Marissa Landrigan has joined the Humanities Division faculty as a tenure-track professional-writing assistant professor.

“I’m originally from New Hampshire, but I’ve moved around a lot,” said Landrigan, who has lived in eight states in the past 10 years.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in writing from Ithaca (N.Y.) College and her master’s degree from Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

She is shopping a book for publication and working on another.

Landrigan has published essays and stories in Los Angeles magazines, mainly profiles.

She is teaching creative non-fiction and will teach an advanced course next semester.

“I like creative non-fiction and it fulfills the writing-proficiency requirement and anyone can take it, so we try to marry journalism and creative writing in the course.

“Creative non-fiction can go from one end to the other so I try to take readings from both ends and right down the middle,“ said Landrigan.

Humanities Division Chair Patty Derrick said Landrigan is a welcome addition.

“We are thrilled to have her join the program because she is primarily teaching in the professional writing track, and to have her is hugely significant,”

“To add her shows great support to the program.”

Landrigan is one of the 2012 UPJ Fall Reading Series authors and is to read some of her work  Nov. 15 in Blackington Hall.