Contact: Maridith Geuder
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State students are receiving four of the top 18 prizes awarded in competition with collegiate writers around the South.
In recent annual competition sponsored by Southern Literary Festival, student writers from the university were rewarded with first-place honors in both the fiction and poetry categories, and third place in fiction and essay.
Only three prizes are awarded in each category, including poetry, formal essay, informal essay, one-act play, short story, and literary magazine.
The MSU winners include English major Chance D. Parish of Ethel, first prize in poetry; senior secondary education major Marla D. Smith of Booneville, first prize in fiction; junior management major Walker D. Moller of Clinton, third prize in fiction; and senior English major Elizabeth A. Harmon of Bailey, third prize in formal essay.
Established in 1937, the Southern Literary Festival honors outstanding writing by students at member colleges and universities in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Undergraduates participating in the regional event must first have won competitions at their home universities.
LOCAL EDITORS:
Parish is the son of Jerry and Deloise Parish.
Smith is the daughter of Mackie and Rhonda Smith.
Moller is the son of Sid and Dalerie Moller.
Harmon is the daughter of Robert and Rebecca Harmon.