- Lee K. Abbott (B.A. English) is the award-winning author of seven books, including his collected stories, All Things, All at Once.
- Joseph Scapellato (M.F.A. Fiction) is the author of the novel The Made Up Man and the short story collection High Lonesome. He is a professor at Bucknell University.
- Terese Mailhot (B.A.) is the author of the memoir Heartberries.
- LouAnne Johnson (B.A.) is the author of the memoir My Posse Don’t Do Homework, (which was made into the feature film Dangerous Minds), and the novel Muchacho.
- Barry Pearce (M.A. and M.F.A. in fiction) won the prestigious Nelson Algren Grand Prize for Chez Whatever in 2019.
- Rus Bradburd (M.F.A. fiction) is the author of All the Dreams We’ve Dreamed, and three other books.
- Phil Hurst (M.F.A. fiction, 2012) is the author of The Land of Ale and Gloom.
- Mike Meginnis (M.F.A. fiction 2011) is the author of the novel Fat Man and Little Boy.
- Jill McEldowney (M.F.A.) is the author of the poetry collection Airs Above Ground.
- Tyler Julian (M.F.A. fiction 2020) is the author of the poetry collection Wyoming.
- Camille Acker (M.F.A. fiction, 2012) is the author of the short story collection Training School for Negro Girls.
- Andrew Scott and Victoria Barrett (M.F.A. fiction 2002) run the acclaimed press Engine Books. Andrew Scott is also the author of the short story collection Naked Summer.
- Evan Lavender Smith (M.F.A. fiction, 2003) is the author of the memoir From Old Notebooks and the novel Avatar.
- Goldberry Long (M.A. fiction) is the author of the novel Juniper Tree Burning.
- Alexander Parsons (M.A. fiction) is the author of the AWP Prize winning novel Leaving Disneyland and the novel Malpais.
- Joshua Wheeler (M.F.A. poetry) is the author of the nonfiction book Acid West.
- Robert Wilder (M.A. fiction) is the author of the novel Nickel and the nonfiction books Daddy Needs a Drink and Tales from the Teacher’s Lounge.
- Henry Shukman (M.A. fiction) is the author of the story collection Mortimer of the Maghreb, the novel The Lost City, and the memoir One Blade of Grass, among other books.
- Becky Hagenston (M.A. fiction) is the author of three story collections, including “Scavengers,” which won the Permafrost Prize.
- Casey Grey (M.F.A. fiction) is the author of the novel Discount.
- Carrie Fountain (B.A. theater) is the author of the novel I’m Not Missing, as well as three books of poetry.
- Patrick Stockwell (M.F.A. fiction) is the author of the award-winning novella The Light Here Changes Everything.
- Kathleen Lee (M.A. fiction) is the author of the novel All Things Tending Towards the Eternal and the short story collection Travel Among Men.
- Carrie Murphy (M.F.A. Poetry, 2011) had her chapbook, Meet the Lavenders published by Birds of Lace Press in early summer 2011.
- Krystal Languell (M.F.A. Poetry, 2010) edits the journal Bone Bouquet, which is now publishing in print. Her chapbook, The Mean Particle, is forthcoming from Tilt Press.
- Kevin Honold‘s (M.F.A., 2010) first book of poems, Men As Trees Walking, won the 2010 Ohio State University Press / The Journal Press Award . He also holds an M.F.A. in Poetry from Purdue.
- Austin Tremblay (M.F.A. Poetry, 2009), a current Ph.D. student at the University of Houston, has begun Owl Eye Reviews, a new literary journal that publishes poetry and essays.
- Jeff Frawley (M.F.A. Fiction, 2009) was a 2010-2011 Fulbright scholar in Creative Writing, living and working on his novel in Budapest, Hungary.
- Kara Dorris (M.F.A. Poetry, 2009) is the founding editor the journal Lingerpost.
- Lee Rhyanes (M.F.A. Poetry, 2008) started Voices Behind wall, a creative writing workshop. The program takes place in juvenile detention centers in the Southwest and encourages juvenile offenders to express themselves through poetry. Lee, along with NMSU Literature graduate Justin DeSenso, was also instrumental in helping to create “Hip-Hop Stacks,” a catalog of hip-hop literature, music, art and scholarship now located at the Branson Library on the New Mexico State University campus.
- Albert Martinez (M.F.A. Fiction, 2004) has a website, Lively Words, where he features video footage of writers reading their work. Several people associated with the M.F.A. program at New Mexico State have participated in his project, including former professors Antonya Nelson and Robert Boswell, current professor Connie Voisine, and graduates Tim Staley and Dorine Jennette.
- Dorine Jennette (M.F.A. Poetry, 2004) had her first book of poems, Urchin to Follow, appear from The National Poetry Review Press in 2010.
