(Lincoln Memorial University student Gabby Chumley reads her original work during a recent English class. The public is invited to submit original works for a Poetry Contest and Writing Contest to celebrate the bond between LMU, Abraham Lincoln, and East Tennessee.)
Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) has launched two writing contests in conjunction with the University’s celebrations to honor its 125th Anniversary. The contests challenge writers to recognize and explore the bond between the University, Abraham Lincoln, and East Tennessee. The contests, for poetry and writing, will run through April 12, 2022, and celebrate the bond that has lasted for 125 years.
The Poetry Contest is open to the general public. Poets must use the Oct. 1, 1862 letter from Horace Maynard to Abraham Lincoln about the struggles of East Tennesseans and the Cumberland Gap (www.loc.gov/item/mal1880100/ ) during the Civil War as a point of inspiration. The letter does not need to be prominently featured in the poem, just used as inspiration however the poet sees fit.
The Writing Contest is open to area high school students. Entrants will write a fictional short story or a nonfiction essay using this 1862 letter from Horace Maynard to Abraham Lincoln about the struggles of East Tennesseans and the Cumberland Gap (www.loc.gov/item/mal1880100/ ) during the Civil War as a point of inspiration. The letter does not need to be prominently featured in the essay or short story, just used as inspiration however the author sees fit.
“I can’t wait to see what everyone submits,” said Patrick Wensink, assistant professor of English and director of the Mountain Heritage Literary Festival. “These contests are such an exciting opportunity for the creative, thoughtful people of our community to express themselves.”
Prizes will be awarded to the top three winners in each contest. First place winners will receive a cash prize of $250, be invited to read their work at an event, and will be published in “Wolfpen Literary Magazine.” Second place winners will receive $150 in cash and publication, and third place winners will receive $100 and publication. Awards will be paid in May 2022.
There is a limit of one entry per person in each contest. In the Poetry Contest, the poem cannot be longer than two manuscript pages long. For the Writing Contest, the story or essay cannot be longer than five manuscript pages long. A panel of judges will pick the winners.
For more information or to submit an entry to either contest, contact Wensink. His email is Patrick.Wensink@LMUnet.edu. The contests are being offered through the LMU Paul V. Hamilton School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences as part of its 125th anniversary celebration during 2022. A full schedule of various events is available online.
Lincoln Memorial University is a values-based learning community dedicated to providing educational experiences in the liberal arts and professional studies. The main campus is in Harrogate, Tennessee. For more information about the undergraduate and graduate programs available at LMU, contact the Office of Admissions at 423.869.6280 or email at admissions@LMUnet.edu.
