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Maenads Fellowship Application

What it is:

The Maenads Fellowship Program offers up to twelve fellowships a year to women who are in recovery from substance abuse. 

Fellows will participate in a ten-week creative writing seminar on the Chatham University campus. 

The seminar offers mentorship and instruction in the following areas:

  • Creative writing.  You’ll be taught by practicing, professional creative writers in order to generate new creative writing.

  • Publication submission and design.  You’ll work with professional designers and artists to design a beautiful publication of your work.

  • Publicly presenting your work.  You’ll have the chance to present your work at a public reading.

  • Building a personal and professional community of creative writers.  The most important part of the fellowship is you and your peers.

Fellows will receive a $500 gift card at the completion of the program.  All supplies will be provided, including copies of your published work. Transportation and child-care for those in the Pittsburgh area will be provided. 

The fellowships are competitive, and will be offered to those who demonstrate the most promise as writers as well as the highest level of commitment to attending all twelve weeks.

Details of the Fall 2021 seminar:

  • Applications due Friday, July 23, 2021.

  • We meet Monday nights from 6-8:30pm, from September 13-November 15.

  • We meet on Chatham’s Shadyside campus.

  • The final reading and celebration will be on Friday, December 3.

  • Before the program begins, we’ll work with each fellow to arrange childcare and transportation needs, along with any other accomodations.

  • Fellows will receive their $500 compensation at the final event on December 3, along with copies of their published work.

How to Apply

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE JULY 23, 2021. Complete the application form below. Alternatively, you may also choose to send your application and writing sample via US mail to:

Sarah Shotland
Chatham University
MFA in Creative Writing
1 Woodland Rd.
Pittsburgh, PA 15232

The Maenads Fellowship program is sponsored by Words Without Walls and is a program of Chatham University’s Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing.  The program is made possible by the generous support of National Endowment for the Humanities.

Questions?  Email Sarah Shotland at sshotland@chatham.edu, or Karen Collazo at karen.collazo@chatham.edu.