of train tressle crossing a large lake, with mountains in the background.

Marilynne Robinson ('77) Receives the UW’s Highest Alumni Honor

Renowned author Marilynne Robinson has received the Alumnus Summa Laude Dignatus Award (ASLD). This award is the highest honor bestowed upon a University of Washington graduate and is presented annually by the UW and UW Alumni Association. It recognizes a legacy of achievement and service built over a lifetime.  Since Robinson earned her Ph.D. at the UW in 1977, she has become one of the world’s premier fiction writers. A Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Critics Circle Award and the… Read more
Patrimony

Alumni Updates Spring 2023

As faithful readers of English Matters have no doubt noticed, our alumni updates can lean towards celebrating new publications.  But this time around we have reached a new benchmark: if we include speeches and plays, all of our alumni updates this spring celebrate new publications.  Every. Last. One. English Matters is thrilled to report on our talented graduates’ accomplishments!  And we can hardly wait for the next round of books, plays, and critical works to drop – please keep… Read more
Image of Sarah Faulkner

Frankenstein Book Chat with Sarah Faulkner

Join the UW Alumni Book Club for a conversation about Frankenstein with Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley scholar and English department lecturer Sarah Faulkner, ’19. While a student, Sarah spearheaded the UW Frankenreads celebration, and her studies focus on women writers of the 18th and 19th centuries.  Get together online with Sarah and your fellow readers to talk about the book! To learn more and register,… Read more
moraleja hackett

Alumni News and Notes

Alumni News and Notes Rachel Arteaga (PhD 2016), along with co-editor, Rosemary Erickson, recently published Public Scholarship in Literary Studies, (2021, Amherst College Press).  From the publisher: "Rachel Arteaga and Rosemary Johnsen bring together accomplished public scholars who make significant contributions to literary scholarship, teaching,… Read more
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