One of the bright new lights of UC Davis is its creative writing program. Student alums, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, are making the prime-time in books and screenwriting, and more. Consider these graduates:

Anthony Swofford earned critical acclaim for Jarhead, his Marine Corps memoir, and then followed that work up with his first novel, Exit A. Shauna Ryan received the Maurice Prize for Fiction last year for her first novel, Locke 1928. Chris Markus and Steve McFeely collaborated on the Emmy-winning television screenplay The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, and were also on the scriptwriting team of the Hollywood film, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.

What is the secret behind their success? Is it something in the arboretum water?

It all starts with attracting talented faculty, said Pam Houston, author, English professor and director of the master's program in creative writing.

"What we have are active, engaged, top-notch faculty," Houston said. "And because of that, we attract good students. This is a particularly strong moment for us as far as faculty. The faculty is innovative, interesting and really engaged with the students."

Houston, a faculty member at UC Davis since 1999, became the director of the program in 2001. Today, the university offers a master's degree in English with an emphasis on either fiction or poetry; the classes are led by the nine creative writing faculty members. It is highly competitive — up to 15 students for each year of the two-year program are chosen from a pool of 70 to 100 applicants.

Poetry on rise

Houston said students are generally more interested in fiction writing than poetry, but that some recent faculty hires have inspired interest in the latter.

"Joshua Clover and Joe Wenderoth are attracting more poetry students," Houston saisd about the two faculty poets.

Monica Storss, a second-year graduate student, noted faculty talent as among her top reasons for applying.

"Pam Houston was a big draw for me," said Storss. "I really appreciate her earlier books, like Cowboys Are My Weakness. She had an impact on me as a young female writer."

"And, the poet Sandra McPherson is a legend," she said.

Storss, coordinator for the Graduate Student Reading Series and editor for the Greenbelt Review, an online creative writing showcase for graduate students, said the program staff seem genuinely interested in helping the students. For example, they seek out teaching opportunities for students in the program. Storss said, "They want to make sure you're taken care of."

However, while the caliber of faculty has improved in recent years, Houston said, that is not the only reason the creative writing program is booming.

There is something else — call it communication, call it respect — that seems to connect faculty and students, she said. Maybe it is the UC Davis way of collaboration, of doing things.

"We respect each other's work as a faculty — we're in communication about it. We by and large like one another and the students pick up on that. This is not a contentious program," she said.

As a result, students are not afraid to take risks. And in a writing program, confident students make for good writers who are willing to explore their creativity and push the boundaries.

"We keep this a place of experimentation and safety," explained Houston. " As a result, they form a community. It is positive, but also constructive critically. I think we're definitely one of the best programs in the West."

She sees this in the classroom.

"I have an amazing class right now, the best class I've ever had," she said. "I'm excited about reading every story."

Houston also is the director of the annual Tomales Bay Workshop, an integral part of the learning process for the second-year students. She organized the writing workshop, held in Marshall, Calif., two years ago. Several prestigious authors offer insight on a variety of topics, from fiction writing to nonfiction to poetry. Though by any standards the workshop is young, Houston is pleased with the response from students and people in general.

"It's been extremely successful, sold out. The department's committed to continuing doing it. It's been a lot of fun for me," she said.

Storss attended the 2007 session along with the other second-year students. "It's totally on the rise and the faculty is world-class," she said of the workshop.

Storss worked with poet Cornelius Eady, who she said gave her a perspective on poetry to which she had not yet been exposed.

"Tomales Bay was an excellent opportunity for me to work closely with notable faculty," she said.

Lucy Corin, professor of English and former director of the creative writing program, believes that artistic growth is the key to UC Davis creative writing.

"In other programs, there is a lot of focus on making it big as a writer," said "By and large, the good students get published. In the job market, you have to have published a book."

But at UC Davis, "We do not focus on how to get published or how to market yourself. Some programs are hooking their students up with industry. Here, there is space to grow as an artist," said Corin.

Despite the program's merits, a bone of contention among faculty and administration is that the program offers a master of arts degree instead of a masters of fine arts. Many top writing programs across the country are MFA programs.

"Some students perceive with an MFA they will have a better chance at getting a job, and I think they may be right," Houston said. "Everyone has different feelings about this. Some would like us to change it to an MFA. Many of us would be fine with that, but most of us aren't devoted to it one way or another."

Corin advises against putting too much stock in credential titles. "Don't look at the name of the degree. Look at the faculty, coursework and funding."

Both Corin and Houston both believe that whatever is done — either maintaining the program as it is or changing it to a MFA — must be in the best interest of the students.

"The question we have to ask ourselves is, Are we doing students a service?" said Houston.

Haley Davis is a former Dateline writing intern.