[1][2] Sampirisi graduated with an MA in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Windsor[3] in 2006 where she studied with poets Susan Holbrook, Di Brandt, Margaret Christakos and Marty Gervais.
Sampirisi is the former Managing Editor of BookThug,[5] where she also edited the Department of Narrative Studies imprint, focusing on innovative prose.
The school has featured workshops and performances by Phil Hall, Alice Notley, Anne Waldman and Anslem Berrigan among others.
These programs were developed based on the belief that education can break cycles of inter-generational poverty and social exclusion, and admit students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to attend university.
[11] The annual award is given to Ontario residents who have completed their training, begun to produce a body of work and are starting to make a significant mark in their field.