From Design to Diction: Cynthia Gunadi Transforms Into This Year’s Beebe Fellow
Alexandra Gore | September 13, 2023
Joining the Warren Wilson College (WWC) English department for the 2023-2024 school year is Cynthia Gunadi, who was selected to be this year’s Beebe Fellow.
Gunadi’s academic history includes several institutions. She graduated from Brown University in 2002 and went on to receive a master of architecture from Harvard University Graduate School of Design in 2006.
In 2015, Gunadi graduated from WWC’s Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) for Writers Program, and after teaching at the Miami School of Architecture for almost five years, she returned to campus as a writing professor. She teaches Advanced Fiction Workshop and two sections of Forms and Theories in Fiction. Gunadi also plans on teaching an MFA-level workshop during her time here.
Gunadi worked at a small architectural firm for several years where she discovered her love of experimental temporary art installations. After teaching architectural design at the University of Miami, she found that her passions had shifted.
“Through the past four years of being a teacher, I have felt better about trying to prepare the next generation to be responsible architects rather than contributing to the commercial field myself,” Gunadi said. “In fiction, it feels more like I am able to talk about things that I just really love.”
Gunadi’s love for writing was clear to Rachel Haley Himmelheber, WWC’s chair of creative writing.
“We were really impressed by her ability to relate to students with her passion for fiction and the breadth of her knowledge,” Himmelheber said. “I know her to be a thoughtful, empathetic teacher who really thinks a lot about student response. She’s also bringing some cool books to the advanced fiction class.”
Anna Sauerbrey is a sophomore at WWC and works on the farm crew. They are a student in Forms and Theories in Fiction and describes Gunadi as an incredibly positive and responsive professor.
“She never turns us down on our ideas, unless it’s really wrong,” Sauerbrey said. “She always leads with ‘There’s elements of correctness to that, and here’s more. I don’t think all teachers can manage that, especially in discussion classes. She’s really energizing.”
The Joan Beebe Graduate Teaching Fellowship offers alumni of the WWC MFA for Writers program an opportunity to teach five four-credit undergraduate courses in composition and creative writing.
WWC is no stranger to welcoming new faculty, but Gunadi is unfortunately not here to stay. The Beebe Fellowship is a rotating program that hands itself off to a new professor every one or two years. She is contracted for only one year at WWC. Himmelheber elaborates on the fellowship:
“They’re here to bring a little bit of energy and a different point of view to the graduate program,” Himmelheber said. “While it’s always sad to say goodbye to all of our excellent Beebe Fellows, it’s a lovely thing for students to have this influx of different energy from people every year.”
Gunadi describes the fellowship as bittersweet. Because she is aware of its temporary state, she is trying to get the most she can out of her time here.
“I feel like a year is both a really long time and an incredibly short time,” Gunadi said. “I want to take advantage of my time here and really enjoy it.”
There are several opportunities for students who are interested in creative writing. The creative writing department and work crew host readings and open mics every month. Three writing classes are being added to the course list next semester: a course on Young Adult novels, Food Writing Journalism and Play and Practice for the Artist.
