Core Faculty
K. Silem Mohammad
Professor of Creative Writing
PhD, English Literature, Stanford University, 1998; BA, Literature, UC Santa Cruz, 1991; BA, Classical Studies, UC Santa Cruz, 1991
K. Silem Mohammad specializes in poetry, poetics, and non-fiction. He received BAs in Literature and Classical Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1991 and a PhD in English Literature from Stanford University in 1998. He is the author of several books of poetry, including Deer Head Nation (2003), A Thousand Devils (2004), Breathalyzer (2008), and The Front (2009). His work has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, including Poetry,The Nation,Fence, and Postmodern American Poetry: A Norton Anthology.
Office: Art Building 110
Phone: 541.552.6636
E-Mail: mohammak@sou.edu
Craig Wright
Professor of Creative Writing
MFA, English/Creative Writing, University of South Carolina, 1994; BA English/Literature, University of South Carolina, 1989
Vincent Craig Wright teaches classes like Intro to Creative Writing, Fiction, Short Story Writing, and Songwriting. Craig earned his BA and MFA at the University of South Carolina, and is a Professor with over 30 years of teaching at SOU. He is the author of a book of stories, Redemption Center (2006). His fiction has appeared in BlazeVox, Fourteen Hills, and The Harvard Advocate and his songs have appeared on Sons of Anarchy, Lucifer, and Sasquatch: Mountain Man and on movies and shows in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Singapore, Brazil, Sweden, and elsewhere. Craig’s band has headlined the Oregon Country Fair and performed in Canada, Hawaii, and The Dominican Republic.
Office: Art Building 108
Phone: 541.552.6641
E-Mail: cwright@sou.edu
Affiliated Faculty
Robert Arellano
EMDA Professor
MFA, Brown University, 1994; BA, Brown University, 1991
Professor Arellano teaches courses in Design, Production, and Writing. A founding director of the EMDA program, Professor Arellano is also a musician and author. His literary production includes pioneering work in electronic publishing, graphic-novel editions, and five other novels.
Office: Art Building 111
Phone: 541.552.8146
E-Mail: arellanor@sou.edu
Staff
Andrew Kenneth Gay
Director of the School of Arts & Communication and the Oregon Center for the Arts and Professor of Digital Cinema
MFA, Entrepreneurial Digital Cinema, University of Central Florida, 2010; BFA, Film Production, University of Central Florida, 2006; BA, English & Philosophy/Religion, Flagler College, 2003
Andrew Kenneth Gay (he/him) leads the School of Arts & Communication and the Oregon Center for the Arts as director and is a tenured professor of Digital Cinema, where he teaches storytelling, career development, and film production management. He received SOU’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 2021 and the University Film & Video Association’s National Award for Teaching Excellence in 2022. Before becoming a full-time educator, Andrew worked as a freelance production coordinator, production manager, and assistant director in commercials, reality television, and independent film, and for such companies as Red Bull, Discovery, and Disney. He has written, directed, and produced for both fiction and documentary media and has served as board president of Film Southern Oregon, on the board of the Oregon Media Production Association, as a programmer for the Ashland Independent Film Festival, and serves on the Teaching Committee for EDIT Media (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Teaching Media) and on the board of the University Film & Video Association.
Office: Britt 140
Phone: 541.552.6669
E-Mail: Andrew.Gay@sou.edu
David Bithell
Professor, Program Chair
PhD, University of California, Berkeley; BA, University of California, San Diego
Professor Bithell teaches courses in interdisciplinary arts and technology, including digital audio and music composition, robotic art, and programming for artists. As an interdisciplinary composer, artist, and performer exploring the connections between visual art, music, theater, and performance, Bithell utilizes new technologies and real-time interactive environments to bring the precision and structure of contemporary music and audio practices together with an understanding of performance, narrative, and humor drawn from recent theater, live cinema, and performance art. His works have been presented at major venues in the United States, Europe, and Asia and been supported by grants and commissions from Meet the Composer Commissioning Music / USA, the American Composerʼs Forum, the Ammerman Center for Arts and Technology, and the President’s Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Fund at SOU.
Office: Art Building 109
Phone: 541.552.7033
E-Mail: bithelld@sou.edu
Karen Bolda
Student Success Coordinator
MA, Psychology, San Diego State University; BS, Psychology, University of Illinois
As the Student Success Coordinator for the Oregon Center for the Arts, Karen assists students with their transition to the university, advises on the general education courses needed, aligns student’s career goals with their academic majors, and helps create academic plans to plan for graduation. She can help navigate the general education requirements for SOU, answer general questions about the major, and guide students to resources to help them to be successful. Karen has lived in Ashland for over 20 years. She spends much of her free time with the Curtain Climbers, a local Aerial Dance Company.
Office (M,T,R, F): Art Building, 118
Office (W): Theater Building, 155 (Walk-in Wednesdays!)
Phone: 541.552.6735
E-Mail: boldak@sou.edu
Sage TeBeest
Creative Arts Program Assistant
BA, IT & Web Development, DeVry University
Sage has a BA in Information Technology with an emphasis in web development and graphic design. She worked for CivicPlus developing state, county, and local government websites across the United States, Canada and Australia. Her previous position was in the Department of Agriculture at Kansas State University as the web and communications manager.
Office: Art Building, 117
Phone: 541.552.6387
E-Mail: tebeests@sou.edu
Contact Creative Writing
SOU Creative Writing Program
1250 Siskiyou Blvd.
Ashland, OR 97520
541.552.6101
– Questions About Creative Writing? –