{"id":32531,"date":"2026-04-19T21:41:51","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T01:41:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/?p=32531"},"modified":"2026-04-19T21:41:51","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T01:41:51","slug":"four-tusculum-university-students-honored-for-exceptional-writing-in-annual-competition-judged-by-award-winning-author","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2026\/four-tusculum-university-students-honored-for-exceptional-writing-in-annual-competition-judged-by-award-winning-author\/","title":{"rendered":"Four Tusculum University students honored for exceptional writing in annual competition judged by award-winning author"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3><strong>GREENEVILLE<\/strong> \u2013 Tusculum University students have been honored for excellence in writing by an award-winning author who was impressed by the caliber of the entries she judged.<\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_32532\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-32532\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-32532\" src=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-1-300x228.jpg\" alt=\"Award winners in the front row are, left to right, Austin Reed, JP Campione, Kiersten Paxton and BriAnna Higgins. In the back row are Raquel Vasquez Gilliland, left and Kelsey Trom.\" width=\"300\" height=\"228\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-1-300x228.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-1-1024x777.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-1-768x583.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-1-1536x1166.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-1-2048x1555.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-1-263x200.jpg 263w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-1-150x114.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-1-120x91.jpg 120w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-1-100x76.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-1-50x38.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-32532\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Award winners in the front row are, left to right, Austin Reed, JP Campione, Kiersten Paxton and BriAnna Higgins. In the back row are Raquel Vasquez Gilliland, left and Kelsey Trom.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The English program held the Curtis \u201928 and Billie Owens Literary Prize ceremony Thursday, April 16, in Behan Arena Theatre. The competition for the awards was open to all students regardless of their major. Raquel Vasquez Gilliland, who served as the judge, picked the following recipients for prizes in four genres:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Drama \u2013 \u201cThe One with the Custody Agreement\u201d by Kiersten Paxton<\/li>\n<li>Fiction \u2013 \u201cThe Winners\u201d by Austin Reed<\/li>\n<li>Nonfiction \u2013 \u201cHoly Ground\u201d by Paxton<\/li>\n<li>Poetry \u2013 \u201cOne Weekend a Month\u201d by BriAnna Higgins<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In addition, JP Campione was selected as a runner-up in the nonfiction category for \u201cGo Find Your Own Mom.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese submissions were so cool to read,\u201d Gilliland, a USA Today best-selling and Pura Belpr\u00e9 Award-winning Mexican American poet, novelist and painter, told the students who entered. \u201cY\u2019all are so talented. I participate in a writers\u2019 group session virtually with some writer friends throughout the week. Instead of writing, I was reading these entries, and I kept bragging about how amazing they were.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Perspective from Paxton<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Paxton, a senior pursing a bachelor\u2019s degree in <a href=\"https:\/\/site.tusculum.edu\/english-2\/\">English<\/a>, with a concentration in creative writing, and an associate degree in <a href=\"https:\/\/site.tusculum.edu\/religion\/\">religious studies<\/a>, has won multiple awards during her studies at Tusculum, including collecting three prizes in the 2024 Owens competition. She said it was meaningful to be recognized again.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_32533\" style=\"width: 295px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-32533\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-32533\" src=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-6-285x300.jpg\" alt=\"Kiersten Paxton, right, receives one of her awards.\" width=\"285\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-6-285x300.jpg 285w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-6-974x1024.jpg 974w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-6-768x807.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-6-1461x1536.jpg 1461w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-6-1948x2048.jpg 1948w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-6-190x200.jpg 190w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-6-143x150.jpg 143w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-6-114x120.jpg 114w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-6-95x100.jpg 95w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-6-48x50.jpg 48w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 285px) 100vw, 285px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-32533\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kiersten Paxton, right, receives one of her awards.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cIt never stops being exciting,\u201d Paxton said. \u201cWhen they announce the awards, you still get that nervous feeling, \u2018Oh my goodness, here they go.\u2019 Raquel talked a lot about being all right with rejection. I have adopted that approach, so the rejection sort of dulls after a while, but the excitement of winning doesn\u2019t. So that\u2019s really fun.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For \u201cThe One with the Custody Agreement,\u201d Paxton sought to explore a breakup in a humorous fashion. The character who is ending the relationship believes the breakup will be a heartbreaking conversation and result in a lot of changes. The recipient of the breakup conveys that life will be OK for that person because the two of them still care about each other. It highlights the different ways one can care about another human. Gilliland said the work contained well-written direction, sense of space and beautifully developed characters.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHoly Ground\u201d examines the different ways Paxton has experienced grief and the way the stereotypical version of that emotion does not apply in many instances. It also delves into the fact that certain methods some people might think would help with comfort might have the opposite effect. It highlights that people need to find their own way to circumvent that. Gilliland said she was captivated by this nonfiction work\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n<p>As she reflects on what has changed for her in the two years since she won the other Owens awards, she said creative writing for an author constantly evolves \u2013 in style and meaning.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe first time, I was throwing a lot of things at the wall and seeing what would stick,\u201d she said. \u201cA lot of things did and a lot of things didn\u2019t. With sort of writing now, I find it easier to know where I\u2019m going before I start.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>The viewpoint of Higgins<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Higgins, a junior who is seeking a degree in <a href=\"https:\/\/site.tusculum.edu\/bachelor-of-arts-in-interdisciplinary-studies\/\">elementary education, K-5,<\/a> and is an enrollment representative in the <a href=\"https:\/\/site.tusculum.edu\/apply-visit\/\">Office of Admission<\/a>, said winning has produced waves of happiness and hopefulness as a writer.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_32534\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-32534\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-32534\" src=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-7-300x296.jpg\" alt=\"BriAnna Higgins, right, celebrates her prize.\" width=\"300\" height=\"296\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-7-300x296.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-7-1024x1011.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-7-768x759.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-7-1536x1517.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-7-2048x2023.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-7-203x200.jpg 203w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-7-150x148.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-7-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-7-50x50.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-32534\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">BriAnna Higgins, right, celebrates her prize.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cI finally decided to branch out and write from personal experience with work that is more meaningful to me,\u201d she said. \u201cThis award feels like a reflection of how powerful writing can be when it is authentic and truly represents the writer.\u00a0I&#8217;m beyond thankful for the amazing English professors that Tusculum has who have all helped shape my writing in one way or another.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Higgins describes \u201cOne Weekend a Month\u201d as a nostalgic piece about her childhood experiences. She wanted to write about her family and fond memories with her brother, Bray. She incorporated some of her favorite things that her family did, such as spending time outside or eating French toast cooked her stepmother, Brooke. Gilliland said the nostalgia in this poem is perfectly rendered and made her want to read everything from the entrant.<\/p>\n<p>Higgins entered the competition because she wanted to apply her writing to her own experiences and challenge herself to write outside the classroom. She wanted to energize other students to branch out and make time to write for themselves.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI feel this will help me grow as an educator, as many great English teachers often write themselves,\u201d she said. \u201cI want to inspire my future students to think creatively, write outside the box and write about things important to them. I think it is also important for educators to practice what they teach, and I wanted to challenge myself to do just that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Comments from Reed<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Reed is a sophomore who is also going the creative writing route with his studies, said he was excited and surprised that he won an award.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_32535\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-32535\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-32535\" src=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-8-300x297.jpg\" alt=\"Austin Reed, right, receives his award.\" width=\"300\" height=\"297\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-8-300x297.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-8-1024x1012.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-8-768x759.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-8-1536x1518.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-8-2048x2024.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-8-202x200.jpg 202w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-8-150x148.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-8-120x120.jpg 120w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-8-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-8-50x50.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-32535\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Austin Reed, right, receives his award.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cGoing into the contest and submitting my work, I knew that Tusculum has a great amount of especially talented and hard-working writers that would also be submitting their work,\u201d he said. \u201cSo, when I ended up winning the fiction section, needless to say I was very surprised, but also excited, because this was the first time I have been given an award for my writing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Reed\u2019s goal with his submission was to present a more positive outlook on the world. He said much of the world is filled with negativity and people who have bad outlooks, so he used his piece to show two people who have major challenges in life and are residing in an undesirable location without much money but still have a positive approach. Gilliland said this piece contains phenomenal voice and setting, and she said the imagery was stunning.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis prize has definitely boosted my confidence in my ability to write,&#8221; Reed said. &#8220;I have always enjoyed writing, since I was in at least second grade, but I never saw it as something as a career. I\u2019m still on the fence about it being my career but this really helped to show me that if I write something, a few people at the very least will think it is good and will want to read it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Thoughts from Campione<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Campione, a sophomore who is also on a path for an English degree with the creative writing concentration, was happy with the outcome for him.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_32536\" style=\"width: 306px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-32536\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-32536\" src=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-9-296x300.jpg\" alt=\"JP Campione, right, receives his prize.\" width=\"296\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-9-296x300.jpg 296w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-9-1009x1024.jpg 1009w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-9-768x779.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-9-1514x1536.jpg 1514w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-9-2019x2048.jpg 2019w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-9-197x200.jpg 197w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-9-148x150.jpg 148w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-9-118x120.jpg 118w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-9-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-9-50x50.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 296px) 100vw, 296px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-32536\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">JP Campione, right, receives his prize.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s nice to receive an award for your work and the piece was one I really cared about,\u201d he said. \u201cI know there were a lot of people that submitted for the competition. It\u2019s neat to have an event like that, where people can submit their works and have a chance of winning.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGo Find Your Own Mom\u201d tells the story about a young girl whose mother has gone to work in another country and the experience of living without that parent. The mother returns for a visit, and the piece discusses the trip to the airport to pick her up and the thoughts and memories the child has. The work addresses the struggles associated with having a mother who works abroad. Gilliland said this piece explained intergenerational, traumatic wounds so well.<\/p>\n<p>Campione sought to describe the beauty of the location where the story is set, and he injected some humor because he likes to include that in his writing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cReceiving this award helps give you more confidence in your writing as does being recognized in anything,\u201d he said. \u201cIt also tells me what to work more in. You don\u2019t always want to base things on other people\u2019s opinions, but when it\u2019s something like this, if you submitted multiple stories and this is the one that was picked for an award, I think it tells you where to focus your energy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In addition to presenting the awards, Gilliland read from three of her nonfiction books \u2013 \u201cWitch of Wild Things,\u201d \u201cHow Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe\u201d and \u201cSia Martinez and the Moonlight Beginning of Everything.\u201d She also participated in a question-and-answer session with the audience. On Friday, April 17, she returned to campus for an informal conversation with students and faculty members.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_32539\" style=\"width: 305px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-32539\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-32539\" src=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-3-295x300.jpg\" alt=\"Student Isabella Gall, right, asks Raquel Vasquez Gilliland a question.\" width=\"295\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-3-295x300.jpg 295w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-3-1007x1024.jpg 1007w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-3-768x781.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-3-1511x1536.jpg 1511w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-3-2015x2048.jpg 2015w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-3-197x200.jpg 197w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-3-148x150.jpg 148w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-3-118x120.jpg 118w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-3-98x100.jpg 98w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-3-50x50.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 295px) 100vw, 295px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-32539\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Student Isabella Gall, right, asks Raquel Vasquez Gilliland a question.<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_32538\" style=\"width: 305px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-32538\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-32538\" src=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-5-295x300.jpg\" alt=\"Kelsey Trom speaks to the audience.\" width=\"295\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-5-295x300.jpg 295w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-5-1007x1024.jpg 1007w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-5-768x781.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-5-1511x1536.jpg 1511w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-5-2014x2048.jpg 2014w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-5-197x200.jpg 197w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-5-148x150.jpg 148w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-5-118x120.jpg 118w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-5-98x100.jpg 98w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-5-50x50.jpg 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 295px) 100vw, 295px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-32538\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kelsey Trom speaks to the audience.<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_32537\" style=\"width: 284px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-32537\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-32537\" src=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-2-274x300.jpg\" alt=\"Raquel Vasquez Gilliland reads from her works\" width=\"274\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-2-274x300.jpg 274w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-2-934x1024.jpg 934w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-2-768x842.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-2-1401x1536.jpg 1401w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-2-1868x2048.jpg 1868w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-2-182x200.jpg 182w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-2-137x150.jpg 137w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-2-109x120.jpg 109w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-2-91x100.jpg 91w, https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-2-46x50.jpg 46w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 274px) 100vw, 274px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-32537\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Raquel Vasquez Gilliland reads from her works<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Kelsey Trom, professor of English and the creative writing program coordinator, said the event was a major success.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis year\u2019s winning pieces really are remarkable in both insight and craft,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd so many of the other entries were, too \u2013 competition is stiff. The student\u2019s urgent work and study was evident in the maturity and professionalism with which they talked to Gilliland at dinner, during the event and at the roundtable the next day. They asked her the questions of writer peers, not neophytes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Some of the pieces Gilliland chose as winners will be available in the next edition of \u201cSit Lux,\u201d the Tusculum literary journal that is almost entirely student-produced. This edition will be launched Friday, April 24, at Tusculum\u2019s Academic Symposium.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRaquel was so generous in her conversations with us, and her answers and anecdotes gave students the kind of inspiration, practical advice and camaraderie all writers need,\u201d Trom said. \u201cI\u2019m incredibly grateful to her \u2013 a bestselling author several times over \u2013 for making the trip and treating Tusculum students like what they are: the next generation of important writers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Additional information about Tusculum\u2019s English program is available at <a href=\"https:\/\/site.tusculum.edu\/english-2\/\">https:\/\/site.tusculum.edu\/english-2\/<\/a>. To learn more about the university, please visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.tusculum.edu\">www.tusculum.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><h3><strong>GREENEVILLE<\/strong> \u2013 Tusculum University students have been honored for excellence in writing by an award-winning author who was impressed by the caliber of the entries she judged.<\/h3>\n<p>The English program held the Curtis \u201928 and Billie Owens Literary Prize ceremony Thursday, April 16, in Behan Arena Theatre. The competition for the awards was open to all students regardless of their major. Raquel Vasquez Gilliland, who served as the judge, picked the following recipients for prizes in four genres:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Drama \u2013 \u201cThe One with the Custody Agreement\u201d by Kiersten Paxton<\/li>\n<li>Fiction \u2013 \u201cThe Winners\u201d by Austin Reed<\/li>\n<li>Nonfiction \u2013 \u201cHoly Ground\u201d by Paxton<\/li>\n<li>Poetry \u2013 \u201cOne Weekend a Month\u201d by BriAnna Higgins<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In addition, JP Campione was selected as a runner-up in the nonfiction category for \u201cGo Find Your Own Mom.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2026\/four-tusculum-university-students-honored-for-exceptional-writing-in-annual-competition-judged-by-award-winning-author\/\"> Read the full article&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[131,91,7,160,19,142,169,146,1,6,148,147,149,172],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Four Tusculum University students honored for exceptional writing in annual competition judged by award-winning author :: Tusculum University<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2026\/four-tusculum-university-students-honored-for-exceptional-writing-in-annual-competition-judged-by-award-winning-author\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Four Tusculum University students honored for exceptional writing in annual competition judged by award-winning author :: Tusculum University\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"GREENEVILLE \u2013 Tusculum University students have been honored for excellence in writing by an award-winning author who was impressed by the caliber of the entries she judged. The English program held the Curtis \u201928 and Billie Owens Literary Prize ceremony Thursday, April 16, in Behan Arena Theatre. The competition for the awards was open to all students regardless of their major. Raquel Vasquez Gilliland, who served as the judge, picked the following recipients for prizes in four genres: Drama \u2013 \u201cThe One with the Custody Agreement\u201d by Kiersten Paxton Fiction \u2013 \u201cThe Winners\u201d by Austin Reed Nonfiction \u2013 \u201cHoly Ground\u201d by Paxton Poetry \u2013 \u201cOne Weekend a Month\u201d by BriAnna Higgins In addition, JP Campione was selected as a runner-up in the nonfiction category for \u201cGo Find Your Own Mom.\u201d Read the full article...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2026\/four-tusculum-university-students-honored-for-exceptional-writing-in-annual-competition-judged-by-award-winning-author\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY NEWS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-20T01:41:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Prize-1-300x228.jpg\" 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