First-Year Writing Directory

is a graduate student working on her MFA in Poetry. She holds a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Spanish and minor in English with an emphasis on creative writing. Hannah is dedicated to pursuing a career in teaching at the college level as well as writing poetry books. Her first book Milk, Mess & Magic explores parenting and will be published in Spring of 2026. To find updates on her writing follow her on instagram: hannah_e_seelman

is a poet and educator from Leelanau County, Michigan. His work can be found in The Journal, Gulf Coast, Passages North, Tupelo Quarterly, and elsewhere. He is a summer poetry instructor at Interlochen Center for the Arts, holds an MFA in poetry from Virginia Tech, and is currently a PhD candidate at Western Michigan University. His debut poetry collection, CLAYBOY, was the winner of the 2025 Jack McCarthy Book Prize and is forthcoming from Write Bloody Publishing in May 2026. Find him online at www.fezavery.com.

is a multi-genre writer and teacher living in Kalamazoo. He's a father, Navy submarine veteran, and a writer/composer of musical theatre who has traveled to every state and a dozen countries. Battle's poems, stories, and essays have been published in various literary journals and anthologies, and he recently won the Wright Memorial Writing Award. He earned his MFA from Western Michigan University, where he is now pursuing a PhD. He reads a lot.

holds an MA in English Literature and a BA in English Literature and Language from Western Michigan University. Their research focuses on identity studies and rhetoric. Bollweg's teaching approach stems from a passion for education and fostering critical thinking in first-year writing students. Outside academia, Jamie is an avid gamer and enjoys creating ambient music and DJing.

is a part-time instructor with the English department. He obtained his MA in medieval studies from Western Michigan University in Spring 2023. His research interests include queerness, monstrosity, and gender performance in medieval literature and gender expression through space and objects during the early Italian renaissance.

is a PhD student in English at Western Michigan University, specializing in poetry. She holds a BA in English literature, language, and creative writing (2021) and an MA in English literature and creative writing (2024), both from Central Michigan University. Emily previously taught secondary education ELA. This year, she works as an assistant director of first-year writing. Her poetry has been published in the Walloon Writer's Review and Barstow and Grand.

is a third-year MFA candidate in Poetry. She completed her BA at WMU. Her poems have appeared in Beloit Poetry Journal, The Penn Review, Porter House Review, Banshee, and elsewhere. For more information, visit www.emilyrdaniel.com

is a part-time instructor in the English department. She obtained her BA in English from Western Michigan University in 2015 and her MA in medieval literature from WMU in the Spring of 2019. She has been teaching in the English Department since 2017. Kate’s research interests include the morality of fairy magic in medieval romance, as well as analyzing young adult fiction through a medieval lens.

is a second-year English MA student. She earned a BFA in Creative Writing with a concentration in fiction and a minor in publishing from Emerson College. She is excited to be teaching first-year writing at Western Michigan University.

is a queer, non-binary writer and educator who grew up in Melbourne, Australia. She is a graduate of Northwestern’s dramatic writing program and is currently pursuing a PhD at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. While primarily a playwright, she also experiments with creative non-fiction, screenwriting, and poetry. She’s taught scriptwriting workshops, theatre studies, and general education courses to undergraduates at Western Michigan University for four years and worked as a tutor at the Writing Center on campus for over a year. She is currently the Drama Editor at Third Coast Magazine.

is a writer of queer horror, graphic narratives, and contemporary folklore. As an adjunct professor at Western Michigan University and Kendall College of Art and Design, he is passionate about working with growing artists and writers. Isaac holds an MFA in fiction from Western Michigan University and has a background in secondary English education.

currently teaches at Hackett Catholic Prep. A Western Michigan University alum, she earned her PhD in iterature from The Ohio State University and has over a decade of teaching experience at various institutions. During a nine-year teaching hiatus, Catherine worked in fundraising and donor relations at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute. Passionate about personal growth in students, she actively collaborates with colleagues to inspire young minds through the study of literature and the practice of writing.

is a second-year MFA candidate specializing in fiction, with a focus on queer narratives in fantasy. He received a BA from Winthrop University in 2019. When he is not writing, he can be found wandering through the woods, or playing video games.

holds a Master’s degree in English from Western Michigan University, where he studied creative writing. He has taught first-year college English at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, as well as English as a foreign language at Universidad Católica San Pablo in Arequipa Peru. When he is not writing and teaching English, he enjoys promoting the art of slacklining and spending time with his dog.

is a first-year MFA student studying creative writing with a focus on poetry. She earned a BA from Capital University as an English literature major with a Spanish minor. She has experience writing short fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and journalistic articles. Her publications include ReCap Literary Journal and the Chimes news. Her favorite literary era to study is modernism. She is excited to continue her educational journey.

is a third-year PhD student in fiction. She earned her BA at Haverford College and her MFA at Sarah Lawrence College. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, Sophia lived in Islamabad, where she taught English and authored two novels: Dear Yasmeen (HarperCollins, 2016) and The Flight of the Arconaut (Red Panda, 2020). Sophia is an Assistant Director of First-Year Writing at WMU and the Managing Editor for Third Coast Magazine.

is a first-year English MA student. He earned his BA in English literature with a minor in philosophy at Kalamazoo College. He has an interest in Shakespeare and the study of genre fiction, especially horror. He is excited to be teaching first year writing at WMU.

is an MFA student in poetry at Western Michigan University. She earned a BA in English from the University of Oregon, and has two years of teaching experience in secondary education. When she is not writing, she enjoys film photography.

is a first-year MFA student at Western Michigan University concentrating in poetry. He received his BA in Philosophy and English: Creative Writing from Salisbury University. He serves as the Editor-in-Chief of 149 Review and as an Associate Editor of Poet Lore. He has 22 poems published or forthcoming in journals such as Permafrost, Harpur Palate, Cherry Tree, storySouth, Sugar House Review, The MacGuffin, The Shore, and others.

is a part-time instructor who received his PhD from the University of Southern Mississippi’s Center for Writers. He serves as the poetry editor at Fairy Tale Review, and is the founding editor of Interpretations, an online journal that publishes undergraduate literary criticism.  He is the author of two chapbooks and a full-length collection, Agoreography, published by 3: A Taos Press. A third chapbook, The Orchid in Lieu of a Horse, is forthcoming from Seven Kitchens Press. He holds additional degrees from Oberlin College, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and the University of Arizona.  

is a dedicated instructor who is committed to helping students reach their potential. He is a graduate of Western Michigan’s Medieval Institute with an MA in medieval studies, and is passionate about writing, literature, and history.

is a first-year graduate student working towards her MFA in poetry. Previously, she earned her BA at the University of Toledo majoring in English with a concentration on creative writing, and she also earned her Certificate in Graphic Design through her minor in Art. Sam’s writing focuses on the oddities of life and how natural marvels have been let down by harmful movements in the name of progress.

graduated from WMU in 2015 and earned a PhD from the University of Washington’s English Language and Literature program in 2020. His research focuses on the influence of science and urbanization on late 19th and early 20th century American literature.

is a first-year MFA student specializing in fiction. He received his BA in Professional and Creative Writing at Central Washington University. His stories explore small-town confinement, rural spaces, and the mundane as myth. His book reviews can be found on Letras Latinas Blog 2 through the Institute for Latino Studies at the University of Notre Dame. He also works as an Associate Editor at Poetry Northwest.

is a PhD candidate in fiction at Western Michigan University, where she has served as an Assistant Director of First-Year Writing and Editor-in-Chief of Third Coast. Prior to WMU, she earned an MA in Technical Communication from Texas State University, where she was a co-founder and Assistant Executive Editor of Porter House Review. Her writing has appeared in Gulf Coast, Hayden's Ferry Review, The Pinch, The Rumpus, and elsewhere.

is a third-year MFA student studying poetry. She received her BS in English education from Central Michigan University.

is an MFA student, assistant director of first-year writing, and assistant editor of Third Coast Magazine at WMU with a concentration in fiction, focusing on psychological stories that incorporate elements of humor. Timmerman received his BA from Michigan State University, where he placed second in the 2023 MSU Creative Writing Awards under the category of fiction. Recently, his poetry has appeared in Cathexis Northwest Press (May-June 2025 issue). Alongside novels and short stories, Timmerman is an avid Manga reader, which often inspires his writing.

holds a BS in English literature and an MA in Creative Writing, both from Central Michigan University. Currently a second-year MFA candidate in poetry at Western Michigan University, Watkins is dedicated to exploring and expanding the bounds of poetry through unique storytelling. His work can be found in the Central Review, and is hopeful to publish a chapbook about animals in the near future.

is a graduate student working on his MA in English. He has a degree in Political Science from the University of Michigan and Secondary Education from Western Michigan University. Austin brings nine years of teaching experience to the program. He is interested in connecting great literature to the realities of young people’s daily experiences to help them lead fuller lives. In his free time, he likes to play tennis and basketball.