New Mexico State University, Department of English

Reviewer's Name:

Stevie C

Review Date

April 23, 2009

Year of Graduation:

2006

Review Title:

A Debt I Can Never Repay

Full Review of the Program:

If you are looking up information on graduate writing programs on gradinsider.com you are absolutely nothing like me (you are probably short—5’10” tops, studious and fastidious, with a mother you call too often), but maybe my words can aid in your decision nonetheless. The NMSU MFA program is a retreat. If you are accepted, you should attend. No questions asked. I don’t know how they do it, but the faculty and admissions committee assemble the most amazing writing community year after year after year. In fact, to this day I still have no idea how or why I was accepted (my fellow students wrote circles around me). I’m just thankful I was. I have never made better friends, I have never received better instruction, I have never felt so a part of something in my life. This is what MFA programs are supposed to be like.
The professors/writers-in-residence are amazing. And not only because they dish out applicable and learned advice and instruction in the classroom, but because they transcend the teacher-student divide and become that teacher-mentor-friend that we all dream about when entering a graduate program. Robert Boswell is a champ. I’ll offer a representative scene as evidence: I turn in my first story to his workshop. A 16-page piece (of garbage). From him in return I receive 21 typed pages of end comments. My parents don’t even care about me that much! Antonya Nelson is a straight-talking, no-nonsense master of her craft (the short story). When she rips apart your work—which she will invariably do—you will find yourself nodding in genuine agreement. And their visiting writers never disappoint. My first year coincided with Chris Bachelder's visiting year. Boom.
And when they’re done working you over, they’ll have you over for dinner, take you out for drinks, embarrass you in pool, take advantage of your inability to handle your drink, make jokes at your expense, and occasionally clean up your tab at the end of the night. Sure there is still a level of intimidation that lingers here and there—I mean, they are all brilliant and accomplished writers—but I truly never felt that my intelligence or ability were questioned or that my personality was judged (and, truth be told, my intelligence and ability are both questionable and my personality begs for insightful analysis).
At NMSU I was also taught how to teach. I am currently under contract at San Diego State University where I have been teaching both entry-level and upper-division writing classes for the past three years. I love it and none of it would have been possible without NMSU. And I still write. Almost everyday. Beat that.

Advice to Prospective Students:

I will say this, I cried some my first week in town (I’m a crier, though, so don’t get caught up too much on that). I only say this because Las Cruces is a shock to the system and you should know that. Why? Because you may be persuaded by the first impression this desert town emits and you need to know that this first impression is dead wrong. Yes it is hot and yes it is flat and yes it is sprawling and yes there are no zoning laws and yes every city that you’ve ever wanted to visit is at least 10 hours away, but when you’re surrounded by a group of people who you respect and who respect you and understand you and care about you and work hard to make you a better writer-slash-person and feed you roasted green chile with warm chips you soon begin to realize that the MFA program at NMSU is the best place on earth. For a writer. For a while.