Maurice Carlos Ruffin is a graduate of the MFA program at the University of New Orleans.  He’s also a member of several writing collectives, including the Peauxdunque Writers Alliance and the Melanated Writers of New Orleans.

Maurice has attended a number of literary conferences including the Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference (2011, 2012), Faulkner Words and Music Literary Conference (2004, 2008-2012), Tennessee Williams Festival (2010-2012), Gulf Coast Association of Creative Writing Teachers Conference (2011-2012), and BookExpo America Conference (2005). Maurice served on the faculty of the 2010, 2011, and 2012 Words and Music Conferences presenting fiction on conference themes. In June 2011, Maurice was selected as a participant in the inaugural Oxford American Summit for Ambitious Writers in Petit Jean, Arkansas. He participated in the first annual Tennessee Williams Festival Writers Workshop led by Zachary Lazar in November 2012.