Congratulations to our 2024 Award Winners!
Brancart Fiction Award:
- 1st Place: Maya Johnson ‘25 (CCS Writing & Literature) for “Stacking Napkins”
Richardson Poetry Award:
- 1st Place: Sean Fina ‘27 (L&S English) for “The First Cow”
M. Garren Tinney Writing Award
- 1st Place: Maya Salem ‘24 (CCS Writing & Literature; L&S Communication) for “Ottolenghi Beans”
Most Excellent Awards
Narrative Prose:
- 1st Place: Sophia Quinto ‘26 (CCS Writing & Literature) for “Return"
- Runner-Up: Sasha Senal ‘24 (CCS Writing & Literature) for “Kill Time”
- Honorable Mentions: Avalon Lee ‘26 (CCS Writing & Literature), Tia Trinh ‘25 (CCS Writing & Literature), Sophie Najm ‘25 (CCS Writing & Literature)
Poetry:
- 1st Place: Tomas Cordero ‘25 for “A Picture Drawn in Chalk”
- Runner-Up: Maren Reed ‘24 (L&S English) for “Angels Played Ball in Palm Springs”
- Honorable Mentions: Maya Salem ‘24 (CCS Writing & Literature), Yuriko Chavez ‘24 (L&S Chicana and Chicano Studies), Olive Howden ‘25 (L&S Psychological & Brain Sciences)
Essay:
- 1st Place: Maya Johnson ‘25 (CCS Writing & Literature) for “Revitalizing Santa Barbara’s Commitment to Rehabilitative Justice”
- Runner-Up: Ryan Grant ‘25 (L&S Film and Media Studies) for “Journalism and Mainstream Media’s Effect on Democracy”
- Honorable Mentions: Margaret Gray ‘26 (CCS Writing & Literature), Josie Hurwitz ‘24 (L&S Sociology), Laurel Sheard ‘25 (L&S English)
Read more about the 2024 CCS Writing Competitions
CCS Writing Competitions
The College of Creative Studies (CCS) Writing Competitions are open to all UCSB undergraduate students. Administered by the CCS Writing & Literature program, the College seeks to discover and celebrate undergraduate writers in a variety of genres.
The Awards
Brancart Fiction Writing Contest: Established by CCS alumna Christine Lehner in memory of her grandmother Reine Brancart, the Brancart Fiction Award is given each year for an exemplary work of fiction. The fiction piece must be at least one (1) page in length but no more than fifteen (15). One entry per student.
- Winner receives: $600.00
Richardson Poetry Writing Contest: Established by CCS alumnus Jeffrey Hewitt in memory of his grandmother Henrietta Wing Richardson, the Richardson Poetry Prize is given each year for an exemplary work of poetry. Students may submit a poem or group of poems of no more than five (5) pages. One entry per student.
- Winner receives: $400.00
CCS Most Excellent Writing Contest (Narrative Prose, Essay, Poetry): Students may submit a piece of fiction, an essay or a poem (one submission per category). Narrative prose and essay submissions should be 1-10 pages, and poetry submissions should be 1-5 pages. One entry per category per student.
- One First Place Winner per category receives: $35.00
- One Second Place Winner per category receives: $25.00
- Three Honorable Mentions receive: $15.00
M. Garren Tinney Writing Award: Established by Donna Tinney in memory of her son Garren '01 (L&S English) who had an interest in and was passionate about writing. This annual award is supported by the M. Garren Tinney Memorial Fund. Undergraduate students at UCSB may submit a piece of creative nonfiction, including personal essays, memoir, reportage, and more. Submissions should be 1-10 pages. One entry per student.
- Winner receives: $500.00