She’s talented, smart, well organized, hardworking, and a gifted writer. Having such qualities were crucial while Tonya Locklear pursued a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing from Oklahoma City University, and at the same time, she navigated the daily administrative tasks for the UNC Pembroke Biology Department. Tonya’s MFA degree was officially awarded in May, just shy of two years after acceptance to the graduate program, and three years after being awarded a BA degree in American Indian Studies from UNCP.
Tonya is not new to writing. She has been crafting poetry for years, and in 2017, she exhibited her poetry (in collaboration with Prof. Margie Labadie of the Art Department) during the 13th annual Southeast Indian Studies Conference on the UNCP campus. Professors Labadie, Jane Haladay, and Mary Ann Jacobs mentored and encouraged her (after completing a BA degree) to continue her studies by way of an MFA degree, which in the world of art, is analogous to a professional PhD degree. Consequently, Tonya tailored her MFA degree around poetry with a focus on Native American literature.
Luckily, the MFA was a low-residency program, requiring five residencies in July and January but requiring only two in-person visits to campus, and the flexible schedule meant she could juggle the demands of her “day job” while burning the “midnight oil” to conquer writing assignments.
The MFA program, however, was not without financial costs, including air travel to campus. Upon advice from Dr. Conner Sandefur (former assistant professor in Biology), Tonya applied for and received two scholarships from the American Indian Graduate Center -- Special Higher Education Program and the AIGC Named Graduate Scholarship - Elizabeth Furber Fund. Tonya conceded, “This was a financial blessing with little out-of-pocket expense.”
When asked about the greatest challenges she faced while earning a MFA, she replied, “For me it was time. Somehow there’s just not enough of it and the clock doesn’t stop because we’re tired.” She had this to say about her career aspirations: “I enjoy writing and encouraging others to write and tell their stories. Writing is a useful and transitional skill that I like to use as a creative tool. I aspire to teach Native American Literature and Native American Poetry in our AIS Department, in addition to creating a new introductory course to Native American poetry.”
Tonya currently helps people foster their writing skills through workshops in poetry and creative writing. In connection with National Poetry Month, Tonya facilitated a virtual summit on campus during April of 2020 and 2021, with plans for doing so again next year. Look for her writings online in the Journal of Creative Arts and Minds and in the poetry anthology publications: Thoughts on the Power of Goodness (2020) and Yellow Medicine Review (Spring 2021). Quite notably, North Carolina’s Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green selected Tonya to represent Native American southeastern communities and to collaborate with her on the youth literacy project known as Literary ChangeMakers. If that were not enough, Tonya also has a book in the works. “I’m very excited about my new book, Soul Food. It has not been released yet, but I have a publisher in Los Angeles, California, who works with Indigenous writers and looks forward to publishing my work.”
Tonya’s poem below, Carolina Living, highlights her ability to capture sensations and vividly recreate experiences common to the rural South.
Carolina Living
Cool summer rain
quenching
the dusty thirsty soil,
offering a drink
to three sisters parched
in the field.
Squishy black rich earth
mushed between toes.
Humidity, sticky like molasses
on Grandma's biscuits
waiting—
for some fresh cooked peaches.
Cold grape ice cream chills
the mouth on a scorching, sweltering
summer’s day, soothing
the weary soul after a cool swim
in the black tea waters
of the Lumbee.
Besides being an extraordinary and much loved member of the Biology Department staff, Tonya has talents that go well beyond poetry. She and her family ("Lakota John & Kin") are well known locally for their musical talents and community connections. Moreover, they have performed numerous live concerts around the nation, including a performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Congratulations, Dr. Tonya Locklear, on earning an MFA degree under extraordinary circumstances, and best wishes in achieving your career goals …. and in beginning the next chapter in your life!
Photo gallery below: Family, friends, and colleagues gather in June to celebrate Tonya Locklear's MFA
