I have been lucky enough to participate in the Pacific MFA in Writing Internship program for two residencies. When I first applied I was just expecting a fun and somewhat educational experience. I had no idea the ways this one experience would change my life forever. I know it sounds stereotypical, saying that doing this internship and attending the conference was life-changing, but it’s true. While I was chronicling the course of the internship, the one word I kept using whether in e-mails to my family or random texts to my friends was “amazing.” It sounds like such a simple word and yet I feel that it describes the experience I had perfectly.
I had been told by those who had experienced this internship before that you really became close to everyone you worked with: interns, students, faculty and staff. I believed them but didn’t quite understand the extent of it until I experienced it myself. We formed a family of writers during those ten days in January. My fellow interns were wonderful and we had so much fun together. I met so many new people. The wide range of people in the program was fascinating. I met a cartoonist, a chicken farmer and an ammunitions worker, all of whom shared a passion for writing.
I was able to interact with some amazing writers including Ben Percy, Pam Houston and Ellen Bass to name only a few. I was able to meet these authors and get to know them as people, not just as names on book covers. Listening to them explain their writing process not only helped me adjust my own process but also showed me that these amazing authors are normal human beings. Seeing that these seemingly ordinary people could produce such magical language and imagery gave me confidence that maybe one day I will be able to do the same thing. It was often that I would rush back to my room to jot down an idea in my notebook or compose a few lines of a poem. I returned from the conference with increased confidence in my writing abilities which has shown itself both in my class work and creative pieces.
After attending my first residency my confidence was so increased and I was filled with such enthusiasm, I chose to attend another writing conference that next summer and jumped at the opportunity to serve as an intern at the residency once more. I have had such a fantastic experience with the Pacific MFA in Writing program.
I encourage anyone who is interested in writing or reading, or who simply wants to experience an amazing adventure to apply for the internship. There are two residencies each year where you can apply for an internship: one in January during the Winter II term that is held in Seaside, Ore. and the other is in June right here on campus. As an intern you get the opportunity to attend craft talks and lectures, author readings, and classes. You work as part of a close knit team of interns and staff. You will work closely with both faculty and students. Interning with the Pacific MFA in Writing program is an incredible experience and I encourage everyone to apply.
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