The Truman Capote Literary Trust Scholarship for Creative Writing is an annual award for college juniors or seniors enrolled full-time at Appalachian State University majoring in English with a concentration in creative writing. The competition alternates genres yearly between creative prose (fiction, creative non-fiction and plays) and poetry.
The final judge for this year’s scholarship was poet Denton Loving. Loving is the author of the poetry collection “Crimes Against Birds” and editor of “Seeking Its Own Level,” an anthology of writings about water. His writing have recently appeared in River Styx, CutBank, The Kenyon Review and The Chattahoochee Review.
Sierra Cullars of Claremont, N.C., is a rising junior majoring in English with a concentration in creative writing. She was named the recipient of the $3,440, 2018-19 Truman Capote Literary Trust Scholarship for Creative Writing for her poems, "Ship," "How to Never Fall in Love," "People Watching" and "Forest Friend." When discussing the award Cullars said, “This honor is amazing. Poetry has always been something I have connected with and truly enjoyed, so for my work to be recognized means so much to me!”
Leah Wingenroth of Kill Devil Hills, N.C., is a rising senior double majoring in English with a concentration in creative writing and gender, women's and sexuality studies. Wingenroth was named this year’s runner-up. “It is such an honor to be recognized for my love of writing and literature. To have such personal pieces read and acknowledged is truly a wonderful feeling,” said Wingenroth.
Next year’s Capote Literary Trust Scholarship competition will be in prose (fiction, creative nonfiction, playwriting or screenwriting). To learn more about this scholarship and others in the Department of English, visit: https://english.appstate.edu/students/scholarships.
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About the Truman Capote Literary Trust Scholarship for Creative Writing
This scholarship was endowed by the Truman Capote Literary Trust. The scholarship is awarded to the rising junior or senior Appalachian State University English major with a concentration in creative writing whose submissions of prose (fiction, creative non-fiction or play) or poetry are judged to be the most outstanding works submitted to the creative writing competition named after Truman Capote and endowed by the late author's estate. The winning student must complete a sequence of creative writing courses leading to a concentration in Creative Writing as part of a B.A. degree in English. Details of this yearly contest are posted on english.appstate.edu and on departmental bulletin boards in early February, while submission deadlines fall in mid-March. Final judging is done by a prominent writer from outside the university.
About the Department of English
The Department of English at Appalachian State University is committed to outstanding work in the classroom, the support and mentorship of students, and a dynamic engagement with culture, history, language, theory and literature. The department offers master’s degrees in English and rhetoric and composition, as well as undergraduate degrees in literary studies, film studies, creative writing, professional writing and English education. Learn more at https://english.appstate.edu.
About the College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences is home to 16 academic departments, two stand-alone academic programs, two centers and one residential college. These units span the humanities and the social, mathematical and natural sciences. The College of Arts and Sciences aims to develop a distinctive identity built upon our university's strengths, traditions and unique location. Our values lie not only in service to the university and local community but through inspiring, training, educating and sustaining the development of our students as global citizens. There are approximately 5,850 student majors in the college. As the college is also largely responsible for implementing Appalachian's general education curriculum, it is heavily involved in the education of all students at the university, including those pursuing majors in other colleges. Learn more at https://cas.appstate.edu.
By Howell Keiser and Ellen Gwin Burnette
BOONE, N.C.
May 1, 2018
Sierra Cullars (on the right) was named the 2018-19 Truman Capote Literary Trust Scholarship for Creative Writing and Leah Wingenroth (on the left) was this year’s runner-up in the competition.
Sierra Cullars (on the right) was named the 2018-19 Truman Capote Literary Trust Scholarship for Creative Writing and Leah Wingenroth (on the left) was this year’s runner-up in the competition.