NEOMFA : Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

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NEOMFA : Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

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The nation’s only consortial MFA creative writing program. Three gateway campuses: The University of Akron, Cleveland State University, & Kent State University.

Four genres: fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, & playwriting. < neomfa.org > The only consortial MFA program in the country, NEOMFA is a collaboration between Cleveland State University, Kent State University, The University of Akron, & Youngstown State University:
| One Program | Four Universities | Unlimited Opportunities |

10/14/2026

Student Julia Cilano will be the guest reader in the Poetry Night event at Last Exit Books & Coffeehouse on Friday, October 16 at 8:00 pm, at 124 East Main Street in Kent.

10/13/2026

Look out for many NEOMFA faces in the upcoming Poets for Science Gathering at Kent State University! Presented by the Wick Poetry Center and running Thursday, November 12 through Saturday, November 14 at the KSU Student Center. This multi-day event hosts poets, scientists, and artists from across the country at the intersection of poetry and science. The gathering invites attendees to gather around presentations, workshops, readings, a bookfair, meals, and more. Registration rates vary, and include a discount for students. https://poetsforscience.org/gathering-2026/

NEOMFA participants include students El Bentivegna, Julia Cilano, Elizabeth Culotta, Jessica Jones, Scott Kenimond, Ashton Leigh, Molly McLaughlin, Valentine Shell, and Julianne Metzger Taylor, along with alumni Carrie George and Karen Schubert. https://poetsforscience.org/gathering-2026/sessions/

Wick Poetry Center

10/12/2026

NEOMFA alum Sony Q. Ton-Aime will be reading at Kent State University this Wednesday, October 14 at 7pm! Presented by the Wick Poetry Center, the event will be at Murphy Auditorium in KSU’s Rockwell Hall. Free and open to the public! Book signing and reception to follow. More info at https://www.kent.edu/wick/reading-series.

Sony Ton-Aime is a Haitian poet, essayist, translator, and the executive director of Pittsburgh Arts and Lectures. His debut collection, Konbit, was published by Carnegie Mellon University Press. He is also the author of the chapbook LaWomann, the Haitian Creole translation of Olympic Hero: The Lennox Kilgour’s Story, and co-founding editor of ID13. His work has appeared in Artful Dodge, Consequence Forum, Poets.org, Idaho Review, Hunger Mountain Review, and Cleveland Review of Books, among others.

10/09/2026

Faculty Anthony Tognazzini and Catherine Wing will be reading with their KSU colleague Alice Cone on Thursday, October 22 at 8:00 pm at Last Exit Books in Kent. (124 East Main Street #1, Kent, OH 44240.) Join this triple-threat of KSU-based faculty as they celebrate their 2026 OAC Individual Excellence Awards! https://oac.ohio.gov/home/news-and-events/all-news/iea-fy-2026 (NEOMFA friends, also see awards for UA faculty David Giffels and CSU faculty Caryl Pagel and Hilary Plum!)

10/08/2026

Recent grad Mansa Lamont Bey will be the featured poet at the Alter Ego Poetry & Soul open mic night on Saturday, October 17 at Miss O’s Cafe. The event starts at 7:00 pm at 12672 Rockside Road in Garfield Heights.

10/07/2026

MFA candidate Eric Mansfield has two plays coming up next month in Akron!

“Shelter” runs November 5-15 with Wild Thread Theatre in the intimate Wild Oscar's space at the Akron Civic Theatre. Info and tickets at www.wildthreadtheatre.org. “Told in real time, Shelter follows six people hiding together during an apparent school shooting, each carrying their own secrets about guns and gun violence. Do they really know which student might be the shooter, or are old prejudices filling in the blanks? Elynmarie Kazle directs this fast-moving story.”

“Love In Reserve” runs November 6-15 with Makeshift Theater in the historic Coach House Theater. Info and tickets at https://www.makeshiftakron.org/. “A young Army wife from Akron endures the longest night of her life after an attack on her husband's base camp in Iraq. With our country once again at war, this love story, which premiered in 2021, carries new weight. Dane Leasure directs.”

Congrats to Eric for both of these upcoming shows!!!

10/06/2026

Plenty of time to plan for our next application cycle! See below for info on the NEOMFA!

The Northeast Ohio Master of Fine Arts (NEOMFA) is the nation’s only consortial MFA creative writing program. Students may focus on one of four genres: fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, or playwriting. Applicants may enter through one of three gateway universities: The University of Akron, Cleveland State University, or Kent State University.

The NEOMFA accepts applications for three cycles each academic year:

— November 15 (spring matriculation; part-time applicants and other students not seeking funding);

— January 15 (fall matriculation; full-time applicants seeking funding); and

— April 15 (fall matriculation; part-time applicants and other students not seeking funding).

For more information, visit neomfa.org/apply or contact [email protected]!

10/01/2026

Alum Zach Peckham has a new chapbook, Full Denim Gimp Suit, out now with Illicit Zines / b l u s h!

“Fragments and procedures. Masculine ineptitude. Generative failure." All available now at https://www.blush-lit.com/book/full-denim-gimp-suit-zach-peckham!

For an excerpt, check out https://poetrynightly.com/2026/08/19/full-denim-gimp-suit-excerpt/.

09/29/2026

Student W. Reid Kennedy will appear in the 2x2 event this Friday, October 2! This free program of theater performances and literary readings will start at 7:00 pm at The Electric Company at 15 Broad Street in Akron. https://www.instagram.com/2x2show/?g=5

09/28/2026

Alum Meghan Louise Wagner is teaching a “Fiction Revision” workshop with Literary Cleveland beginning October 1! Held remotely via Zoom. Eight sessions on Thursdays at 6:30pm, running through November 19. “You may have completed a draft, but the story doesn’t end there. In this workshop, learn about the necessary art of revision for fiction projects.” More info at https://www.litcleveland.org/classes-workshops/fiction-revision---october-2026.

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Cleveland, OH

Telephone

+12166873957

Website

http://www.neomfa.org/

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