Two Hope College students have been named semi-finalists in poetry in the national Norman Mailer High School and College Writing Awards competition.
Senior Alex Mouw of Holland and junior Lindsay Timmerman of Hamilton are among only 20 students from colleges and universities around the country recognized in the Four-Year College Poetry category. The only other institution to have as many honorees in the category, which named one winner, four finalists and 15 semi-finalists, was Yale University.
“Alex and Lindsay are terrific poets, students and people. Like all of our creative writing students, they get that the gift of their writing is a passing-on of the gifts they’ve received,” said Dr. Pablo Peschiera, who is an assistant professor of English and director of the Jack Ridl Visiting Writers Series at Hope. “The contest is judged by internationally known writers and poets, and the 20 college poets on the list were likely whittled-down from several hundred applicants, so it’s a big, big honor.”
The Norman Mailer High School and College Writing Awards competition is co-sponsored by the Norman Mailer Center and Writers Colony and the National Council of Teachers of English. The program names student winners, finalists and semi-finalists in categories including Four-Year College Creative Non-Fiction, Four-Year College Poetry, Two-Year College Creative Non-Fiction and High School Creative Non-Fiction.
Mouw is a classical studies, English and history triple major at Hope. His activities at the college have included serving as a resident assistant, the Vienna Summer School and the Pew Society. He is a 2010 graduate of Holland Christian High School, and the son of Richard and Cindy Mouw of Holland.
Timmerman is a communication and English-writing emphasis dual major at Hope. Her activities at the college have included the Phelps Scholars Program, and she is a member of the cross country and track teams. She is a 2011 graduate of Hamilton High School, and the daughter of Rolfe and Stacy Timmerman of Hamilton.