Josibel Centeno

Major: BFA in creative writing with a concentration in nonfiction 

Hometown: Norfolk, VA 

Plans after graduation: Centeno will work on completing her first novel. “I have many plans for my life but being a novelist is the highest on my list.”  

Favorite George Mason memory: “Meeting Maggie Stiefvater at Fall for the Book. I have been a longtime fan of her work and meeting her was just the icing on the cake of my time at George Mason.” 

Discovering passion and pushing limits 

Centeno says it’s difficult to pick a favorite class because so many of them were impactful, but she notes that Introduction to Creative Writing was pivotal in her decision to concentrate on nonfiction writing. She adds that her capstone course with Greg Wilhelm “really stretched me to my absolute limit and showed me that you can always push yourself even further.” As an undergrad, Centeno volunteered as a reader for Stillhouse Press and studied abroad for a semester in Oxford, England. “I can say that Oxford was one of the greatest experiences in my life so far,” she said. “I learned so much about myself and my abilities as a student and as a professional.”