Larimer News

Western Colorado University recently issued the following announcement.

Western Colorado University’s Graduate Program in Creative Writing (GPCW) is thrilled to announce the appointment of CMarie Fuhrman as Director of the Poetry concentration.

Fuhrman will be the fourth director of Poetry in the GPCW’s twelve-year history, taking over a thriving program from Interim Poetry Director Tyson Hausdoerffer.

Fuhrman is Idaho’s 2021-2023 Writer-In-Residence. She is the author of “Camped Beneath the Dam: Poems” (Floodgate 2020) and co-editor of “Native Voices” (Tupelo 2019). She has published poetry and nonfiction in multiple journals including Emergence Magazine, Platform Review, Yellow Medicine Review, Cutthroat a Journal of the Arts, Whitefish Review, Broadsided Press, Taos International Journal of Poetry, and Art, as well as several anthologies.  Fuhrman is a regular columnist for the Inlander, translations editor for Broadsided Press, non-fiction editor for High Desert Journal, and director of the Elk River Writers Workshop.

Carrying Important Work Forward

GPCW Director Tyson Hausdoerffer praised the search committee’s selection of Director Fuhrman and spoke of his confidence in her leadership.

“I was excited to see CMarie rise to the top of what was a large and extremely qualified pool of applicants, and even more excited that she accepted the position. Over the past three years, I’ve been working with the Poetry faculty to make the program more demographically diverse, more inclusive of different poetic styles, and more relevant in terms of curriculum and reading lists,” said Hausdoerffer. “I cannot think of anyone more ready and able to carry this important work forward than CMarie. She brings such charisma, moral character, and vision to this task, that I have no doubt our Poetry program will soon be one of the most sought-after programs of its kind.”

Advancing the Program

Fuhrman said she is looking forward to further increasing the program’s diversity and finding new ways to support its students.

“I am extremely honored to join Western Colorado University’s Graduate Program in Creative Writing and support students creating groundbreaking work confronting difficult issues and celebrating beauty,” Fuhrman said. “I am proud and inspired to direct a diverse and inclusive poetry program that engages Western students with some of the most influential poets of our time. I have every confidence that, together with my colleagues, the GPCW will meet students where they are and continue to redefine the literary landscape.”

Exemplifying Western’s Values

Western’s Laura Pritchett, Ph.D., who as director of the Nature Writing Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Master of Arts Program has already worked with Fuhrman, celebrated her hire.

“CMarie Fuhrman’s hire as director of the Poetry concentration and faculty member in the Nature Writing concentration deepens the relationship between the two fields,” said Pritchett. “What an thrilling addition to the diverse, cutting-edge, prolific faculty. She’s a stellar teacher and exemplifies everything Western values—an expansive and inclusive atmosphere, innovative and experimental writing, rigorous training in craft, and community. She will no doubt help the students clarify and achieve their writing goals.”

In addition to Fuhrman, the department boasts a diverse faculty that includes Carol Guerrero-Murphy, Jennifer Hancock, Tyson Hausdoerffer, Clemonce Heard, Julie Kane, and Maya Jewell Zeller.

The Graduate Program in Creative Writing

Western’s Graduate Program in Creative Writing is a two-year, low-residency program. Students can live and learn anywhere and complete most of the curriculum online. They come to Western’s campus in Gunnison, Colorado, for one week each summer to take classes, participate in workshops, and meet faculty and students from across the program’s five concentrations, Genre Fiction, Nature Writing, Poetry, Publishing, and Screenwriting. During their annual summer sessions, students have the opportunity to explore the landscape unique to the Gunnison Valley, destined to inspire creativity among students.

Original source can be found here.