The listings below are the NWP’s official events for the Spring 2025 semester. However, much more than this will be happening both across campus and around Iowa City. And additional program events may occasionally be added throughout the semester.

The Nonfiction Writing Program

Spring 2025 Calendar

Week 1: January 20 - 26

Monday, January 20th: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – University offices closed

Tuesday, January 21st: First day of classes

Tuesday, January 21st, 4:00pm at the Nonfiction Writing House: Cupcake Welcome Gathering for NWP Bedell Distinguished Visiting Professor Dodie Bellamy

Friday, January 24th, 12:00pm: 304 EPB (Gerber): “Survived the First Week” Gathering

Friday, January 24th, 5:00pm: Deadline for Digital Scholarship & Publishing Studio Summer Fellowship materials (for Second-Year MFA students)

Friday, January 24th, 5:00pm: Deadline for MFA Summer Fellowship materials (for Second-Year MFA students)

Week 2: January 27 - February 2

Week 3: February 3 - 9

Monday, February 3rd, 2025: Last day to drop a course and reduce tuition/fee assessment (you will be billed for any courses you drop after this date!)

Tuesday, February 4th, 12:00pm: Deadline for Stanley Awards for International Research materials submitted online (for details, see website: https://international.uiowa.edu/student-fund-ing/international-grants-and-fellowship/awards/stanley-awards-international-research)

Friday, February 7th, 3:00pm: Deadline for Herodotus Award proposals

Friday, February 7th, 3:00pm: Deadline for Community Master Class proposals

Week 4: February 10 - 16

Monday, February 10th: Submissions for CLAS Postgraduate Visiting Writer Fellowships due online: https://workflow.uiowa.edu/form/clas-postgraduate-visiting-writers (Third-Years Only)

Tuesday, February 11th-Friday, February 14th, NWP House: Buckley Master Classes

Week 5: February 17 - 23

Monday, February 17th, 7:00pm, Prairie Lights Books: NWP Alumni Emily Mester reads from her debut essay collection American Bulk

Friday, February 21st, 7:00pm, NWP House: Bedell Distinguished Visiting Professor Dodie Bellamy Reading, followed by reception

Week 6: February 24 – March 2

Monday, February 24th: The first in a two-part masterclass for graduate students, “Writing for the Ear,” with Walid Rachedi from 3:30-5:30 on zoom

Thursday, February 27th, 7:30pm: Krause Essay Prize Ceremony and Reception at the UI Old Capitol Senate Chambers

Friday, February 28th: Degree application deadline (apply in MyUI). MFA spring graduates (Third-Years Only) must send English Department Graduate Coordinator Tara Atkinson a list of their thesis title, thesis committee members, date, and time of defense (tara-atkinson@uiowa.edu)

Week 7:  March 3 - 9

Saturday, March 8th & Sunday, March 9th: 10:00am - 4:00pm, NWP House: Community Master Classes

Week 8: March 10 – 16

Monday, March 10th: The second part of the two-part masterclass for graduate students, “Writing for the Ear,” with Walid Rachedi from 3:30-5:30pm at the NWP House

Tuesday, March 11th – Wednesday, March 12th, Zoom: Virtual Visit with Literary Agent Matt McGowan (Third-Years Only)

Tuesday, March 11th: Recruit the Newbies! Help advise the NWP’s newly admitted Class of 2028 about their future plans. Come for an informational meeting in the NWP House at 4:30pm to find out how you can help

Wednesday, March 12th, 7:00pm, Prairie Lights Books: NWP Alumni Laura Julier reads from her new book Off Izaak Walton Road (University of New Mexico Press)

Thursday, March 13th, 3:30pm at NWP House: Student meeting to discuss summer funding opportunities

Thursday, March 13th: Brainstorming session for the NWP’s upcoming One Day Fundraiser on March 26. Join the faculty at 4:30pm in the NWP lounge to help drum up ideas about how to excite NWP alum and friends to donate

Friday, March 14th: Fall 2025 course preferences due to Graduate Program Coordinator Tara Atkinson (tara-atkinson@uiowa.edu)

Week 9: March 17 - 23

Spring Break

Week 10: March 24 – 30

Wednesday, March 26 - Saturday, March 29th, Los Angeles, CA: AWP Conference

Week 11: March 31 – April 6

Wednesday, April 2nd – Friday, April 4th, NWP House: Visit with Literary Agent William Callahan 

Thursday, April 3 – Saturday, April 5th: Welcome Weekend for Incoming NWP students

Thursday, April 3rd – Saturday, April 5th, Iowa City: Mission Creek Festival

Thursday, April 3rd, 1:30pm, Dey House: Q & A with agents Nat Wyatt and Nicole Weinroth from the William Morris Endeavor Agency.

Friday, April 4th, 3:00pm, NWP House: Publishing Q + A with Literary Agent William Callahan

Friday, April 4th, Deadline for Edwin Ford Piper Memorial Scholarship materials to Tara Atkinson (tara-atkinson@uiowa.edu)

Saturday, April 5th, 3:00pm, Prairie Lights Books: NWP Alumni Torrey Peters reads, author of Stag Dance. Reception to follow - 4:30pm at NWP House.

Week 12: April 7 – 13

Monday, April 7th, 3:00pm: Deadline for submissions for Roxanne Mueller Award

Friday, April 11th, 3:00-5:00pm: Second-Years to submit thesis proposals (prospectus) to faculty and CC Graduate Program Coordinator Tara Atkinson (tara-atkinson@uiowa.edu) More details will be announced at a later date

Friday, April 11th, 3:00pm: Deadline for submissions for Prairie Lights Prize

Week 13: April 14 - 20

Monday, April 14th: Early Registration for Fall 2025 begins

Week 14: April 21 - 27

Tuesday, April 22nd: Final exam reports due/last day to hold thesis defense (Third-Years Only)

Week 15: April 28 – May 4

Tuesday, April 29th: Deadline for Single Thesis Deposit (Third-Years Only)

Friday, May 2nd: Last day of early registration. Students with teaching assignments should complete their fall 2025 registration by this date

Friday, May 2nd, 7:00pm, Prairie Lights Books: Austin Araujo reads from his new book At the Park on the Edge of the Country with Patrycja Humienik

Week 16: May 5 – 11

Friday, May 9th: Close of classes

Saturday, May 10th: NWP Graduation Ceremony at NWP House, 11:00am

Week 17: May 12 - 18

Final exam week for the university and commencement ceremonies

Tuesday, May 20th: Last working day for spring TA/RA contracts