Stephanie Carpenter

Stephanie Carpenter is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Humanities within the College of Sciences and Arts at Michigan Technological University. She holds a PhD in Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Missouri, an MFA in Fiction from Syracuse University, and a BA in English from Williams College. Her academic and creative work bridges literary scholarship and fiction writing.

• BA, English, Williams College
• MFA, Creative Writing-Fiction, Syracuse University
• PhD, Literature and Creative Writing, University of Missouri

Her research and teaching focus on Creative Writing, Contemporary Literature, Nineteenth-century American Literature, Early Photography, Text and Image, and Intentional Communities. She teaches a wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses in creative writing—including poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, science fiction, and bibliomemoir—and literature courses such as Writing about Literature, Thoreau and His Legacy, and Major Works of George Saunders.

The themes in her recent publications reflect her deep engagement with historical and psychological landscapes. Her works often explore women's agency, communal living, and the interplay between visual and textual media. Her novel Moral Treatment (2025) and her short story collection Missing Persons: Stories exemplify her literary craftsmanship and thematic depth.

She has received notable recognition for her writing:

• Inaugural Winner, Summit Series Prize (Central Michigan University Press, 2025)
• Winner, Press 53 Award in Short Fiction (2017)

Stephanie Carpenter actively contributes to the literary community through readings, interviews, and conference presentations. She mentors emerging writers and continues to develop new creative and scholarly projects, represented by Isabelle Bleecker at Nordlyset Literary Agency. Her work is published in journals such as Copper Nickel, Ecotone, The Missouri Review, and Witness.