T.S. Leonard ’23 on Writing, Teaching, and Finding Home at USF

Image

What attracted you to USF?

I knew I wanted to live and write in San Francisco, but I was drawn to USF’s emphasis on a value system that I think reflects the city: open and accepting, culturally diverse, committed to justice, and rooted in creative exploration. It felt like coming home.

Why did you choose the Writing, MFA program? What did you like most about it?

Pursuing an MFA in Writing meant, for me, expanding my own artistic practice, connecting with a wider community, and earning the credentials to continue in my teaching career. I wanted not only the time and space to write but the support and the challenges that come from doing it in community.

What I loved most about the MFA was the freedom it gave me to explore. I thought I knew what kind of book I wanted to write coming into the program, but I was constantly inspired by shiny new poems, tricks, and practices thanks to my professors and my peers. With their encouragement, too, my work took on new textures and pushed into further possibilities.

What are you doing now?

Right now I’m teaching at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, talking about poetics with musicians and composers and engineers — and learning something new every day. I’m thrilled to be exploring the possibilities of collaboration between poetry and music. I’m submitting my manuscript of disco time traveling poems to presses for publication, and this spring I finished a draft of my first novel. It's about art and friendship and queer becoming across generations. It’s an exciting time.

How did your USF education prepare you to do your work?

The best lessons I learned at USF came from watching my teachers. Leading workshop, facilitating discussions, or connecting us to community throughout the Bay, my professors demonstrated a passion and a playfulness that helped to open up my poetry, and modeled some best practices for directing a classroom. There was a fierce attention to the dignity of each student’s own inquiry, and absorbing this approach has made me not only a better educator, but a better person.

Do you have any career advice for current USF students?

Time flies. Try to enjoy all of it. Connect with your peers and professors. Connect with your community outside of campus — San Francisco is itself a fabulous classroom. Take advantage of the student discounts at the Symphony. Go out dancing. Go to events. Organize readings or writing retreats. Enjoy the views. Find a place to sit on the third floor of Lone Mountain, facing the Bay, and take a deep breath. Write a poem about it.