Winners of the 2011-2012 Creative Writing Awards
Turow-Kinder Award for Fiction
Judge: Ron Carlson
First Place: Jonathan Gotsick for “Wing Woman”
Second Place: Tyler McAndrew for “Happy Birthday”
Third Place: J.A. Howard for “Our Father the Magician, Our Father the Tornado”
Honorable Mention: Stephanie Wilson for “Compartments”
Montgomery Culver Prize for Fiction
Judge: Josh Barkan
Winner: Nina Sabak for “A Drowning Girl’s Guide to Water”
Taube Award for Fiction
Judges: Myron Taube, Allison Amend, & Ryan McDermott
First Place: Lori Stover for “Dust,” “Mother,” & “Take Care”
Second Place: Nicholas Dyll for “Blood, Smoke, & Silicon”
Third Place: Ryan Beaupit for “D Sharp,” “Marcus Elridge,” & “The First Snow Winter”
Academy of American Poets/Graduate Poetry Award
Judge: Wayne Koestenbaum
First Place: Amanda Brant for “Instead of This” & “Breaking Open”
Second Place: Lauren Russell for “The Chess Players” & “Dream-Clung, Gone”
Third Place: Avery Thomas for “Stay at Home” & “Wildlife in the Living Room”
Undergraduate Poetry Award
Judge: Joy Katz
First Place: Melissa Dias-Mandoly for “Etc.,” “Between” & “Gender Gentrification”
Second Place: Savonna Johnson for “Before Falling out the Window”
Third Place: Caily Grube for “Song of the Thing Fucked”
Honorable Mentions: Jarrett Eakins for “Afternoon Song”; Sarah Geisler for “What is History” & Can you Change This?”; Peter Webb for “Instructions for Seven Suspects of a Murder Mystery Dinner, Where I Am the Murdered Man”
Melissa Difatta Award for Nonfiction
Judge: Reid Frazier
First Place: Emily O’Donnell for “The Dying of Brightness”
Second Place: Rachel Grozanick for “On Leave”
Third Place: Mandy Velez for “A Vicious Cycle”
Graduate Award for Nonfiction:
Judge: Michael Meyer
First Place: Nicole Carroll for “Transitional”
Second Place: Maria Sholtis for “Red Shack”
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all participating writers, to writing instructors, to judges, and to the generous sponsors who make these awards possible.