Monica Prince '12

Monica Prince '12 faces every challenge in her life filled with confidence she laughingly calls her “Knox arrogance.” She describes it as an instilled confidence that makes her feel no one can tell her that her dreams aren’t possible. 

“My Knox education made me feel empowered in my ability to do whatever I put my mind to,” Prince said. “If I am told that I am doing something wrong, I don’t take that to heart. I believe there's a right way to do it. I just have to work for it.” 

This philosophy was nurtured by Prince’s first encounter with Knox. During her college search, she was committed to finding an institution that allowed her to major in creative writing and dance. Where others told her this wasn’t an option, Knox welcomed the idea with open arms. She toured the campus and applied shortly after. 

Now, Prince is touring the country with her new book. She has been nominated for three Pushcart Prize awards and is teaching the next generation of writers the values she learned on a small campus in the Midwest.

Prince says Knox faculty members shaped her four years at the College. She recalled taking a midnight poetry class with the late Monica Berlin, Richard & Sophie D. Henke Distinguished Professor of English. On the first night of the course, Berlin offered a cup of coffee, a chocolate bar, and a bag of clementines. She remembers that Berlin told the class these supplies were needed to write poetry in the winter.

She says her senior seminar with Nick Regiacorte, associate professor of English and director of creative writing, provided her with tools that she uses today in her own courses at Susquehanna University of Pennsylvania. “They all made a huge impact on me,” Prince said

Teaching wasn’t always Prince's career path. She studied abroad in Dakar, the capital of Senegal, in 2010 as a way to develop her education career, but she decided to drop her education major and focus on creative writing when she returned. 

After completing graduate school in 2015, she returned to her home in Colorado and worked small jobs, writing and reading as much as possible on the side. In 2016, she completed her first choreopoem, “How to Exterminate the Black Woman," published by PANK Books.

She soon accepted a position at Susquehanna as a creative writing fellow, teaching two classes a semester, engaging in community activities, and always writing. Prince says she didn't intend to return to academia but this opportunity was simply too good to pass up.

While working at the university, Prince completed the live production of “How to Exterminate the Black Woman”, debuting it on campus. Following the production's success, she was offered a full-time, tenure-track teaching position. 

Prince recently completed her latest choreopoem, “Roadmap,” which is slated for release in the summer of 2023.

Prince credits her Knox education with giving her the confidence to take chances in her career. She points to the many writing workshops she attended, which taught her how to take criticism and use it to improve her writing. She feels confident that her finest work is still ahead and hopes to someday perform her choreopoems on Broadway. “I want my shows to be accessible. I want them to be seen by all,” Prince said. “They can read the show in print and that’s great, but I would like them to experience it firsthand. I want that more than anything on the planet. I credit Knox for always helping me feel like my dreams could become reality.”

You can follow Prince's writing journey here.