Sally Shivnan

Sally Shivnan serves as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of English at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), where she teaches creative writing and other writing courses. Her academic home resides within the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, operating from the Performing Arts and Humanities Building (PAHB 429).

Her educational background includes an MFA in Creative Writing from George Mason University and a B.A. in English from UMBC itself, establishing strong institutional connections. Shivnan has developed a distinguished career as both educator and practitioner of the literary arts.

Shivnan's research and creative interests center on Creative Writing, Literary Fiction, and Travel Writing. Her work demonstrates particular strength in short fiction and narrative nonfiction, with publications appearing in prestigious venues including The Georgia Review, Antioch Review, Glimmer Train, and Rosebud. Her travel writing has earned special recognition through inclusion in The Best American Travel Writing anthologies and publication in major newspapers and magazines.

Her 2016 short story collection Piranhas & Quicksand & Love represents a significant contribution to contemporary literary fiction, receiving praise for its 'clear and profound' storytelling and 'gentle defiance' against life's challenges. Her articles demonstrate consistent exploration of human relationships, memory, travel experiences, and cultural identity across both fiction and nonfiction forms.

• Maryland State Arts Council grant
• Travel Classics International Conference travel writing prize
• Book Passage Travel Essay Contest prize
• Glimmer Train Very Short Fiction Prize
• Silver Rose Short Fiction Award from the ART Foundation

Shivnan actively contributes to literary culture beyond her own writing, serving as a book reviewer for the Washington Independent Review of Books and hosting the 'Prose and Poetry' radio program for the Radio Reading Network of Maryland, which serves blind and low-vision listeners. She also participates in the Dylan Thomas International Summer School creative writing program in Wales, expanding UMBC students' horizons through international literary experiences.