Թϱ’s Red Hyacinth Wins Highest Honor in National Literary Contest
Թϱ University’s student literary magazine, Red Hyacinth: A Journal of Writing & Art, has received the highest honor from the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), earning a “First Class” distinction in the 2024 Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines (REALM) contest. The student-produced publication, which showcases original writing and artwork, was selected from hundreds of entries nationwide.
“In 2023, we were ranked 'Excellent'—that was the first year I entered us into the contest. With the 2024 issue, we jumped up two rankings to 'First Class,' which is the top ranking we could receive,” said Dr. Kristen Keckler, associate professor and department chair of Literature and Language, and faculty advisor for Red Hyacinth. “I'm very proud of my team of student editors as well as the artists and writers we featured in the issue.”
The REALM program contest, organized by NCTE, publicly recognizes outstanding literary magazines produced by students with the support of their educators. REALM is designed to encourage all schools to develop literary magazines that celebrate the art and craft of writing. Schools in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, US territories, Canada, and American schools abroad are eligible to submit their publications for evaluation.
This year, the competition drew schools in 46 states and five countries nominated 422 student magazines. drew 422 entries from institutions in 46 states and five countries. Out of these, only 125 magazines were awarded the contest’s highest distinction, REALM First Class.
“Red Hyacinth is one of the signature cocurricular initiatives in the School of Liberal Arts, offering students the opportunity for hands-on editing and layout work, while also giving our writers and artists the chance to launch into the workforce with publications to their names,” said Peter West, dean of the School of Liberal Arts. “Kristen Keckler has done a brilliant job of building the magazine and leveraging it to help students connect their classroom learning with a range of career-oriented skills. Congrats to Kristen and the Red Hyacinth team!”
The achievement solidifies Red Hyacinth: A Journal of Writing & Art as a premier student publication, reflecting the talent and dedication of Թϱ University’s literary and artistic community.