Susan Vandagriff

Class of 2015, BA in Creative Writing, BA in Literature

Susan Vandagriff

What was your favorite part of studying Creative Writing at UE?

All the great stories I got to read, both assigned readings and other students' stories in workshops. Getting a look into other people's heads is so fun and so helpful when you are trying to shape your own narratives.

What did you experience in UE's CRW department that feels special/unique to our program?

I knew every professor I had personally, and I knew I could go to them for help with my writing or for career advice when I was in school and even after I graduated. It's great to know you have this network of people who want you to succeed and create your best work.

What was your favorite Creative Writing class and why?

Intro to Short Story was my favorite because it was the first class where writing really clicked for me. Getting that basic understanding of narrative and character development in its simplest form has helped me shape all of my writing since, both personal and professional.

What are you up to now?

I'm in my final semester of my Master's degree in library science at Indiana University. After graduating this December, I'm hoping to work as an instruction librarian at a university, teaching students about how to make the most out of the library while they're in college. At school I work two jobs: as a rare book and manuscript photographer for IU's rare books library and as a research assistant who answers students' questions in the main library.

While at UE, I received a research grant to write a paper on Hemingway's Across the River and into the Trees which was published in the Spring 2017 issue of The Hemingway Review. I also was able to intern and later freelance edit for a small Chicago publisher, Agate Publishing, Inc. Even though I'm no longer working in publishing, I'm still writing fiction and screenplays, and I've joined a couple of writing groups since graduating.

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