101 POETS & WRITERS^special section MFA PROGRAMSRowena Alegria
2018 MFA in Fiction
Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa FeDirected by Santee Frazier, the
program at IAIA emphasizes “the
importance of Native writers offering
voice to the Native experience.”To how many programs did you apply? One. What criteria were most important to
you during the application process? The most important element in an MFA pro-
gram, bar none, was diversity. I’ve spent a lifetime explaining myself and my culture,
in the workplace and in art spaces. I had only just heard about the Institute of Ameri-
can Indian Arts’ low-res MFA program but was excited to find not only a diversity in
student population of gender, age, and ethnicity, but also a diversity in faculty and
staff. The cost was reasonable compared with other programs, and the location was
convenient for me. Why did you choose the program you attended? I have a family
and work a full-time job. I needed a program I could fit into my life. IAIA’s in-person
requirement of about eight days to begin each semester with one-on-one mentoring
for the remainder was reasonable and feasible, and the Santa Fe location is inspir-
ing. How did you make ends meet while you were in the program? I work full-time,
and while IAIA doesn’t offer financial aid, the school worked with me on a payment
plan that allowed me to fit the cost into my budget. Did your experience of the pro-
gram exceed, match, or fall short of your expectations? IAIA’s low-residency MFA
changed my life. Although I’ve earned my living with words since undergrad, I was
at best a wannabe fiction writer all these years. Since graduating from IAIA, I’ve re-
ceived three fellowships and attended three residencies and two workshops. I’m no
longer dreaming about writing one day. I’ve nearly finished the first draft of an ambi-
tious novel and believe I have the support to see it on a bookshelf in the coming years.
How would you describe the community of the program? The IAIA community is
what the writer in me has always sought. It’s intimate, supportive, and diverse,
meaning the work and the voices are not only vibrant and fresh, but inspiring in
their daring. I was challenged to grow and learn about writing as well as about
other ways of seeing the world. I developed true connections with students, fac-
ulty, staff, and even visiting writers, agents, and editors that now form the spine of
my developing writing community. What was the most unexpected aspect of your
time in an MFA program? I just wanted to write in a diverse and supportive com-
munity, maybe publish a book one day. I had no idea what an MFA might do for me
aside from perhaps opening some doors. Workshops, one-on-one guidance, and
dedicated writing time improved my writing, but I also learned about the business
of writing and what it means to be a writer in this day and age. How did your MFA
program prepare you for post-MFA life? The program at IAIA was progressive for
me. With each semester I grew and learned something that carried me to the next,
so that by the time I graduated, I’d had some successes, had next steps lined up,
and even agents interested in my work. I’ve also been able to rely on my IAIA writ-
ing community to be there for me when I had a question or needed a reference or
some other kind of support. If you had to do it all over again, would you do anything
differently? At IAIA and in life, I wish I’d had the capacity sooner to let go of the
fear—fear I wasn’t good enough, that I might make a mistake or fail miserably. At
IAIA I learned that if I keep striving and don’t let that fear stop me from challenging
myself and trying new things, my “failures” provide lessons and skills that lead
to greater successes. Any advice for writers who are applying to MFA programs?
There is no one-size-fits-all. What’s best for another writer may not be best for you.
Trust your heart, do your homework, and give more than you expect to get back.Established in 2013, the two-year low-
residency MFA program at IAIA offers
degrees in poetry, fiction, and creative
nonfiction. It provides scholarships
from the Truman Capote Trust and the
Beverly and Michael Morris Foundation
and also a scholarship that provides
full funding to one enrolled Native
American/First Nations student
each year. Incoming class size: 30.
Application deadline: December 15,- Application fee: $25. Core faculty
includes poets Esther Belin, Sherwin
Bitsui, Jennifer Elise Foerster, Santee
Frazier, Joan Naviyuk Kane, Cedar
Sigo, James Thomas Stevens, and Ken
White; fiction writers Ramona Ausubel,
Marie-Helene Bertino, Cherie Dimaline,
Brandon Hobson, Pam Houston, Toni
Jensen, Stephen Graham Jones,
Kristiana Kahakauwila, Chip Livingston,
Tommy Orange, Derek Palacio, Eden
Robinson, and David Treuer; and
creative nonfiction writers Kimberly
Blaeser, Pam Houston, Toni Jensen,
Chip Livingston, and Terese Mailhot.
iaia.edu/mfa
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