Each year, a new incarnation of COW (the Council of Writers) organizes events for the MFA and WVU writing community to gather and share their work. On Wednesday, September 30, the 2015–2016 COW officers hosted their first event, the annual fall MFA reading, this year at 123 Pleasant Street. Students and faculty enjoyed a relaxed evening, mingling around the bar and listening to selections from the students’ recent writing.

COW president Andrea Ruggirello introduced the evening and invited third-year students to read after breaking the ice with the questions third years dread: “So, what are you going to do after you graduate?”

Whitney Arnold, COW vice president, introduced the second years by sharing the questions they are tired of hearing: “How are you liking Morgantown?”

Megan Fahey, secretary, introduced the first years, encouraging them to take full advantage of their time at WVU.

First-year Jake Maynard closed the evening, not with his fiction, but with his skillful banjo-playing—the career alternative that made creative writing look practical.

First-year students from left to right: Jake Maynard, Natalie Homer, and Maggie Montague

Second-year student from left to right: Megan Fahey, Whitney Arnold, Kelsey Englert, Elizabeth Leo, Sarah Munroe, Andrea Ruggirello, and Kelsey Liebensen-Morse (COW treasurer).