Emerging Writers Institute 7th-9th

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Education Unlimited believes in small-group, immersive learning with subject matter experts and experienced teachers. We strive to provide industry-leading instruction to all of our students and hold all staff to the highest possible standards. Staff assignments vary by program and location. Some of our recent staff members for this program include:

Elizabeth Bull, MFA - Camp Director

Elizabeth Bull is a writer and filmmaker. Her writing has been published in various journals, including the Los Angeles Review of Books, H.O.W. Journal, Third Coast Magazine, and Gulf Coast; her work has been nominated for two Pushcart Prizes.  Her involvement in television and film began at AMC Networks, where she worked in original series development during the creation of “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad.” In addition to writing and directing several short films, she co-wrote the feature film “Song of Sway Lake,” released in the fall of 2017. Elizabeth has also co-produced two feature films and a television series for Fuse.

Elizabeth received her Bachelor’s degree from the School of Theater, Film, and Television at the University of California Los Angeles. She also holds a Master in Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing (Fiction) from The New School in New York City.  In addition, she has studied directing at the Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design, and Technology in Dublin, Ireland on a Rotary International Fellowship.  She has taught writing at the University of Zadar in Croatia on a Fulbright Fellowship.  Elizabeth has been with Education Unlimited since 2010.

Patrick McHugh, MFA - Instructor

Patrick McHugh is a native Arizonan with a background in English literature, creative writing, and critical theory. He is a graduate of Arizona State University's Barrett Honors College with a degree in English literature. Patrick received his Master's degree in English literature from the University at Buffalo. Experienced in a wide variety of classroom settings, Patrick initially taught at SIAS International University in Henan, China before returning to Arizona. While in the states he has worked with EU as an Assistant Director, A+ Middle School English teacher, and taught creative writing at the Emerging Writers Institute for both middle school and high school students. He previously taught 6th grade English for BASIS Phoenix. Currently, Patrick is serving as an adjunct faculty in the English department at Grand Canyon University, with a focus on English Composition courses for freshman students. He is passionate about guiding each student using their own voices and talents, fostering unique reading and writing skills as well as empowering critical thinking. On a personal level, Patrick is a devoted music lover and performs as a clarinet player, drummer, and electronic composer. He also indulges his interests in contemporary art and 21st-century literature.

Patricia Hicks - Instructor

Patricia "Trish" Hicks has been one of Education Unlimited's most beloved writing instructors since 2016. She is an educator, writer, and passionate teaching artist with over 20 years of experience. Her dedication to the transformative power of language arts and experiential learning is evident through the time she has spent teaching and mentoring for organizations such as Urban Word NYC, Reel Works Teen Documentary Filmmaking, and The Cooper Union Saturday Outreach Program, all of which strive to provide platforms for youth to develop their literacy, creative and leadership skills. In addition, Patricia has taught with and developed literacy curricula for numerous organizations and schools nationwide including The San Francisco Day School, The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Harlem RBI, and the College University of New York.

Emily Rosello Mercurio is a writer and educator who has taught poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and academic composition at Cornell University and Education Unlimited. She earned her B.A. from Wheaton College (2016), double majoring in English and Women's Studies, and her M.F.A in Creative Writing from Cornell University (2018). She has served as an Assistant Editor for EPOCH Magazine and as the Literary Editor for Rushlight. Her work has appeared in Puerto del Sol, Vallum, Spoon River Poetry Review, and other journals. She is a 2017 winner of the Bermuda Triangle Prize.

Ploy Pirapokin, MFA - Instructor

Ploy Pirapokin is a writer and instructor currently teaching Nonfiction for the Creative Non-fiction Foundation.  She is also an adjunct instructor for the University of Los Angeles Extension program and does freelance training for The Writer, a global brand language agency.  Ploy has a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and English from the University of San Diego.  During her time at SFSU, Ploy lectured in Creative Writing and also worked as a Creative Writing Admissions Reader for the MFA and MA program.

Ploy’s own work has been featured in Tor.com, Apogee Journal, Entropy Magazine, the Bellingham Review, HYPHEN Magazine and more.  She has received multiple Pushcart Prize nominations for her work. She is a Writing by Writers Workshop at Tomales Bay fellow, a Community of Writers at Squaw Valley scholar, and was a Visiting Writer at the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center.  She has been the recipient of grants and fellowships from the San Francisco Arts Commission, the Ragdale Foundation, the Anderson Center, the Brush Creek Foundation for the Arts, Kundiman and others.