Luisa A. IgloriaView profile
Professor
Luisa A. Igloria is a Professor of English and Creative Writing at Old Dominion University (ODU), holding the Louis I. Jaffe Professorship and serving as a core faculty member in the MFA Creative Writing Program, which she directed from 2009-2015. She was the 20th Poet Laureate of the Commonwealth of Virginia (2020-22), receiving the 2021 Academy of American Poets Fellowship during her term. With over 35 years of teaching experience, she leads workshops at Norfolk's Muse Writers Center and sits on its Board, cementing her role as a literary ambassador and educator. Her education includes: Ph.D. in English/Creative Writing, University of Illinois at Chicago (1995) M.A. in Literature, Ateneo de Manila University (1988) B.A. in Humanities (Comparative Literature, English, and Philosophy), University of the Philippines Baguio (1980) Igloria's research centers on Poetry, Creative Writing, and the intersection of Filipino American and Asian American literary traditions within postcolonial and diasporic frameworks. She explores themes of migration, cultural memory, and women's narratives through innovative verse, as seen in her ecopoetry (2015 Resurgence Prize) and works addressing Philippine history. Her expertise spans nonfiction and contemporary American poetry, often examining identity through the lens of the Filipino diaspora. Recent publications reveal a sustained focus on diasporic identity and postcolonial critique through daily poetic practice. Her work frequently engages with Philippine folklore, migration trauma, and cultural hybridity, blending formal experimentation with urgent socio-political commentary. Journals like Crab Orchard Review and Orion showcase her signature fusion of personal and collective histories. Key literary awards include the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas lifetime achievement award (2021), Crab Orchard Poetry Prize (2019), Resurgence Prize for ecopoetry (2015), May Swenson Prize (2014), and multiple Palanca Awards. ODU-specific honors comprise the Burgess Award for Research (2015) and Broderick Diversity Champion Award (2015). Igloria mentors emerging writers through ODU's MFA program and The Muse Writers Center, where she serves on the Board. Her grants include the Virginia Commission for the Arts Fiction Fellowship (2001) and Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship (2021) for statewide public poetry initiatives. She has also received institutional support for diaspora-focused projects like the Poetry Postcard Project. She collaborates with literary collectives including the Writers Union of the Philippines (UMPIL) and participates in international seminars such as the Summer Literary Seminars in St. Petersburg. Her daily poem-writing project since 2009 and community workshops demonstrate ongoing creative leadership beyond formal academic structures.
