2023 Summer Travel Writing Contest Stimulates Creativity in CCS W&L Students
Thanks to an anonymous donor, three prizes awarded at CCS All-College
“Whether they stayed close to home, nearby in Isla Vista, or flew across the world—our W&L students were inspired by an anonymous donor's generous gift that made this first ever Summer Travel Writing Contest possible.”
—Kara Mae Brown, Writing & Literature Faculty and Program Coordinator, College of Creative Studies
The College of Creative Studies (CCS) Writing & Literature (W&L) students are always in pursuit of writing and creativity. An anonymous donor familiar with the unique student experiential learning at the College provided a one-time gift to spark interest and inspire CCS W&L students to unleash their creativity over the summer of 2023. The anonymous donor’s wish and intent was “[F]or the W&L students to be energized by such a competition and to stimulate creative writing in the genre of travel literature.”
“Whether you barely moved from your backyard hammock or you flew across the world, send us up to 10 pages of your best travel writing about the places you visited this summer. We are looking for stories of adventure, meditations on the meaning of place, and other tales inspired by your ventures.”
—2023 Summer Writing Travel Contest call for student submissions
The three W&L student winners were announced and recognized at CCS All College on September 26, 2023:
- 1st prize ($500): Maya Salem ‘24 (CCS W&L) for "Wild Blackberries"
- 2nd prize ($300): Leo Rubio ‘24 (CCS W&L) for "The Places We Call Home"
- 3rd prize ($140): Elaina Smolin ‘24 (CCS W&L) for "Endless Summer"
Summer Travel Writing Contest Winning Entries
“I am genuinely excited about this opportunity for our W&L students to spark their creativity. What an outstanding idea!”
—Timothy Sherwood, CCS Interim Dean
1st Prize
Maya Salem ‘24 (CCS W&L) for "Wild Blackberries"
“Before my parents dropped me off at the University of Edinburgh [where Maya will be studying abroad] at the end of the summer, we did some trekking up in the Scottish highlands where I was surprised to find wild blackberries. My family, particularly my dad, has inspired a love for foraging throughout our travels, often coming in the form of wild berry picking. As I am grappling with moving to this new country, though temporarily, I was moved to write a piece about finding the familiar amongst the unfamiliar. In this piece, I marvel at the natural beauty that Scotland offers, through even its smallest gifts, like the wild blackberry.”
—Maya Salem ‘24 (CCS W&L)
Read Maya's winning entry.
2nd Prize
Leo Rubio ‘24 (CCS W&L) for "The Places We Call Home"
“I traveled to Taiwan this summer for 3 weeks with my girlfriend and her mother to meet their family and country. Never have I been to such a beautiful country, its people, its nature, its food. However, I dealt with moments of homesickness and cultural shock which made me think about the special places that we call home and why they matter to us. Taiwan quickly became a special place to me. I learned so much from the people I met, and was inspired to share a bit of my time with them and a bit of their stories.”
—Leo Rubio ‘24 (CCS W&L)
Read Leo's winning entry.
3rd Prize
Elaina Smolin ‘24 (CCS W&L) for "Endless Summer"
“For the majority of the summer, I stayed in Isla Vista and felt very inspired being here considering I'm graduating this upcoming year. While I love reading travel stories about more exciting or exotic places, I think staying in I.V. was wonderful as it allowed me to appreciate the mundane and the idea of "college years."
—Elaina Smolin ‘24 (CCS W&L)
Read Elaina's winning entry.
The College remains grateful to the philanthropic investments from alumni, parents, and friends who make it possible for CCS to continue its unwavering commitment to cultivate a unique environment that inspires its students to become passionate individuals who are invested in their scholarly and creative endeavors at CCS and beyond.