Amy Benson

Amy Benson is an Associate Professor of English at Rhodes College. She previously taught at Columbia University, where she directed the Undergraduate Creative Writing Major and co-created the 'Paris, Then and Now' creative writing abroad program, and at Fordham University as a Visiting Writer. Her work focuses on experimental prose, under-represented voices, and the intersection of art with societal issues.

Education:

• M.F.A., Creative Writing (Poetry), University of Alabama, 1996
• B.S., Biology (Philosophy minor), Bowling Green State University, 1993

Research Interests: Benson’s writing explores themes of love, nostalgia, and environmental awareness through creative nonfiction and fiction. Her award-winning works include Seven Years to Zero (2017) and The Sparkling-Eyed Boy (2004), praised for lyrical prose and profound emotional depth.

Awards & Recognition:

• 2017 Dzanc Books Nonfiction Prize
• 2003 Katherine Bakeless Nason Prize (Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference)
• Elle Magazine’s 'Must Read Book' (2004)
• USA Today Top Ten Summer Book (2004)

Professional Contributions: Benson co-founded the First Person Plural Reading Series in Harlem and has been awarded residencies at Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference and Ledig House International. Her essays and stories appear in journals like Agni, Kenyon Review, and Triquarterly.