Renowned Authors R.F. Kuang, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah to Join Holy Cross Faculty

Holy Cross has appointed two of the most compelling voices in contemporary literature to new roles in its English Department. Acclaimed author Rebecca F. (R.F.) Kuang has been named the College’s first-ever Millard Distinguished Writer in Residence, and award-winning writer Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah has been appointed the new William H.P. Jenks Chair in Contemporary Letters.

Both Kuang and Adjei-Brenyah will join the Holy Cross faculty this fall, where they will teach courses, mentor students and contribute to the College’s vibrant literary community, as well as to the broader cultural and literary life in Worcester.

Established in 2024 through the generosity of Eileen K. and Christopher M. Millard `82, the Millard Distinguished Writer in Residence brings authors with established national or international reputations to campus. The position is a prestigious appointment within the English department, with the writer in residence teaching two to three courses annually while working closely with students.

The William H.P. Jenks Chair in Contemporary American Letters, established in 1988 by the late Charles E.F. Millard `54 with an endowed gift in memory of his classmate William H.P. Jenks ’54, is a distinguished professorship that brings accomplished creative writers to Holy Cross for two- to five-year appointments.

“We are thrilled to welcome R.F. Kuang and Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah to the Holy Cross community this fall,” said Provost Elliott Visconsi. “As internationally renowned writers exploring identity, power, and justice, they elevate our academic excellence and deepen our belief in the power of writing. Our students will benefit from their mentorship, and their presence will enrich the intellectual life of the entire community.”

Kuang is the #1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of the Poppy War trilogy, “Babel: An Arcane History,” “Yellowface” and “Katabasis.” Her work has received numerous honors, including the Nebula, Locus, Crawford and British Book Awards. She was named to the 2023 Time 100 Next list and the Forbes 30 Under 30 Class of 2024. A Marshall Scholar, Kuang holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Georgetown University, a master of philosophy in Chinese Studies from the University of Cambridge and a master of science in Contemporary Chinese Studies from the University of Oxford. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in East Asian Languages and Literatures at Yale University, where her research focuses on Sinophone and Asian American literature.

Adjei-Brenyah, raised in Spring Valley, New York, and now based in the Bronx, is the author of the bestselling story collection “Friday Black,” which won the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award and the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing, and was a finalist for several major literary honors. His debut novel, “Chain-Gang All-Stars,” was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction, winner of the Inside Literary Prize and shortlisted for multiple international awards. The novel was also named one of the New York Times Top Ten Books of the Year. Adjei-Brenyah is the recipient of a 2025 Guggenheim Fellowship.

Kuang and Adjei-Brenyah are already familiar faces on campus. Earlier this semester, both authors visited Holy Cross to lead book readings and moderated discussions. These events drew a wide audience of students, faculty, staff and community members.

Their appointments further strengthen Holy Cross’s longstanding commitment to bringing distinguished literary voices into the classroom and fostering meaningful engagement between students and working writers.

With their arrival, students will have the unique opportunity to learn directly from two of the most innovative and influential authors writing today, whose work explores themes ranging from history and identity to power, justice and the complexities of the modern world.