SPS Stories
Faculty Spotlight
Genevieve Leone
Adjunct Instructor
Academy of Lifelong Learning
Writer Inspires Students to Craft Voice & Vision
Fast Facts
Earned an MFA in Creative Writing at USC Irvine
Spent several years teaching abroad at NYU Shanghai
Has been published in a multitude of literary journals
Sharing Lifelong Literary Passions
<p>Genevieve Leone is a creative writer passionate about helping students discover their unique stories and voices. Leone recently returned to the US after several years of teaching at NYU Shanghai. Her work has been published in a variety of literary journals, including <i>Sundog Lit, Meridian, The APWT Drunken Boat Anthology of New Writing, The Hong Kong Review</i>, and <i>Zócalo Public Square</i>.</p>
<p>Her Academy of Lifelong Learning (ALL) course, <i>The Reader in the Mirror: The Power of the Short Story</i>, affords students the opportunity to explore the connection between storytelling and human experience. Leone’s own literary journey began early. “I’ve always loved literature and reading; it’s been as much a friend to me as real people in many ways,” she reflects. She earned an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of California, Irvine, and moved to China in 2012 to teach at NYU’s newly opened Shanghai campus before returning to New York to teach at NYU SPS.</p>
I’m interested in what literature can teach us about communication and human connections. The process of reading literature closely can be incredibly transformative. It’s about understanding language and how it can be used to communicate ideas, emotions, and stories.”
Cultivating Creativity in the Classroom
<p><i>The Reader in the Mirror: The Power of the Short Story</i> explores the short story as a singular literary form. Students analyze key elements such as point of view, characterization, setting, and dialogue, considering how each aspect influences their experience as readers. Vibrant discussions that offer participants a space to engage deeply with texts and each other is a critical component of Leone’s classroom.</p>
<p>One of the most compelling aspects of the course is its ability to resonate with students at different life stages. “Take Emily Dickinson, for instance, who I read when I was in high school,” says Leone. “I appreciated the rhythm, imagery, and metaphors in her writing. But as I get older and have more experience in life, some of it has a deeper resonance. That's what literature does—it grows with you.”</p>
<p>Leone emphasizes how the exchange between reader and writer has the power to bring stories to life—and how, by blending literature with creative writing, she strives to give students tools for expression and deeper understanding.</p>
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