College Writing Committee Posts Winners

04/18/2017 

The seven winners of 2016 SUNY Cortland Outstanding Writing Awards will read their work at the annual “Transformations: A Student Research and Creativity Conference” on Friday, April 28.

At “Transformations,” the honorees — six undergraduates and one graduate student — will read from their winning work during a presentation titled “SUNY Cortland Writing Contest Award Winners Present!” from 1:45-2:30 p.m. Old Main, Room G-25.

The students also will see their work published in a booklet dedicated to the 2016 SUNY Cortland Outstanding Writing Awards and each of the seven winners — one for each category — earned a $100 prize.

This marks the 18th year of the contest sponsored by the College Writing Committee, the group that judges the submissions.

The committee received more than 125 submissions of creative and academic work for the competition. The work was judged on originality, clarity, organization, development and editing. All submissions written for courses during spring, summer and fall of 2016 were eligible.

Individual award recipients included:

• James David Warner, a senior history major from Cortland, N.Y., won the Academic Writing Award for “The House at 4 Crawford St,” written in a history course taught by Randi Storch, professor of history.
• Sheila Gustafson, a graduate student studying adolescence education: English, won the Collin Anderson Prize for Creative Nonfiction for “300 Lanterns,” written for a graduate English course taught by Laura Davies, assistant professor of English.
• Jahniece McCollum, a junior professional writing major from Bronx, N.Y., won the Poetry Award for “Coming Times,” written for a professional writing course taught by Bernard Earley, lecturer II emeritus of English.
• Christina Langer, a junior sociology major from Forest Hills, N.Y., won the Fiction Award for “The Flower,” written for a professional writing course taught by Mario Hernandez, lecturer of English.
• Jamie-Lee Minkley, a sophomore communication studies major from Llaubach, Germany, won the Kathy Lattimore Award for Academic Writing in a CPN Course for “Fake News Manipulates the Public,” written for a composition course taught by Gailanne Mackenzie, lecturer III of English.
• Sara Sampson, a senior professional writing major from Locke, N.Y., won the Media Award for “The Politics of Misogyny,” written for a professional writing course taught by Kevin Rutherford, assistant professor of English.
• Joseph Mogavero of Massapequa, N.Y., a senior adolescence education: English major, won the Non-Course Writing Award for his essay, “Men’s Eyes Were Made to Look.”

Additionally, the committee awarded certificates of honorable mention to the following students:

• Richelle Carmilita Filipello of Selkirk, N.Y., a senior community health major, in the Academic Writing category for “Cattaraugus County Needs Assessment,” written in a health course taught by Page Dobbs, assistant professor of health.
• Maya Zaynetdinova, a senior international studies major from Moscow, Russia, for “Young Immigrants’ Pursuit of the ‘American Dream’ in Contrast with the Truth of Horrid Labor Conditions of the New Land,” written in a composition course taught by A. Rick Anderson, a lecturer I in English.

A call for submissions for the 2017 College Writing Contest will be announced at the end of the semester and again in the fall. Eligible papers will include those written for courses in 2017, whether spring or fall semesters or winter or summer sessions.

For more information, contact Laura Davies, assistant professor of English and director of Campus Writing Programs, at 607-753-2086.