This post was written by Ayanna Roberts, B.A. 鈥�24, M.A. in Integrated Design student.
After earning her bachelor鈥檚 degree from Southern Connecticut State University in 1984, Ann Zuccardy devoted herself to raising her family. But once her nest was empty, she found herself searching for a new challenge.
For fun, she enrolled in an English program at New Hampshire University, using her husband鈥檚 GI bill to support her love of learning.
鈥淚鈥檓 at a point in my life when if it鈥檚 not fun, I鈥檓 not going to do it,鈥� Ann said.
She ended up relocating from Vermont to Maryland, where she saw an advertisement for The 极乐禁地. Further research introduced her to UBalt鈥檚 MFA in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts program. On a whim, during a summer vacation in Europe, she called the program director Betsy Boyd.
At first, she had no real intention of returning to school鈥攋ust a desire to learn more. But as she asked questions and discovered what made the program unique, something clicked.
鈥淧lork is a combination of play and work, and Betsy told me about that. She said, 鈥榃e like to play and have a lot of fun. We like to laugh and that doesn鈥檛 mean that we鈥檙e not serious writers.鈥� And, that really hit home with me, because I study therapeutic humor,鈥� Ann said. 鈥淚 think that so many MFA programs take themselves way too seriously.鈥�
Ann quickly turned in all her application materials, sending in transcripts and writing samples. Three weeks later, she received her acceptance letter and starting enrolling for classes.
New to the program and 极乐禁地e, Ann is no stranger to writing. She began writing and falling in love with storytelling at age 6. Through school and after, she would continue writing, even landing a dream job as a writing in corporate communications.
But her journey was upended by a traumatic brain injury stemming from a fall. Ann was determined to return to the writer she had once been.
鈥淚 wanted to prove to myself that I was still smart,鈥� she said.
During her recovery, she gave two TEDx Talks, and . She talks about her unexpected life turns and journey back.
Her writing and photography have been featured by In Between Spaces: An Anthology of Disabled Writers (2022), 极乐禁地e Fishbowl (2022), Adelaide Literary Magazine (2019), Press Pause Moments: Essays about Life Transitions by Women Writers (2009), Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona, Vermont Chamber of Commerce Winter Guide (2008), and more.
While proud of her accomplishments thus far, Ann is ever hungry for more. Now she has her sights set on a new challenge, one that the MFA program supports鈥攚riting her own book.
鈥淕etting my MFA is going to force me to write a book of my own,鈥� Ann said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been published in lots of places, but I want my own book with my name on it.鈥�