The following students were recognized as the 2018 Steger Poetry Prize winners at the Nikki Giovanni Celebration of Poetry; students in the College are in bold.

Senior literature and language, creative writing, and professional and technical writing major Jillian Mouton won first prize, $1,100, for her poem, “Bayeux”; Mouton also received “the Steger,” a piece of handcrafted art by local jeweler by Faith Capone created for the occasion.

The second-place prize of $500 was presented to Katherine Louis, a junior Spanish major, for “Clouds in the Sky.”

Senior creative writing and professional and technical writing major Shalini Rana was the recipient of the third-place prize, $300, for “Scenes/Funeral Day.”

Earning honorable mention status were: Allison Craft, a junior theatre arts major; Mara DePena, a senior animal and poultry sciences major; AnnRea Fowler, a junior majoring in professional and technical writing and creative writing; H. H. Hsueh, a senior industrial design major; Fintan Kelly, a senior creative writing major; Jessica Mardian, a first-year creative writing major; Alison Miller, a junior creative writing, literature and language, and professional and technical writing major; Taylor Thackaberry, a sophomore computer science major; and Nima Trivedi, a junior majoring in biology and clinical neuroscience.

University Distinguished Professor in the Department of English Nikki Giovanni, for whom the event is now named, administers the competition; English faculty members Aileen Murphy and Joe Scallorns serve as co-directors. The event, now in its 13thyear, was held April 17, in the Cube at the Moss Arts Center; the student finalists read their entries, alternating with poems chosen and read by faculty members of the Department of English as well as invited guests.