WEGOnians in the news!

Lucy Burningham (MA in nonfiction strand) has landed the following publications:

“Fruit in a Bottle: Real grenadine is all about the pomegranate”
Imbibe, January/February 2007

“Start the Presses: From zines to best-sellers, Portland's small-press scene writes the next chapter on publishing”
Oregon Business, February 2007

“Sound Investment: An Artisan's Board Hoard”
Portland Monthly, March 2007

“Meeting Strategies: Bacon, eggs and doing business”
Oregon Business, April 2007

“Yes You Can: Bicycle Tour”
Women's Adventure, May/June 2007

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Jeff Alessandrelli (MA in poetry strand) published a poem in the latest issue (#18) of the literary journal Snow Monkey. The poem is titled "The Sound of This Room-Your Dream." Unfortunately, the poem isn't currently available online-- we'll provide a link as soon as that issue is archived.

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Helyn Trickey (MA in fiction strand) recently published two stories on cnn.com:

"The Transformation of American Television," April 2, 2007. Read it here.

"High Tides and Higher Interest Rates: Wading Through Financial Storms," March 13, 2007. read it here.

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Dee Anne Finken (MA in nonfiction strand), an oft-contributor to the Portland Oregonian, had a piece run on April 25.

Entitled, "Standing down from war's toll," the story talked about how veterans with post-traumatic stress are benefitting from such practices as Tai Chi and yoga. The story ran on the Living section's front page.

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A panel of readers at Creative Nonfiction and the Jewish Healthcare Foundation have chosen Merilee D. Karr's essay, "Missing," as the winner of the Silence Kills essay contest.

Merilee is a student in the MA in nonfiction program. Upon publication of the book, she'll receive a $1,000 honorarium. Woo hoo!

Merilee says,

"The whole department, faculty and students, shares the credit for this award. I simply know that I did not, and could not have, become a real writer without everyone's help. I hope I've given as good as I've gotten. Becoming a real writer is a lot like becoming a real rabbit. The eyes go lopsided, the fur rubs off in patches, and my other ear, it must be around here somewhere. But being real feels really good."

The book is an anthology of nonfiction writing about how medical mistakes choke off the communication needed to prevent them. The book will be coming out in the fall, and Merilee is looking for any excuse to market the work--readings, interviews, lectures, anything. If you have suggestions, contact her at merilee@MerileeDeborahKarr.com.

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Warm congratulations to Sue Pesznecker and Alexis Nelson, talented graduate students who've each won a full scholarship to the prestigious New York Summer Writers Institute.

Sue and Alexis were selected from more than 220 applications, and are two of the eighteen winners from all over the country. They'll attend workshops at Skidmore College in July.

Other scholarship winners come from Stanford University, Florida State University, Indiana University, Boston University, University of Hawaii, and University of Louisville, among others. Portland State--as far as I can see--is the ONLY institution with two scholarship recipients.

Very exciting and well deserved recognition for these two writers. Again, congratulations.

--Debra Gwartney, Assistant Professor, Nonfiction

The full list of winners:

MIMI BRESLER SMITH & PATRICIA ROBERTSON AMUSA-SHONUBI MINORITY SCHOLARSHIP:

1-Dhana-Marie Branton (Univ. of Minnesota)
2-Rone Shavers (Univ. of Illinois-Chicago)
3-Chad B. Anderson (Indiana Univ.)
4-Robert P. Jordan (Georgia State Univ.)
5-Geronimo Madrid (Hunter College)
6-Ly Chheng (Stanford Univ.)
7-Brian Kim (James Madison Univ [Va.])
8-Ashima Sood (Univ. of California-Davis)
9-Taiyaba Husain (Univ. of Michigan-Ann Arbor)

COLLEGIATE SCHOLARSHIP:

1-Suzanne Karpilovsky (Stanford Univ)
2-Cindy King (Florida State Univ.)
3-Nicholas Boggs (American University)
4-Susan C. Pesznecker (Portland State Univ.)
5-Elizabeth Hoover (Indiana Univ.)
6-Alexis Nelson (Portland State Univ.)
7-Paula C. Brady (Boston Univ.)
8-Tracy Lee Williams (Univ. of Hawaii)
9-Deena Lillygren (Univ. of Louisville)

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The winners of the Memoirs Ink Half-Yearly Writing Contest are:

First Place: "Marginalia," by David Devine
(Student in the PSU MA in fiction program!)

Second Place: "Rain Dance," by Jennifer Jones

Third Place: "Second Chance," by Ruth Edgett

What makes this really wonderful is that PSU MA in nonfiction grad student Jonathan Fine took second place in this same contest last year!

If I'm reading the site correctly, Dave won $1000 for this piece.... huzzah! Well done, Dave....

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Jessica Machado (MA in nonfiction strand) has been contributing some of her free-lance work to Willamette Week's restaurant and bar reviews!

Check out her recent stories on....

* rontoms

* North 45

* Masu East

* Hammy's