The teaching assistantship we offer is outstanding - better than you'll find anywhere. Plus, good teachers typically get the opportunity to teach a variety of courses. The department is friendly to writers and very supportive. The writing community is wonderful here. There are many informal gatherings of graduate students and faculty off-campus, either at somebody's house or in a friendly bar or even across the border in Juarez.
Much pool is played.
Much salsa is consumed. Long conversations over managing the unreliable narrator. We have 5 to 7 readings a semester. Visiting writers are paired with graduate students in their final year of study. Our audience averages 150 or so.