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Debra Magpie Earling Named New Director of the University of Montana’s Creative Writing Program

October 13, 2016.

At the welcome ceremony, held at the university’s Payne Native American Center, Earling said, “Missoula is a storied community and the stories of the long-ago Salish who occupied this particular place remain here. This is Indian country and Bitterroot Salish traditional land. I am honored to be the first Native American director of one of the oldest writing programs in the country and privileged to welcome a new generation of storytellers.”

Speaking at the ceremony, university president Royce Engstrom praised Magpie Earling’s work as a “profound contribution to creative literature of the West.”

Photo Credit: University of Montana

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Debra Magpie Earling First Native American Director Of UM Creative Writing Program

Debra Magpie Earling, a Bitterroot Salish tribal member, is now director of the Creative Writing Program at the University of Montana . She is the first Native American to serve as director of the 96-year-old program. Earling is thrilled by the appointment, but also a little nervous.

"Years ago, Jim Welch told a story about the chief of the Blackfeet who didn’t want to be the chief. So he ran up into the hills and hid. And they had to drum him out of the hills," Earling said.

Earling’s appointment was celebrated this week during an honoring ceremony in the Payne Family Native American Center on the University’s Missoula campus.

As President Royce Engstrom pointed out, the Creative Writing Program at UM is one of the top programs in the country.

"Three or four years ago, we set about on this campus identifying a small number of programs of national distinction — that’s what we called it. And a very rigorous competition from campus was held. Thirty-some programs applied for this status and Creative Writing was one of the three that we awarded programs of national distinction."

"Earling has been teaching at the University of Montana since 1992. William Kittridge, Regents Professor Emeritus, recalled this story about her hiring."

"I remember talking to the Dean of Arts and Sciences and he said, 'You know what I’m going to do? I’m going to hire this woman, Debra Earling.' And he said, 'Do you think that’s a good idea?' And I said sir, I congratulate you ."

During the ceremony, Kittridge and Annick Smith delivered a gift to Earling from Lois Welch, wife of the late Blackfeet author Jim Welch. Smith walked over to Earling holding a colorful wool blanket, which, Kittredge explained:

"Lois Welch gave it to me to pass on to you at an honoring like this, a traditional honoring. He got it from the Fort Belknap Tribe after the publication of "Fool’s Crow" in 1986. And she thinks Jim would love it — and I’m sure he would, and so does she — if that blanket were passed on to you at this honor."

After Earling gave gifts of her own to several people at the gathering, she began her remarks with a bit of history:

" The land the University inhabits holds both a sorrowful and brilliant story. This is the time-honored homeland of the Bitterroot Salish, and this is our traditional gathering ground. When my great-great grandfather, Chief Charlo, was forced to leave his beloved homeland in 1891, he passed through Missoula in exile. In his deepest sorrow, he stated: 'We were happy when the white man first came. We first thought he came from the light. But he comes like the dusk of evening now. Not like the dawn of morning. He comes like a day that has passed, and night enters our future with him.' Charlo’s exile was not the story he chose. But because of Charlo’s love for this particular place, he is part of this land where we now gather, and his spirit will remain forever. This will always be his homeland."

To honor the memory of Chief Charlo and her Bitterroot Salish ancestors, Earling looks forward to helping students to share their stories.

"I hope that in my position as the Director of the Creative Writing Program that I can open up doors for students. That I can serve in that capacity, that it is possible that your stories do matter."

Especially stories from Indian Country.

"This is a new generation of storytellers in tribal communities. There’s many young people that I have met who’ve worked with Anna East Baldwin in Arlee. There’s students in Two Eagle River School, students who are in all the tribal colleges who are writing, who have important stories to tell. All you Indians out there writing, come to the University of Montana. We have something big to offer."

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University of Montana Catalog (2018-2019)

• College, Schools and Programs /
• College of Humanities and Sciences /
• English Department /

English B.A. - Creative Writing

This is an archived copy of the 2018-2019 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.umt.edu/ .

• Requirements

Bachelor of Arts - English; Creative Writing Concentration

College of humanities & sciences.

Degree Specific Credits:  43-57

Required Cumulative GPA: 2.0

Catalog Year: 2018-2019

General education requirements.

Information regarding these requirements can be found in the  General Education Section of the catalog. 

Foundation Courses

Minimum Required Grade: C

Upper-Division Creative Writing Courses

Rule:  Complete all categories.

Upper-Division English Electives

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Modern & Classical Language Requirement

Note:  Students may either take four sequential semesters (101, 102, 201, 202) of a modern or classical language or exemplify proficiency through examination (available through the Modern and Classical Languages and Literature Department).

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UM launches creative writing class using donated printing press

by NBC Montana Staff

MISSOULA, Mont. — The University of Montana launched a Letterpress Practicum teaching students to use a 1936 Hacker Test Press No. 5-B which was donated last summer.

The machine came with more than 700 pounds of type. There are currently 12 members of the class consisting of graduate students in creative writing.

The machine was donated by UM's director of the undergraduate creative writing program and alum Peter Rutledge Koch.

The University of Montana released the following information:

As class projects go, this one was decidedly different.

For the better part of an hour, University of Montana graduate students enrolled in Letterpress Practicum sorted through small mountains of metal type, filing each by its letter into a compartmentalized wooden box.

While tedious and an eye strain – pieces were often the width of a pea, sometimes smaller – learning this organizational technique is an important part of operating a printing press. After all, if you can’t find a capital A when you need it, creations come to a halt.

“Sorting type dates back to the advent of moveable type,” said Alexandra Ore, the press assistant for the class and a graduate of UM’s Masters of Fine Arts program in fiction. “It’s a painstaking part of the process, but there’s value in learning it.”

Letterpress Practicum is UM’s inaugural book art class created to complement a 1936 Hacker Test Press No. 5-B donated to the University last summer. The gift included more than 700 pounds of type, including everything from the tiniest 6-point comma to a hand-sized wood type relief of the number eight.

Robert Stubblefield, director of UM’s undergraduate program in creative writing, said the press and type were donated by Missoula native Peter Rutledge Koch, a master book arts printer, and Kevin Head, a UM alum and longtime supporter of the University’s creative writing program.

“Kevin has been a key player in our annual Writers’ Fall Opus, which generates funds for student scholarships,” Stubblefield said. “Through his and Peter’s generosity, we were able to inaugurate the book arts program using this press. We plan to expand the curriculum so more students can experience and enjoy this very artistic form of communication.”

Students in the first class found the manual work of assembling type decidedly different from composing on their laptops.

“Working with cases of type and this huge machine is such a tactile experience,” said MFA graduate student Erin White. “It does take a certain temperament to have the precision and patience, which is what you need as a writer, too.”

White is one of 12 members of the class that consists of graduate students in creative writing, who are themselves poets, as well as fiction and nonfiction writers.

Class instructor Professor David Axelrod said there is a long history of poets-and-writers-turned-printers, most notably Leonard and Virginia Woolf, who’s small handpress launched Hogarth Press, which still exists today.

“A beautiful poem is more beautiful when beautifully printed,” said Axelrod, who earned a Master of Fine Arts at UM and taught for 35 years at Eastern Oregon University. “Having the type in your hands gives a deeper appreciation for language then you get with a computer keyboard a greater appreciation for the lyrical passage of prose.”

Axelrod’s own introduction to printing presses came when he and his wife, creative writing Professor Jodi Varon, started a literary magazine – printed on an offset press – at Eastern Oregon called “basalt: a journal of fine & literary arts” in 2004.

“Around 2006 I cajoled my dean into buying me a Vandercook SP-15 on which I collaborated with visiting writers and my colleague in art, Susan Murrell,” recalled Axelrod of his work with the noted Oregon artist. “You quickly learn with letterpress type that you can never measure enough.”

Rulers, in fact, are as common in Letterpress Practicum as are latex gloves to keep ink and lead off hands and fingerprints off type. The studio, where the 2400-pound press resides, is a chaotic buzz during the weekly class, with students working in groups of three to sort and set type. No one has time to sit down.

“Students at the first class asked if they should bring paper and pencils to class,” Axelrod said. “I told them, ‘Well, you are going to need both hands.’”

During the semester students tackled several creative projects, including a poster featuring text by Montana poet laureate and UM instructor Chris La Tray and a commemorative gift to be given to members of the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education during their November meeting in Missoula.

But the impromptu also took place. In specific, a poster to celebrate the 50th anniversary of CutBank, UM’s literary magazine that has featured works by such venerated writers as Richard Hugo, James Welch, Louise Erdrich and James Lee Burke.

White, who was editor-in-chief of CutBank during the 2022-23 academic year, was joined in the project by MFA student Jenny Rowe, current editor-in-chief of the magazine. With Axelrod’s help they crafted the overall design, combining text and graphical figures that included the very first cover of CutBank overlayed with images from the 50th anniversary cover.

The work required several hours of positioning type – ultimately held in place by various widths of wood and metal – and laying on the right amount of ink on the press roller using a metal spatula.

“It’s an interesting balance,” White said of preparing the press. “You need gross motor works but also tweezers to fine tune the type.”

Simplicity was key in this early project, Rowe said.

“Our plan was to have much more text, but David suggested we stay as simple as possible,” she said. “We’re glad he did. It was pretty labor intensive. It’s definitely rewarding to see how typeface can create beautiful art.”

One of student Marko Capoferri’s first tasks in Letterpress Practicum was cutting mylar used to lift the height of wood type once it’s placed on the bed. The tools are simple, he said.

“While this is a fairly modern press,” he said, “in many ways it’s also ancient technology.”

As a poet, Capoferri found particular satisfaction in manually spacing the letters and lines. Poetry for him is both visual and physical, he noted.

“The sizing of the text and the negative space around words and lines is super interesting,” Capoferri said, “and that you are making these decisions while you are laying out the words.”

While this fall’s course was open only to graduate students, plans are to offer the class to undergraduates in January. The curriculum, Axelrod said, will always be in tinker-mode – much like the setting and spacing of type – because it is about the students and where their creativity takes them.

But every work that rolls off the nearly 90-year-old press will come marked with an image of a creature synonymous with UM: The grizzly bear.

“I wanted to come up with a name for this shop and our creations,” Axelrod said. “This is officially now the home of Bear Scratch Press.”

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HOOKS FOR BOOKS

Please join us on September 27-29, 2024 in Missoula, MT for the third annual Hooks for Books, a weekend of fly-fishing, camaraderie, and fun to benefit the Creative Writing Department at the University of Montana. Twenty-eight lucky anglers in teams of two will fish some of the world’s premier trout streams, including the Blackfoot, Bitterroot, and Clark Fork Rivers with the region’s top guides, to catch rainbow and brown trout that often range from 20-25 inches! Participants will experience Missoula’s culture, cuisine, and many special surprises. Registration includes three cocktail parties and dinners, including tickets to the Writer’s on Water Dinner. Hooks for Books is not a competition, and anglers of every level will have a great time. But for those who want to challenge their skills, we also offer a few special surprises for the experienced angler. Our events are held in beautiful and historic downtown Missoula, and since guides will meet participants at the hotel, there is no need to rent a car.

Hooks for Books is a charitable fly-fishing event that benefits the University of Montana’s Creative Writing Program. All net proceeds support the program. It was founded in 2021 by UM Alumni, Tim O’Leary and Chris Dombrowski,  combining their love of literature, fly fishing, and the UM. O’Leary is an entrepreneur and writer, and Dombroski is a renowned poet, fly-fishing guide, and Director of the MFA program. Like many universities, UM has experienced severe budget cuts that continue to impact the Creative Writing Department, and Hooks for Books supports those shortfalls to build a new generation of writers, while giving visitors the opportunity to experience some of the world’s finest trout fishing and the beautiful community of Missoula—a place where “the river literally runs through it.” UM’s Creative Writing Program is one of our nation’s oldest and most prestigious, with an international reputation. Founded in 1920, it began offering one of the first M.F.A. degrees in 1966, and has boasted such iconic Western writers as Richard Hugo, Madeline DeFrees, Judy Blunt, James Lee Burke, Rick DiMarinis, and William Kittredge, while hosting Pulitzer Prize winners, Richard Ford and Jorie Graham, and literary luminaries, David James Duncan, Jess Walter, Susan Cheever, Barry Lopez, Hunter S. Thompson, Ken Kesey, and dozens of others. Graduates have become essential voices in literature and the arts, penning bestsellers, critically acclaimed books (many that have been adapted into films), while being awarded Pulitzer’s, Pushcarts, and almost every literary honor. We appreciate the support offered by Hooks for Books contestants and sponsors to continue this important legacy of literature.

Hooks for Books 2024 is sold out. If you would like to be on a waiting list for any openings, or on the list for Hooks for Books 2025 please contact us. Thanks.

Friday, September 27

Optional fishing day at attendees’ expense. Please contact one of our sponsor outfitters to book a guide:

Eric Ederer, Renegade Fly Fishing Outfitters – 406-880-7221

Toby Reinhardt, Montana Trout Outfitters – 406-544-3516

7pm – Dinner and cocktails at one of Missoula’s finest establishments, including readings by some of the newest voices in literature, and special guests.

Saturday, September 28

Fish a blue-ribbon trout stream.

7pm – The Writer’s on Water Dinner and cocktails at one of Missoula’s finest establishments, including readings by some of the newest voices in literature, and special guests.

Sunday, September 29

7pm – Hooks for Books goes gourmet! Join us for a special dinner at Brasserie Porte Rouge – a 2024 James Beard Semi-finalist restaurant, for an incredible dinner and cocktails.

Registration includes two days of guided fishing, dinner and cocktails on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night, with tickets to the Writers on Water Awards. Does not include travel, lodging, or practice day guides.

Accommodations

We’ve negotiated special rates with the beautiful Residence Inn and AC Hotel in downtown Missoula, but space is limited, so register now.

Writers on Water

Attendees receive a ticket to the Writers on Water Dinner and Auction, held on the evening of September 29, and tickets are also available for non-attendees for $100 per ticket. Your ticket includes dinner, cocktails, entertainment, and the opportunity to meet literary luminaries and purchase rare, signed books. In 2023 we honored literary legend John Gierach with the first annual “Writer’s on Water” award, and this year we will again present the award to a writer who best personifies the intersection of literature and water. Your 2024 ticket, which is partially tax deductible, will help support a new generation of writers pursuing an MFA in The University of Montana Creative Writing Program, one of the premier writing programs in the world. Tickets will go on sale later this year. Please check back.

Can’t make the event but would like to support the UM Creative Writing Program? Please donate below:

Sponsors & Supporters

We are proud to have assembled the best crew of outfitters and guides in Western Montana. Our past outfitters — Missoulian Angler, Renegade Fly Fishing Outfitters, and Missoula Fly Fishing Outfitters — and guides have accrued over 200 years of guiding experience on this watershed. Our thanks to past sponsors and supporters that include:

We are pleased to report that our second annual event was a sell-out, with twenty-eight lucky anglers from thirteen states in attendance. Revenue from the event exceeded $100,000, which will provide tremendous support to budding writers. Thanks to all our attendees!

Writers on Water Dinner and Auction

Please join us in 2024 for the third annual Writers on Water Dinner and Auction. In 2023 we honored literary legend John Gierach with the first annual “Writer’s on Water” award. The evening included dinner, cocktails, a small auction held in conjunction with the Hooks for Books Fly fishing weekend, and the opportunity to meet many literary luminaries. Attendees also had the opportunity to purchase rare signed copies of books from some of the nation’s top authors. Your 2024 ticket, which is partially tax deductible, will help support a new generation of writers pursuing an MFA in The University of Montana Creative Writing Program, one of the premier writing programs in the world.

Tickets will be $100 per person Can’t make the event but want to support writers at the University of Montana? Simply click on donate.

Why Your Support Will Make a Difference

Like many universities, the UofM has experienced severe budget cuts that severely impacted the Creative Writing Department. The Writers on Water Dinner and Auction, which also takes place on the final evening of  www.hooksforbooks.org , supports those shortfalls to build a new generation of writers.

UofM’s Creative Writing Program is one of our nation’s oldest and most prestigious, with an international reputation. Founded in 1920, it began offering one of the first M.F.A. degrees in 1966, and has boasted such iconic Western writers as Richard Hugo, Madeline DeFrees, Judy Blunt, James Lee Burke, Rick DiMarinis, and William Kittredge, while hosting Pulitzer Prize winners Richard Ford and Jorie Graham, and literary luminaries David James Duncan, Jess Walter, Susan Cheever, Barry Lopez, Hunter S. Thompson, Ken Kesey, and dozens of others.

Graduates have become essential voices in literature and the arts. Most recently, Stephanie Land’s best-selling book  Maid  was adapted into a hit Netflix television series. Andrew Sean Greer’s book  Less  was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. Emily Danforth’s novel  Plain Bad Heroines  was named the best Book of the Year by The Washington Post. Kim Barnes memoir was shortlisted for the Pulitzer. Robert Wrigley’s ten books of poetry have been awarded Pushcart Awards and a Guggenheim Fellowship. James Welch, who both attended and taught in the M.F.A. program, was the preeminent Native American author of seven books. His first novel,  Winter in the Blood  was shortlisted for the Pulitzer Prize.  Fools Crow  won the American Book Award and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. And now we look forward to helping create a new generation of writers. We appreciate the support offered by Hooks for Books contestants to continue this important legacy of literature.

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Bachelor of Fine Arts - BFA

The University of Montana introduced the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Creative Writing in 2020. The program is designed to support and mentor students by providing fundamental skills and experiences that prepare them for graduate school and the professional world. Students learn from our nationally-ranked MFA program faculty and receive critical feedback from their peers in the vibrant literary and arts community of Missoula. 

Our BFA program blends together courses in creative writing, literature, and hands-on experiences to create a robust educational experience for all students. Our program culminates with a capstone course students enroll in during their final semester. 

So why study creative writing in Montana? Perhaps you like the sound of a place where the mayor introduces the Montana Book Festival, summer evenings linger almost into infinity, and you can access galleries, museums, concerts, streams, and wilderness in a twenty-minute walk or bike ride. Is this The Last Best Place? Possibly. And a river really does run through it.

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Robert stubblefield , mfa, (photo credit: william albert allard), bfa program coordinator, danielle cooney.

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University of Montana Catalog 2023-2024

Creative writing b.f.a., bachelor of fine arts - creative writing, general education requirements.

Information regarding these requirements can be found in the  General Education Section of the catalog. 

Degree Specific Credits:  46-60

Required Cumulative GPA:  2.0

Core Courses

Minimum Required Grade: C-

Upper-Division Electives

Upper-division creative writing courses.

Rule : One of theses courses must be a 300-level workshop

Minimum Required Grade: C- 

Language Requirement

Note : Students may either take four sequential semesters (101, 102, 201, 202) of a modern or classical language or exemplify proficiency through examination (available through the World Languages and Cultures Department).

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2023-24 University of Montana Academic Catalog

A PDF of the entire 2023-2024 Catalog.

New Programs in Screenwriting and DEI Place Students on the Cutting Edge

• Mount Magazine

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Mount Saint Mary’s is continuously finding new ways to prepare students for success and meet the changing demands of a global workforce. One way the Mount does this is by creating transformative and unparalleled educational programs that offer students theoretical and practical knowledge. The Mount is excited to offer various new degree and certificate programs for the upcoming academic year. Two notable programs that will launch in the summer and fall of 2024 are an MFA in Screenwriting and a certificate in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).

New MFA in Screenwriting

Los Angeles is the ideal place to study and prepare for a career writing for the entertainment industry, and Mount Saint Mary’s is expanding opportunities for aspiring writers with a new MFA in Screenwriting. 

A joint endeavor between the creative writing and film departments, the three-year-long MFA program aims to produce writers who are prepared to write for not only TV and film but also new and interactive media, such as virtual reality and video games.  

“Versatility is the watchword for the program,” says Johnny Payne, director of the MFA in Creative Writing and co-creator of the MFA in Screenwriting program. “Students will also study, write and adapt other literary works, such as novels, short stories and plays, to screenplays. This is one way there is a true synergy between the creative writing and film programs.”

Another unique characteristic of the Mount’s screenwriting program is its production training. Students will learn about all techniques of editing, directing and cinematography, with the program culminating in the students producing a portion of their screenplay for a proof of concept.

“It is more than just theoretical knowledge — it is the practical application within the different media that sets this program apart from other screenwriting programs,” says Kelby Thwaits, MFA, director of graduate programs in film, television and photography and co-creator of the new program. “Students will get hands-on training and understanding so they can better write for the media captured by the camera.” 

The program will also prepare students for the business aspects of the industry, from budgeting and seeking funding to understanding the ins and outs of the newer streaming-oriented media.  

While applicants must have a bachelor’s degree to be accepted, Kelby says the ideal candidate for the program is a motivated storyteller. “They can come from liberal arts, science or math majors, as long as they have that core drive to tell their story,” he says.  

Johnny adds that the program will have a nurturing and supportive atmosphere, perfect for aspiring writers to achieve their goals. “We are going to develop raw talent,” says Johnny. “We will teach them the fundamentals and work with them to shine.”

New DEI certificate 

The importance of DEI initiatives continues to grow in all industries and job sectors, from healthcare to government to finance. To help meet the demand for more working professionals with thorough DEI knowledge, the Mount will launch a new graduate-level certificate in DEI this summer. 

Designed for individuals across all industries, the program will give students the skills to create positive change at the personal, interpersonal, institutional, cultural and systemic levels.  

“This program is timely,” says Krishauna Hines-Gaither, PhD, vice president for equity, diversity and justice at the Mount. “There is demand for people with DEI knowledge in all sectors, from healthcare and education to technology and all spheres of business.” 

Certificate students will gain a solid understanding of DEI foundational topics, such as its history, implicit and explicit bias, and cultural identities, while also developing an implementation project that they can bring back to their organization. They will gain analytical skills and learn how to build community partnerships.

“The knowledge gained here at the Mount will empower these professionals to create transformational change within their specific environment,” Krishauna says. “We are proud that students will gain foundation knowledge and then have the opportunity to apply it directly. It makes this program very unique.”  

The program’s goals align with the Mount’s mission of becoming an antiracist university and helping to increase the impact of equity, diversity and justice practices in the greater community. 

The program will be offered online in an asynchronous format, allowing students to flexibly complete the courses within a set timeframe. It is open to candidates with a bachelor’s degree from any field and can be completed in one semester. The DEI certification pilot program will convene during the summer 2024 term.

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