VT MFA Poetry Winners Announced

Congratulations to Rob Kenagy, whose poem “End Notes” has won the Virginia Tech/Poetry Society of Virginia Award, sponsored by the Academy of American Poets. MFA writers Michael Roche and James Stolen placed, respectively, as first and second runners-up. 

Rob’s poem will earn him a small cash award, the amount of which will be determined by the Academy of American Poets.

Rob and Michael both will be nominated for the 2012 Best New Poets anthology from the University of Virginia Press. Nominated poets get to submit two poems each to Best New Poets, which showcases the work of 50 emerging writers each year.

Virginia Tech will also nominate all three poems for the 2012 Intro Journals Project, an annual competition from the Associated Writing Programs. Eventual winners of the Intro competition will receive an award letter, publication, and a $100 honorarium.

The judge for this year's competition was Susan B. A. Somers-Willett (who visits Virginia Tech next spring for a reading). All poems entered in the competition were submitted to her in standard format, without any information to identify the author. 

Congratulations again to Rob, Michael, and James.  We know you’ll do a great job representing Tech!

VT MFA Fiction Winner Announced

Congratulations to Kedon Willis, who has won the Virginia Tech Fiction Prize for his short story “Sat’day.”  Mark Derks and Sandra M. Yee placed, respectively, as first and second runners-up. 

Kedon’s story will earn him a small cash award, and Virginia Tech will also nominate his story for the 2012 Intro Journals Project, an annual competition from the Associated Writing Programs. Eventual winners of the Intro competition will receive an award letter, publication, and a $100 honorarium.

The judge for this year's competition was John Dufresne (who visits Virginia Tech next spring for a reading).  All stories entered in the competition were submitted to him in standard format, without any information to identify the author. 

Congratulations again to Kedon.  We know you’ll do a great job representing Tech!

EGSO Conference - Call for Papers

The Virginia Tech English Graduate Student Organization is now accepting proposals for the 2012 conference "Re-envision, Re-formation, Re-creation" on February 25, 2012. EGSO welcomes proposals for paper, panels, and creative works that challenge preconceptions, explore neglected or newly discovered areas, rethink assumptions, and ultimately create new knowledge.

Please submit your 250-500 word abstract for a 20-minute paper in .doc, .docx, or .rtf format as an email attachment through EGSO's gmail account (VT dot EGSO) by January 15th, 2012. Creative works should include a short, descriptive abstract and a sample of the work to be considered. In your email, please include your name, affiliation, email address, phone number, title of paper, and a brief biographical statement. However, do not include your name on the abstract itself.

For more information, please look through the conference pages to the right or contact EGSO President Kaitlin Clinnon through EGSO's gmail account (VT dot EGSO). This is a great professional opportunity for graduate students, so we hope to have many submissions!

VT/Hollins Joint MFA Reading November 12th

Please join us in welcoming Hollins students in this second year of joint readings between our two prestigious MFA programs.

Connecting Ridges

Virginia Tech & Hollins MFA Reading Series

Saturday, November 12, 2011
6:30 p.m.

Ceritano’s Ristorante
428 N. Main St.
Blacksburg, VA

This Fall 2011 reading features:

• Matthew Bishop (Hollins)
• Khalilah Boone (VT)
• Brandon Courtney (Hollins)
• Mark Derks (VT)
• S.H. Lohmann (Hollins)
• Courtney Robb (Hollins)

Come with a big appetite for Ceritano’s wood-fired pizzas and great prose and poetry from emerging writers!