MCC Proud: Meet Maria Brandt
October 22, 2025
Dr. Maria Brandt has been an English professor at Monroe Community College (MCC) since 2003, when she was first hired as a tenure-track Instructor.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Providence College in 1992, graduating summa cum laude. She went on to receive her master’s degree in English in 1995 and her PhD in English in 2003, both from Boston College.
“I studied English as a graduate student simply because I loved literature and I wanted to better understand its inner workings,” she said. Brandt began teaching during her master’s program, initially out of curiosity and also as a means of financial support.
By the time she started applying for PhD programs, Brandt already knew she didn’t want a career working at a research university. “That felt too insulated from the diverse complexities of real people in the real world,” she added. “So, I started researching community college education, and then adjuncting at a community college outside Boston.”
While Brandt was writing her dissertation, she realized that a community college was where she belonged.
At MCC, Brandt teaches almost all writing classes: College Composition, Creative Writing, Short Fiction Workshop, Playwriting Workshop, and the Creative Writing Capstone.
In addition to teaching, Brandt chairs MCC’s High-Impact Practice Committee, Undergraduate Research Committee, and Capstone Experience Committee; co-facilitates the Visiting Writer Series through MCC’s Creative Arts Committee; runs The Sixth Act; and will be taking over the Creative Writing Program Committee in January 2026.
Brandt has received multiple awards during her time at MCC, including the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Award, the League of Innovation in the Community Colleges’ Innovation of the Year Award (for The Sixth Act), and the American Association of Community College’s Dale P. Parnell Faculty Distinction Recognition Award.
Reflecting on her time at MCC, Brandt’s favorite memory is the launch of the college’s Creative Writing Program. “It’s been life-changing watching so many students finally find their home,” she said.
When asked what advice she would give current students, Brandt said, “I have three suggestions for current students: (1) meet with your advisor every semester, (2) develop relationships with faculty and students in your degree program, and (3) make sure you’ve chosen a degree program that satisfies you at your core. If you feel lost, schedule an appointment with your advisor immediately.”
For students who are considering enrolling in MCC, Brandt said, “I have two suggestions: (1) schedule a meeting with a faculty member who teaches in your desired degree program and (2) clear as much physical and emotional space as possible to immerse yourself when you’re here.”
Outside of MCC, Brandt is active in several organizations. “I serve on the Artistic Advisory Board at Writers & Books and on the Board at Rochester Community Players,” she said.
Brandt is also actively involved with the Two-Year College Caucus of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs. Additionally, she is an active member of three different writing groups: Straw Mat Writers, Rochester Playwriting Group, and Queen City Playwrights.
Fun Facts About Maria
- Courtney: If you had to eat the same meal at least once a day, what would it be?
- Maria: If breakfast, a single piece of fruit. If any other meal, goopy pizza with mushrooms.
- Courtney: What is your favorite movie?
- Maria: I’m not sure I have one, but The Cradle Will Rock and If Beale Street Could Talk are up there. Also, Hannah Gadsby’s stand-up routine, Nannette. And I’m watching HBO’s adaptation of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America right now with my husband.
- Courtney: What is your favorite sports team?
- Maria: Definitely the Bills.
- Courtney: What is your biggest fear?
- Maria: Definitely the eye doctor.
- Courtney: Is there anything about you that people are surprised to learn?
- Maria: I did a year of missionary work with the Jesuit Volunteer Corp. And that this was the most important year of my life, even though it’s also the year I stopped practicing Catholicism.
- Courtney: If you could attend a dinner with any celebrity, living or dead, who would you choose?
- Maria: Maybe James Baldwin? Or John Oliver? Or Mary Magdalene?
- Courtney: Do you prefer staying up late or waking up early in the morning?
- Maria: I prefer waking up between 7 and 8 AM. But staying up really, really late is bliss.
- Courtney: Share the best piece of advice anyone has ever given you.
- Maria: Provide a safe and nourishing environment, and then get out of their way.
- Courtney: What destination do you hope to visit one day?
- Maria: Poland, where my father’s family is from. And a return trip to Sicily, where my mother’s family is from.
- Courtney: What activities do you participate in over the weekend?
- Maria: Sitting on my front porch and reading. Kayaking. Seeing live music and/or theatre. Dinner with friends. Dinner with my family.
Maria Brandt. Photo Credit: Jasna Bogdanovska