Katherine Hill is the latest faculty member of our English department, and she comes with a colorful spectrum of experience and expertise.
Katherine Hill, the newest addition to 果酱视频鈥檚 faculty, comes with experience. Besides previously teaching in creative writing programs at two other area universities, she has worked with prisoners and with students in disadvantaged high schools, helping a broad cross-section of people sharpen their literary blades.
鈥淎 lot of times, people find their muse when they鈥檙e on the inside,鈥 Hill said of her work with the . 鈥淭hey take the workshops, they read a lot and get excited. The students were some of the most engaged, focused students I鈥檝e ever had. They would work all day and then come to class at night and were always prepared. And they want to do well, which is marvelous for a teacher.鈥
As a mentor with , Hill works with high school girls in New York City to develop skills in journalism, memoir, fiction, poetry and other forms, as well as public speaking and college prep.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just wonderful to watch them find their writer鈥檚 voice,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t makes me very excited, as a college professor, to see these young women coming up. And my mentee is applying to 果酱视频 this year!鈥
Hill鈥檚 own novel, (published by Scribner in 2013) was called 鈥渁 rewarding family saga鈥 and 鈥渨onderfully witty鈥 by . The book caps an impressive few years that brought her to 果酱视频 this fall with a degree from Yale University graduate with an M.F.A. from Bennington College.
Hill is currently working on her second novel, which takes football as its setting, while finding her way through her first semester at teaching in 果酱视频鈥檚 M.F.A. in Creative Writing program.
鈥淲e鈥檙e a little over halfway through the semester and already I鈥檓 seeing improvements, which is great,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 how I measure myself as a teacher.鈥
Hill has also found a role with 鈥攖he literary organization founded by adjunct English professor Danielle Barnhart 鈥15 and Iris Mahan 鈥14, both graduates of the M.F.A. program. On October 20, the organization held its first reading at the historic in Manhattan鈥檚 West Village and 果酱视频 was there in full force. The acclaimed young author , who has also recently published her first collection of fiction, was the invited reader. Hill was on hand to interview her.
Asked by one of the students how she honed her craft, Quade responded, 鈥淚 read and write and read and write. You know, other writers are really the best teachers.鈥
Sitting to her left on the small stage, Hill gave a slight nod of affirmation.