Pictured from left to right are Ruben Ramirez, Jr., Jayne Bauer, Liam Swain, Jessica Maduabuchuku, Emily Gaines, Audriana Salais, Shelby Richardson, Emily Nguyen and Ethan Hedges (Photo courtesy of Midland College)
2023 winners announced in Midland College’s nearly 50-year-old writing contest
Since 1975, Midland College has held a writing contest that, in 2012, was renamed the the Rebecca Watson Creative Writing Contest in honor the college’s late English professor. Watson, who died in 2021, had judged the very first contest as an adjuct instructor in 1975.
On Wednesday, Watson’s legacy resonated with a celebraiton of the 2023 winners of the annual contest.
Hosted by the MC English Department, awards were presented in the categories of Essay, Poetry and Short Fiction. Students read excerpts from the top entries before winners were announced, according to MC.
First place winners included Shelby Richardson for the essay “Last Words,”Jessica Maduabuchuku for the poem “Sestina,” and Jayne Bauer for the short fiction piece “The Welcoming Committee.”
Earning second place were Emily Nguyen for the essay “Lost in the Mail,” Ethan Hedges for the poem “Silence, Dominant” and Ruben Ramirez, Jr. for the short fiction piece, “3 Boys.”
Third-place winners were Audriana Salais for the essay “Life Sucks and Then There is a Super Bloom,” Liam Swain for the poem “Origami” and Jacqueline Gomez for the short fiction piece “The Robbery of a Lifetime. ”
Earning fourth place and honorable mention awards were Ethan Hedges, Taja Stephens, Ashlin Tabares, Emily Gaines and Kayla Gatlin.
“We are grateful for Rebecca’s years of dedicated service to MC and her commitment to fostering creative writing among MC students,” said Dr. William Christopher Brown, professor and chair of the MC English department. “Judges were very impressed with the quality of the entries and commended all contestants on their efforts.”
