Nearly 500 Library patrons attended free writing classes taught throughout the Library system by graduate students from the University of Missouri-Kansas City during the 2024-2025 school year. Beginning in August 2025, those classes are back.

Eva Schneider, a candidate for an MFA in creative nonfiction, returns for her second year. Eva regularly teaches courses in poetry, such as How to Write like Mary Oliver, and in both long and short-form fiction and nonfiction. 

“I am most excited to see recurring students when I return in the fall,” Eva says. “I've always believed that the heart of my classes comes from the people who attend, so I'm ready to dive back into conversation with the community."

Joining her is a first-year MFA fiction candidate, Dayton Little. Dayton is also pursuing an MA in history and brings his own spin to the program with classes like How to Build a “Realistic” Fantasy World and Get Your Application Right: A Guide to Professional Writing. 

Dayton’s will primarily assist with facilitating the Maya Angelou Book Award.

He says, "I am excited to work with the acclaimed faculty readers of the Maya Angelou Book Award's partner institutions, and I hope that my involvement will help better facilitate the careful selection of the winner of Missouri's most prestigious and important book award."

Dayton takes over for Alex Tretbar, who has worked on the award since fall 2023. During this time, Alex taught three classes per semester, one of his most popular being Experimental Poetry: The Wild and Strange and Difficult. 

Alex graciously volunteered to continue teaching writing classes at the Library after his internship ended. He says he wanted to stay because he loves “looking at literature with folks from the community. They never fail to help me see things in poems that I didn't register on my own."

Also returning as a volunteer is MFA fiction candidate Brandon Allen. Two of Brandon’s most popular classes are How to Begin a Novel and Journaling Journey. 

"Writers I teach at the Library classes always inspire me and send me back to my own work with fresh purpose,” Brandon says. “Even though my official stint with the Library ended in May, I wasn't ready to give up that connection, so I volunteered to teach more classes."

The Library is grateful for the hard work and dedication of these students. Thanks to their efforts and a partnership with UMKC’s creative writing program called Writers for Readers, the Library can provide graduate-level courses to Kansas Citians of all ages and experience levels at no charge.

Each fall, the Library and UMKC organize the Writers for Readers fundraiser. This event helps fund the graduate internships that support the Maya Angelou Book Award, a national literary prize recognizing outstanding new contributions to literature and social justice in fiction and poetry. The Library, UMKC, and five other state universities established the award in 2020.  

This year’s fundraiser banquet takes place on November 20, 2025, featuring a special guest and announcing this year’s winner.

To view the full list of fall 2025 courses and sign up, visit kclibrary.org.