Meet Emma Stough: Prose Writer, First-Year MFA Candidate, and Recipient of the Woodfin Fellowship

Emma Stough felt the pull of Charleston through the phone. 

“I remember talking to Bret Lott during the decision-making process. He described the view from his office window: the pastel buildings and the Spanish Moss. I remember thinking, okay, I could picture myself among all that.”

Emma came to Charleston from Rock Island, Illinois, where she completed her Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing and Graphic Design at Augustana College.

To complete this picture of her interests, Emma mentions photography as her primary hobby.

While deciding which MFA program to attend, Emma tried to assemble her impressions of the Lowcountry.

“I was initially wary of the year-long warmth in Charleston (unpopular opinion, I know!) having grown up in the Midwest, but I have been especially appreciative of the short, mild winter.”

Having left her colder comfort-zone for brighter climes, Emma has found her new setting confounding, in the sunniest sense: “I am still frequently stopped by the reality of living in such a beautiful city and landscape—sometimes I have to remind myself the Atlantic is just a drive away.”

Emma now says, safely, “Coming to this coastal, vibrant city from a flat Midwest suburb has been the ultimate ‘change of scenery,’ which is exactly what I had in mind.”

The program itself has framed Emma’s new and expanding perspective: “I was intrigued by the idea of being in such a young program and being able to be a part of something that would no doubt grow and evolve during my two years. From there, I saw the impressive faculty and coastal location and was more than convinced that I would benefit from pursuing an MFA at CofC.”

In her time here, Emma has worked as an Editorial Assistant for Crazyhorse, and has received a Teaching Grant to travel to the University of Bahrain. The “change of scenery” continues. 

As Emma’s place in the program has gained such quick focus, both sharp and broad, she has also found space to step back, breathe, and admit, “Having just come out of undergrad, my professional goals are pretty fuzzy at this point. I know writing is going to be involved in some capacity—whether I move towards teaching, publishing, or something else entirely. I wanted to pursue an MFA to continue growing in the craft while I figured out my professional future.”

In this space we foresee more from Emma. Look for her in the foreground.