Office: Stratton Hall 415
Phone:303-384-2332
Email: tlefton@mines.edu

Bio
Toni Lefton has taught creative writing, literature, and composition at the Colorado School of Mines since 1999. She is also a published poet and writer. She has read her essays on public radio, and a segment she co-wrote and produced for Arizona Youth Radio was picked up by NPR’s This American Life. Her first chapbook of poetry, Everyday Crimes, won the Anhinga Prize in 1995. She held the Fine Arts Fellowship in Poetry at Northern Arizona University from 1995-1997. She is currently working on a book length collection of poetry titled Accidental Headlines as well as a memoir. The memoir, Backyard Rogue, recounts her story of growing up as both an outsider as well as a social and political witness to the civil war in Liberia during the late 70’s. In 2000 Toni became the faculty advisor for High Grade, CSM’s literary and arts journal. She also advises the Creative Arts Club and Anonymous Right Brains. One of her greatest accomplishments has been teaching the craft of poetry to engineers.

Courses Taught
LAIS 100 Nature and Human Values and LAIS 101 NHV Short Form
LAIS 301 Creative Writing Poetry
LAIS 401 Poetry II
LAIS 498 Great Women Writers
LAIS 498 Science and Literature