Critically acclaimed author Gary Shtyngart has gained international recognition for his satirical and humorous works of fiction. Born in 1972 in Leningrad, USSR (now Saint Petersburg, Russia), Shtyngart immigrated to the United States with his family in 1979.

Janice Y. K. Lee is the author of two novels, The Piano Teacher and The Expatriates. Both set in Hong Kong, the books examine love, loss, and the formation of identity in a foreign land. Born in Hong Kong to parents who were Korean immigrants, Lee moved to the United State to attend Harvard College, where she graduated with a degree in English and American Literature and Language.

Ari Banias was born in Los Angeles and grew up in the Chicago area. He now lives in the Bay Area and teaches in the MFA programs at the University of San Francisco and Antioch University. He has been the Guest Editor for poetry.org’s Poem-A-Day series. As an MFA student at Hunter College, Banias was the recipient of the Friedman Scholarship, and worked with the celebrated poet Mark Doty.

Alex Gilvarry is the author of two novels, From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant (2012) and Eastman Was Here (2017). Born and raised in Staten Island, Gilvarry is a graduate of the MFA in creative writing program at Hunter College, and was nominated for the PEN Open Book Award for his second novel.

Accomplished author Kaitlyn Greenidge published her debut novel, We Love You, Charlie Freeman (Algonquin Books, 2016) after earning her MFA at Hunter College. The novel explores the legacy of the American eugenics movement, and also served as a meditation on language, family, and race. It was named one of The New York Times Critics’ Top 10 Books of 2016.

Native New Yorker Dana Czapnik entered Hunter’s MFA program in creative writing after having a successful career as a sports editor at ESPN and other outlets. At Hunter she was recognized with a Hertog Fellowship, and worked with Rivka Galchen.

Author and educator Meng Jin came to Hunter for the opportunity to work with the tight-knit group of faculty and students known to be deeply invested in each other’s success as writers. “What really matters at Hunter is the writing, and the opportunity to work with amazing writers,” she said.