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MFA Program

Poetry: T.J. Anderson, Matthew Burnside, Chelsea Harlan, Pauline Kaldas, Thorpe Moeckel Fiction: Matthew Burnside, Pauline Kaldas, C.E. Morgan, Jessie van Eerden Nonfiction: Matthew Burnside, Pauline Kaldas, Thorpe Moeckel, C.E. Morgan, Jessie van Eerden

Funding includes graduate assistantships, teaching fellowships, and generous tuition scholarships.

Hollins Critic , Groundhog Poetry Press

This program is home to the Jackson Center for Creative Writing and features a Visiting Writers Series as well as a literary festival. Spring semester courses are taught by the writer-in-residence and cross-genre work is encouraged .

Madison Smartt Bell, Anna Caritj, Brandon Courtney, Kiran Desai, Kristina Gorcheva-Newberry, Luke Johnson, Matthew Klam, Sally Mann, Will Schutt, Natasha Trethewey, Gretchen VanWormer

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Hollins Celebrates the Class of 2024 at 182nd Commencement.

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Wyndham Robertson Library Undergraduate Research Awards: FAQs

• For Faculty
• Winners/Finalists
• 2024 Award Winners and Finalists

Frequently Asked Questions

If you don't see your question answered here, please contact James Miller at [email protected] . 

WHO MAY SUBMIT?

Question : I want to enter a project I completed as a sophomore at Hollins. I am now a junior. Which category will I enter in, junior/senior or first year/sophomore?

• You will be entered in the first year/sophomore category.

Question : I graduated from Hollins last year and would like to submit a project for consideration. Can I do so?

• No, only current Hollins students are eligible for the award.

Question : I was previously a finalist for the Research Award. May I apply again?

• Yes! You are encouraged to do so.

Question : I am a previous winner of the Research Award. May I apply again?

• We welcome an application for you in the other category, but you may not enter again in the same category. Thus, if you won the first year/sophomore award, you may apply again in the junior/senior category -- but you could not apply again as a first year/sophomore. The same applies for the junior/senior category -- if you win as a junior, you may not apply again for the award.

Question : I want to enter a project I completed with other students who are not Hollins students. Is this possible?

No. Group projects may only be entered if all group members are part of the application. However, only current Hollins students are eligible for the award. So a group project completed by a Hollins student in partnership with students from outside of Hollins would not be eligible.

WHAT MAY I SUBMIT?

Question : I have two or more projects I would like to enter. May I do so?  

• Yes, you may enter multiple submissions. 

Question : I would like to enter one project that I completed as a first year/sophomore student, and another as a junior/senior. Both were completed within the previous three semesters. May I submit in both categories?

• Yes, you may. Note that two entries by the same author cannot win simultaneously: if your submissions are both selected as finalists, the judges will only consider one as a category winner.

Question : I would like to enter a project that I completed at another school. Can I do that?

• No, you must have completed the project as part of course work (or independent study) at Hollins.

Question: I would like to submit a project that I completed while studying abroad. Is my work eligible?

• Yes, if you are studying and earning credits as part of a Hollins-approved abroad program, your work may be entered.

Question : I'd like to enter a paper that I completed last spring. Can I enter that in the competition?

• Yes, projects completed in any of the three previous semesters, and J-Terms are eligible.

Question : I did a great deal of research for a fiction story I wrote for my creative writing class. Can I enter the story?

• Yes, you can. We welcome any project that required research, whether it led to a classic research paper, an activism project, a play, a video, or any other creative work.

Question : I'd like to enter a project that I delivered as a presentation. Can I enter that in the competition?

• Yes, oral presentations may be entered. You will need to provide a video or transcript and/or PowerPoint slides of the presentation. If you did not tape the presentation when you did it for the class, you may tape the presentation at another time and enter it.

Question: May I submit a group project?

• All who worked on the project should also collaborate on the entry essay.
• The entry essay should be submitted in an email cc'd to all group members.
• The Faculty nomination must also include all group members.
• If chosen as winners, group members will share the prize.

Question : May I submit a project I worked on as an Undergraduate Research Fellow?

• No, because the Research Fellowships are a paid position and a collaboration between students and members of the faculty; finally, unlike courses or independent study, the fellowships are only accessible to a small group of students every year.  

Question : May I submit a project that I submitted the previous year? 

• You may only submit a project you'd submitted in a previous competition year if you made substantive changes to the project through further development and/or editing. If you choose to do this, you would need to share the newest version of the project with your faculty nominator, so they could write an appropriate nomination for the newest version. 

REQUIREMENTS, FORMATTING ETC.

Question : My original project did not require a bibliography of my sources. Can I enter a project without a bibliography?

• No. If you didn't do a bibliography (or works cited page, or reference list) for the original project, you will need to create one to enter the competition. This is required so that the judges can see what sources you used.

Question : I used Interlibrary Loan extensively for my project, and used very few resources from the Hollins library. Would my project be considered for the award?

• Yes, the research does not have to have been done with HU library resources.

Question: May a project be revised before it is submitted?

• Yes, you may revise your work before submitting it.

Question:  May a project be submitted in a language other than English?

• Alas, we are currently unable to accept submissions in a language other than English.

OTHER QUESTIONS

Question: How many finalists are there every year?

• It is up to the awards committee to determine the number of projects designated as finalists.

Question: Are the awards given every year?

• It is up to the awards committee to determine whether any project is to receive the final award.

Question: What happens when a faculty member who has recommended a student for the award also serves as a judge?

The following measures are taken to avoid conflicts of interest:Faculty members on the judging committee may write an initial letter of recommendation for students for the award. However, in all deliberations of the judging committee, those faculty who have recommended a student for the research award (in either a faculty or advisory role) must recuse themselves when there is discussion or voting involving the application in question.

• Faculty shall not be present during discussion of whether finalist status will be granted to the application, or any follow-up discussion regarding winners.
• In voting for winners, faculty members may not vote for an application they have recommended.

Question: Can a student who has applied for the award also serve as a judge?

No, students who have applied for the award cannot serve as judges in the same year. If you are interested in serving as a judge, we encourage you to contact us in a year when you are not also applying for the award.

Criteria Used in Evaluation of Entries

• Originality, depth and extent of the use of research collections and services, including (but not limited to) print and non-print materials, primary or secondary sources, and databases;
• Demonstrated ability to locate, select, evaluate and synthesize resources in the creation of an original project;
• Clear and effective communication skills;
• Ethical use of information, including appropriate and accurate citations and credits;
• An essay that provides evidence of significant personal growth in methods of research and critical inquiry.

Advice for Submitting Your Application

The Application Essay

The 250-500 word essay is a critical piece of your application. Here are some suggestions:

• Why did you approach your research in that way?
• How did you respond to challenges?
• Why did you make the research choices you made? 
• How did you evaluate the sources you found while researching?
• Would you do anything differently if you were doing a similar project now?
• What tips might you share with other students?
• Please do not just tell us that you love the library. Please do not just give us a list of databases you searched.

The Bibliography

Check your bibliography and correct any errors before you upload your project. 

If your original project did not include a bibliography, you will need to also create a bibliography to accompany the project.

Tips for non-paper

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• Last Updated: Apr 27, 2024 4:52 PM
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Hollins MFA

In creative writing, upcoming events, spring 2024 readings and lectures.

Matthew X. Vernon

Thursday, February 15, 2024 | 7:30 pm | Hollins Room, Wyndham Robertson Library

Ethel Morgan Smith M.A. ’90

Reading: Thursday, March 7, 2024 | 7:30 pm | Hollins Room, Wyndham Robertson Library Q&A: Friday, March 8, 2024 | 2:00 pm | Hollins Room, Wyndham Robertson Library ( for Hollins community only )

Creative Writing Reunion – A Celebration of R.H.W. Dillard

Dinner: Friday, April 5, 2024 Brunch: Sunday, April 7, 2024 A grand and bittersweet celebration with generations of Hollins M.A. and M.F.A. writers and readers and friends.

A private event for the Hollins campus community and pre-registered guests only. For more details, contact [email protected].

Sponsored by the Jackson Center for Creative Writing and the Dee Hull Everist Visiting Speaker Fund.

Pauline Kaldas

Thursday, April 11, 2024 | 7:30 pm | Hollins Room, Wyndham Robertson Library

Farewell Reading – The Last Cabbage Patch

Thursday, May 2, 2024 | 7:30 pm | Green Drawing Room, Main Building

An open reading by Hollins seniors and graduating Creative Writing M.F.A. students. One last chance to hear our favorite student writers read before they depart. Note to readers: readings should be brief (i.e., 1-2 pages of poetry or 1-2 pages of prose). Readers will sign up to read at the event.

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