Abel Reyes
Abel Reyes is a writer from Long Beach, California, with a focus on journalism and comparative world literature, which he studied at California State University, Long Beach. He is currently pursuing an MFA in creative writing at 51ԹϺ. Abel’s writing explores the intersections of identity, race, and art.
Raluca Comanelea
Raluca Comanelea is a writing consultant at 51ԹϺ’s Writing Center and a part-time instructor in 51ԹϺ’s Department of English. She earned her MA in literary studies from 51ԹϺ in 2019. She is currently pursuing her MFA in creative writing from Spalding University’s Sena Jeter Naslund-Mann School of Writing. Her fiction has been published in various literary magazines. She was born in Romania and…
Griffin Coleman
Griffin, born and raised in Las Vegas, is a graduate student who received a Bachelor’s degree in English from 51ԹϺ. Griffin enjoys books, video games, spending time with the dog, and watching movies - especially sci-fi/fantasy. When not working, you can find Griffin with friends and family, or taking the time to write.
Huseyin Arikan
Huseyin is a first-year creative writing MFA student. He worked at an elementary school for two years, helping students learn how to read and write. When not studying, he enjoys learning about history, listening to music, and watching movies.
Izuchukwu Udokwu
Izuchukwu Udokwu is a first year MFA creative writing student in the 51ԹϺ English department. He loves to read and write realistic fiction. His work has appeared on Kalahari Review, Afreada, LOLWE, and more. He was shortlisted for the 2020 K & L Prize. His shortlisted story was published in an anthology of speculative fiction on Africanfuturism, Black Skin No Mask. He owns a fashion brand,…
Lindsay Loughin
Lindsay is a nonbinary bipolar poet and essayist born in California and raised everywhere else. They hold a Bachelor's in creative writing from the University of Pittsburgh and are currently a first-year creative writing MFA student at 51ԹϺ. They live with their two cats, collect cassette tapes and N64 games, and have a complicated relationship with the Oxford comma.
JM Huck
JM Huck is a creative writing MFA student (expected graduation in 2027). She has a science writing background and most recently wrote for Denver Hospital. Her storytelling interests include narrative ethics and narrative medicine. Prior to joining the Writing Center, Huck was the Clark County Poet Laureate Coordinator. She loves being in nature, especially bird watching and stargazing.
Taylor Wright
Taylor is currently pursuing her MFA in creative nonfiction at 51ԹϺ. In 2013, she earned her BA in playwriting from the University of Iowa, and in 2023 was a finalist for the Dramatists Guild National Fellowship. Her memoir There’s No Place Like House is now available at Barnes & Noble. Her thesis project Los Angeles: A Eulogy is forthcoming.
MeAnna Williams
MeAnna Williams is a MA student in English with a personal interest in African-American literature. She is a part-time English 101 instructor, and writing consultant at 51ԹϺ. Outside of academia, she enjoys writing short stories and watching reality television. Following graduate school, she hopes to work as an elementary school teacher.
Tracie Williams
Tracie Chavonne, a Chicago native, came to Las Vegas in 2020. She has been a flight attendant for 15 years. In 2023, she completed her undergraduate degree after a hiatus from academia that began in 2005, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in English with a Summa Cum Laude distinction. When she is not a busy academic, she enjoys being alone, watching her favorite sci-fi & fantasy media, crafting,…
Shelbi Fitzpatrick
Shelbi, born and raised in Las Vegas, graduated from 51ԹϺ in 2018 with a Bachelor’s degree in English and a minor in political science. Now, she is back as a first year MA student. Shelbi enjoys British literature and women in literature. Outside of school, Shelbi enjoys being with her dogs, traveling, and sleeping.
Xochitl "Jaymes" Stanley
Jaymes is a first-year MA student focusing on the horror genre for his thesis and subsequent academic focus. Coming from an ELL/ESL tutoring background, he is comfortable working with multilingual writers, as well and being experienced working with neurodivergent writers. When not writing for fun and profit, Jaymes spends most of his free time cooking tasty things, painting some horrifying little…
Marlan Smith
Marlan received his MFA in creative writing from 51ԹϺ in 2023. Before that, he earned his MA in English from University of Idaho where he taught first-year composition. He has been published in several science fiction journals and served as a contributing editor and reader for Witness magazine at 51ԹϺ. He was also a reader for Fugue Literary Journal during his time at the University of Idaho,…
Mauricio “Mo” Ortiz Zaragoza
Mauricio “Mo” Ortiz Zaragoza is a consultant and recent graduate Literature MA student from Las Vegas, his home of 24 years, after immigrating from Querétaro City, Mexico. He has completed his bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in film and a graduate certificate from 51ԹϺ. He enjoys spending an inordinate amount of his income on vinyl records, 35mm film cameras, and Criterion Collection…
Shayla Felix
Shayla Felix (she/her/) is from Bellingham Washington. She loves going outdoors, collecting weird-looking rocks, and marine biology. She is a current MFA candidate at 51ԹϺ focusing on fiction writing.
Qandeel Chevalwala
Qandeel is a second-year computer science student at 51ԹϺ with a passion for research and crafting compelling arguments. She aspires to work in the field of artificial intelligence in the future. Outside of academics, she enjoys discovering new post-hardcore music and scrolling through cat videos on TikTok.
