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Academics › Graduate Academics › MFA in Creative Writing & Poetics › Faculty

Creative Writing & Poetics Faculty

Valerie Hsiung

Core Assistant Professor; Chair, Creative Writing Programs

valerie.hsiung@naropa.edu

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Stella Corso

Visiting Instructor, Writer in Residence

kristin.corso@naropa.edu

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Jeffrey Pethybridge, PhD

Interim Chief Academic Officer & Vice President for Academic Affairs; Core Associate Professor; Co-Artistic Director, Summer Writing Program

jpethybridge@naropa.edu

Michelle Naka Pierce

Core Professor

mnpierce@naropa.edu

(303) 245-4808

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Andrew Schelling

Core Professor

aschelli@naropa.edu

(303) 245-8411

Anne Waldman

Anne Waldman

Distinguished Professor of Poetics and Artistic Director, Summer Writing Program

awaldman@naropa.edu

Amy Bobeda

Adjunct Instructor; Director, Naropa Writing Center

amy.bobeda@naropa.edu

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Mairead Case, PhD

Adjunct Professor

mcase@naropa.edu

Ali Meyung, MFA

Adjunct Faculty

alice.meyung@naropa.edu

Sarah Richards Graba

Adjunct Faculty

srichardsgraba@naropa.edu

Sarah Elizabeth Schantz

Adjunct Instructor

Sarah.Schantz@naropa.edu

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Sara Veglahn, PhD

Adjunct Faculty

sveglahn@naropa.edu

Vincent Carafano

Vincent Carafano

vincent.james@naropa.edu

Learn More About the Program

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Matt Powers

Associate Director of Admissions

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Connect
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Matt Powers

Associate Director of Admissions

 

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About Naropa

Located in Boulder, Colorado, Naropa University is a Buddhist-inspired, nonsectarian liberal arts university that is recognized as the birthplace of the mindfulness movement. Naropa offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs that emphasize professional and personal growth, intellectual development, and cultivating compassion. 

Academics

Contemplative education brings together the best of Western scholarship and Eastern world wisdom traditions. Therefore, your pursuit of wisdom at Naropa means learning both about academic subjects and about your own place in the world. This innovative approach places Naropa on the cutting edge of the newest and most effective methods of teaching and learning.  

Admissions & Aid

If you’re seeking an education that resonates with both personal fulfillment and global impact, Naropa could be your top choice. At Naropa, you will experience a comprehensive curriculum that integrates the best of Eastern and Western educational approaches. Explore how Naropa can fuel your journey of intellectual and spiritual development.

Life at Naropa

Through its incredibly vibrant and welcoming community,  “Naropa offers a home for those who aren’t willing to conform to convention—the mystic, the healer, the prophet, the rebel, the artist, the revolutionary, the oddball—those who are incredible contributors to the evolution of society and of our planet.”—Core Associate Professor Zvi Ish-Shalom

The Naropa Difference

How is Naropa different from other universities? At Naropa, a liberal arts education balances rigorous academics with powerful interpersonal skills and self-awareness to educate the whole person. Naropa’s contemplative approach is inspired by Buddhist philosophy and the conviction that we can build a diverse, contemplative, enlightened society when we have transformed education to affirm the basic goodness of every person. 

Support Naropa

At a time when the value of higher education is being questioned, Naropa University stands firmly rooted in its mission to create a more just and regenerative world by nurturing insight, awareness, courage, and compassion in its students. By making a gift to Naropa, you play a pivotal role in helping to create the authentic, effective & mindful leaders that the world desperately needs.

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Naropa University campuses are closed on 12/17/2025. 

Due to adverse weather conditions of high winds and planned power outages, all Naropa campuses will be closed today. 

 

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Spring and Summer Start Dates for the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Concentrations

In support of students and in response to federal legislation impacting financial aid for graduate students, Naropa University will be accepting applications for MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling for spring starts through January 10.

Graduate School of Counseling concentrations listed below will be offering online and low-residency courses to start their programs in January 2026 as well as our Summer 2026 terms.

Beginning a graduate program in Spring 2026 or Summer 2026 means that you will have access to apply for Graduate Plus loans as these loans will be eliminated at the federal level starting in Fall 2026.

Contact Admissions (admissions@naropa.edu) today to learn how you can begin the next step in your graduate education journey.

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