Residencies

The summer residencies usually take place in August on Goucher's scenic campus in north Baltimore. They are approximately two weeks in length and include writing workshops, seminars, panel discussions, craft lectures, faculty and student readings, and the development of a contract of work for the upcoming semester. The contract includes a reading list, a correspondence method for packet exchanges, and a description of writing projects.  The final summer residency is approximately five days in length and includes commencement.

The summer residencies offer MFA candidates the chance to interact with distinguished writers, as well as with representatives of the publishing community. Recent guest writers and editors have included Ted Conover, John McPhee, Richard Rodriguez, Nan and Gay Talese, Vanessa Mobley of Penguin USA, and the editors of Fourth Genre, Creative Nonfiction, and River Teeth.

The spring semester begins with a weekend mini-residency in late January when each faculty member and his or her assigned students meet for three days of intense writing workshops in the mentor's home community or at a location deemed convenient to the group.  Students arrive on Friday for a late-afternoon writing workshop.  Saturday is devoted to writing workshops and one-on-one conferences, with a final workshop on Sunday.  The intimate nature of these mini-residencies enables groups to establish a rapport that greatly enhances their on-line discussions throughout the semester.