Two graduate students won first-place awards from the Texas Association of Creative Writing Teachers and have been invited to read at the association’s annual meeting in September in San Antonio.
Jennifer O’Neill, who is pursuing a master’s degree in studies in literature, took first place in the Graduate Student Fiction category. O’Neill studied under Dr. Clay Reynolds, professor of arts and humanities and director of the creative writing program at UT Dallas.
O’Neill’s winning story, “Flowers and Gold,” was composed in Reynolds’ fiction writing workshop last fall.
Toni Muñoz-Hunt MA’15 won in the Graduate Student Creative Nonfiction category. Muñoz-Hunt wrote her award-winning essay, “Border Sisters,” in a workshop led by Dr. Betty Wiesepape, clinical associate professor in arts and humanities.
She is pursuing a PhD in aesthetic studies.
“Jennifer and Toni are representative of the very best of our students, but they are by no means unique. They exemplify the levels of excellence that are possible when academic knowledge is supported by caring mentoring and encouragement,” Reynolds said. “Dr. Wiesepape and I are both very proud of these awards. They represent the kind of results we hope to see in every student.”