04/18/2024
This afternoon, at the English awards ceremony, I was pleased to announce the winner in the Leigh Holmes Creative Nonfiction Prize. Out of eleven entries, a number of which were good in the view of all the judges (Dr. Carney, Professor Chaffins, John Hodgson, and me), Ryn Swinson was a close runner-up and recipient of an honorable mention certificate for her essay "Motherless"; the award, for the second year in a row, went to Gina Welborn, author of "Coffee, Cats, and Life Lessons," and she received a certificate and a check for $300. I had her read the first page of her essay. I was also pleased to announce the winners of the eponymous John G. Morris Poetry Prize. Jessi Womack received second honorable mention for a poem entitled "Dishwater Bronde"; Kaley Muse received first honorable mention for "Damaged Goods; Gina Welborn won third prize, $150, for "Death Row"; Katie Kyring won the $200 second prize for "Strawberry Fields"; and Ryn Swinson won the $300 first prize for "Heartache and a No. 5." I forgot to ask Ms. Swinson to read her winning poem; my apologies to her. Judge for this year was Dr. Cherri Randall, a 2000 Cameron alumna, and the author of a novel and many published poems. The prizes were open all students enrolled in any number of undergraduate hours, and both will be offered next Spring (though Ms. Swinson would be ineligible to enter next year's contest if she weren't graduating). The winners will have their work published in Cameron's _Gold Mine_. Congratulations to the winners and to all who entered.
