Submitted by: Michael Blanchard, mblanchard@uca.edu on 04/08/2024
The editors of Slant and Vortex have announced the winners in their 2023-2024 student poetry contest at the University of Central Arkansas.
The contest was open to all undergraduate students at UCA, regardless of major, and was judged by a panel consisting of three former UCA students who are now published poets and one student editor of Vortex. The awards carry cash prizes of $100, $75, and $50 for the top three places.
That panel has awarded first place to Marshall Cunningham, a Conway native and graduating senior majoring in English and Creative Writing and minoring in Honors Interdisciplinary Studies. According to Marshall, he is a lifelong poet, starting out in fourth grade. After graduation, he plans to open a local new and used bookstore and a Christian publishing house.
Second place goes to Sydnee Holcer, a sophomore from Mountain Home majoring in English with a minor in Teaching and Learning. After graduation, she plans to be a high school English teacher. Sydnee says that poetry has always been a favorite way to express herself, and she foresees a continuing passion for poetry in her life, submitting to contests and publications for years to come.
Rounding out the top three contest finishers is Aithne Emmons of Hot Springs, a sophomore majoring in Creative Writing with a minor in English. Aithne has frequently read her original poetry and impressed audiences at the fall and spring-semester poetry coffeehouses on campus, also co-sponsored by Slant and Vortex.
The trio of student poets will be officially recognized at the UCA School of Language & Literature’s Spring Awards Reception at the home of President Houston Davis on April 25.
Slant is the UCA School of Language & Literature’s international journal of contemporary poetry. Vortex is the University’s award-winning student literary and fine arts magazine.