The award-winning poet, art critic, and writer for Hyperallergic came to the School of Art as a 2019-2020 McIlroy Family Visiting Professor. John Yau held a group discussion with the MFA students, gave studio visits to the MFA Painting students, and lectured at the Hillside Auditorium during his visit. Outside of the university, John Yau also participated in a poetry reading at the Fayetteville Public Library.