Donald Edem Quist

Donald Edem Quist serves as Director of the MFA in Writing at Vermont College of Fine Arts and previously held a position as Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at University of Missouri. He earned his M.F.A. in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and completed his Ph.D. in English from the University of Missouri.

Quist's research interests center on creative writing, particularly essay writing and literary nonfiction that explores African American experiences, race and identity studies, and memoir writing. His work often examines the complexities of being a person of color navigating multiple cultural landscapes, including experiences growing up in the American South and living as an expatriate in Thailand.

His publications reveal a consistent focus on identity formation within racial and cultural contexts. Quist's writing demonstrates how personal narrative intersects with broader social issues of race, class, and belonging. His work often employs vivid imagery and blends serious social commentary with personal reflection.

• Foreword INDIES Bronze Winner (Harbors)
• International Book Awards Finalist (Harbors)
• Sundress Academy for the Arts Fellowship
• Kimbilio Fiction Fellowship
• Virginia Center for the Creative Arts Fellowship
• Gus T. Ridgel Fellowship

Quist has created the online nonfiction series PAST TEN and co-edited The Past Ten: An Anthology. He also co-hosts the Poet in Bangkok podcast and serves as Fiction Editor for Atlas and Alice. His work has appeared in prestigious publications including AGNI, Poets & Writers, North American Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, and The Rumpus, with selections noted in Best American Essays 2018.