Jeanie Brehl of Kingsport, Tennessee, took Rita Quillen's Creative Writing course in the Fall of 2004 and has since published several of the pieces she wrote in that class.  She is a program manager for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Tri-Cities.

Amanda Clark is a 2003 MECC graduate.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from King College and is currently employed at Heritage TV in Norton. 

Stephen Cooper is currently attending MECC and is undecided about his major.  He is from Norton, Virginia.

Crystal Cox of Duffield, Virginia, is a first-year student in the RN program here at MECC.  Also a busy wife and mother, she draws and paints in her spare time for relaxation.

Maria Michelle Davidson lives in Johnson City, Tennessee, with her husband, Kieth, and their son, Ben.  Maria is a stay-at-home mom who writes when time –and the muse—will allow.

Kristen Fields is a sophomore at MECC majoring in General Studies.  She plans to transfer to UVA-WISE and major in Business Administration.

Neva Hamilton is a graduate of the University of Virginia and is currently the Director of Development for the Oxbow Center in St. Paul.  Her work has been published in Appalachian Journal and Jimson Weed. She also took the Fall 2004 Creative Writing class with Rita Quillen.

Sharyn Martin is retired from a career in broadcasting and is currently tutoring the Adult Program of the Literacy Council of Kingsport.  She has won several local writing competitions, including the Lonesome Pine Short Story Contest in 2003.

Candace Nicole Miller is a student from Clintwood, Virginia.

Paul Miller of Big Stone Gap has been painting for almost 18 years.  He says of his work:  "I paint from the heart.  I use unconventional means to try and have the painting reach out and touch the viewer."

Audrey Mullins of Pound, Virginia is pursuing a career in Radiography.  After finishing  her Associates Degree in Health Sciences, she plans to attend the Medical College Institute and major in Nuclear Medicine.

Leslee Mullins lives in Big Stone Gap and is majoring in Respiratory Therapy here at MECC.

Angie Orndorf was a dual enrollment student at MECC in 2005-2006 and is currently attending James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.  She's seeking a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with a concentration in Studio Art.

Miranda Peters of Gate City transferred to Virginia Intermont College from MECC to complete her BA in Art Education.  She currently teaches art at Appalachia Elementary and Appalachia High School.

Kristen Phillips of Pound, Virginia, is a Liberal Arts major here at MECC with a concentration in mathematics who plans to enter the teaching profession.

Scott Silcox, a repeat winner in the EXPLORATIONS competition, lives and works as an artist in Peachtree City, Georgia. 

Teresa Ward is a 1977 graduate of MECC who received her BA in English from UVA and her master's degree in Library Science from the University of Kentucky.  She retired from the Wise County Schools and currently resides in Big Stone Gap with her husband and small herd of five dogs.

Drawing and Painting
Educated at the University of George and Indiana University, Mira Gerard has been a member of the ETSU Art Department faculty since 2001.  Her paintings have been shown in many galleries from Knoxville to the Tri-Cities, including a one-woman show here at MECC in the Slemp Gallery.

Personal Essays
Jo Ann Asbury holds the MS and BS from Radford University and is currently a faculty member and Associate Director of the Appalachian Regional Studies Center there.  She is one of the editors of the new Handbook to Appalachia, recently published by the University of Tennessee Press.

Photography
Claude Kelly of Kingsport, Tennessee, has been an award-winning photographer, photography judge, and teacher for over 30 years; his most recent acclaim was the Northeast Tennessee Tourism 2005 Pinnacle Award in the Cultural History Category for a book that he photo-illustrated entitled Lydia's Gift.   His work has also received awards from the Virginia Highlands Festival, the Arts Council of Greater Kingsport, and the Southeaster Council of Camera Clubs.

Poetry
Elizabeth Howard graduated from Belmont University in Nashville and received a master's degree in English from Vanderbilt.  She taught high school English in Nashville and Crossville, Tennessee, where she now lives.  Her poetry and short fiction have appeared in many journals and anthologies, and she's published two books of poetry:  Anemones (1998) and Gleaners (2005).

Short Story
An Assistant Professor of Poetry Writing and American Literature at Roanoke College, Melanie Almeder is a widely published poet.  Her book On Dream Street will be published this summer by Tupelo Press.