ALMA — Alma College’s Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program has received a significant boost thanks to the generosity of a donor committed to expanding access and recognizing excellence within the program.
The donor, who has chosen to remain anonymous, has established two new forms of financial support aimed at ensuring students can fully participate in the MFA experience while honoring outstanding creative and critical achievement.
“We are deeply appreciative of the generosity of this donor, who has closely followed the development of Alma College’s MFA program and believes strongly in the value of these residencies and their transformative impact on writers,” said Sophfronia Scott, director of the MFA program. “Their goal with these awards is to ensure that financial constraints do not limit students’ access to these formative experiences.”
The Master of Fine Arts Residency Scholarship is a need-based award designed to help students attend the residencies that are a central component of the MFA program. Residencies provide students with immersive writing workshops, mentorship, and community-building experiences, both domestically and abroad. The scholarship may cover all or a portion of residency fees, helping remove financial barriers that might otherwise prevent students from participating. Current and prospective MFA students are eligible to apply for the residency scholarship and must complete FAFSA in order to do so.
In addition to residency support, the donor has committed $3,000 annually for three years to establish a new merit-based award: the Jim Daniels Master of Fine Arts Writing Award.
The award is named in honor of acclaimed poet and fiction writer Jim Daniels, a graduate of the Alma College Class of 1978 and an MFA faculty member. It will be awarded each year to a current MFA student who demonstrates exceptional promise and merit through their creative and critical work. Recipients will be selected by a rotating committee of three MFA faculty members — one representing each genre — who will nominate a student through an objective and nondiscriminatory process. Program leaders hope to announce the first recipient of the Jim Daniels Master of Fine Arts Writing Award at the MFA degree ceremony in August.
“Philanthropy like this strengthens Alma College in lasting ways,” said Bob Murray ’88, vice president for advancement at Alma College. “By honoring alumnus Jim Daniels and supporting talented MFA students, this gift connects Alma’s past, present, and future — celebrating alumni achievement while investing directly in the creative work and potential of our graduate students.”
The Alma College MFA in Creative Writing is known for its close-knit community, accomplished faculty, and immersive low-residency model, which brings writers together for intensive learning and creative exchange.
For more information on the MFA Residency Scholarship, or to apply, visit MFA Residency Scholarship Application. For more information about the Alma College MFA program, visit alma.edu/mfa.
