Four UC Students Garner Vogel Awards for Poetry, Fiction

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Four UC Students Garner Vogel Awards for Poetry, Fiction

Faces of the Joseph Vogel Award winners for 2021.

All winners will be featured in this year's Ampersand, a literary magazine published annually containing original art, poetry, short stories, and personal essays by students, faculty and staff at Utica College.

The winners of this year's student literary prizes for fiction and poetry have been announced. The Joseph E. Vogel awards are presented annually to students who show outstanding work in poetry and fiction writing.

Megan Nolan looking at camera and smiling.

In the category of poetry, first place went to Megan Nolan ‘22, an English and adolescence education major, with her poem “Lemons," which gives a twist on the cliche about what to do when life gives you lemons to cleverly address one of poetry's oldest themes: carpe diem.

Rebekah Hadeen stands in front of giant sunflowers.

Second place went to Rebekah Hedeen ‘21, a communications and media major concentrating in creativity studies, with her poem “The Things I Carry.” Hedeen's poem works like a meditation, focusing on small things in the speaker's life before turning toward its larger, yet still personal, themes.

In the fiction category, first place went to Isabella Hudziak ‘23, an English education major, with “Snapshots.” As the title may suggest, this is a story told in vignettes, beginning at the wedding of Helena and Jenny, then flashing back to when they met in order to illustrate the narrative of their relationship.

Elixabeth Elow leans against a brick wall.

Second place went to Elizabeth Elow ‘22, a nutrition major with a minor in creative writing, with “I Go Back to Clinton.” Elow's piece draws the reader into a slice-of-life scene through its use of a second person protagonist, bringing the reader into a warm, welcoming small town.

All winners will be featured in this year's Ampersand, a literary magazine published annually containing original art, poetry, short stories, and personal essays by students, faculty and staff at Utica College.