The focus was on the writing skills of NDSU students during the third annual W-Challenge’s end-of-the-year celebration and awards presentation May 1.
In the W-Challenge, undergraduate students submit writing in five award categories: academic writing, creative writing, professional writing, everyday writing and writing in foreign languages.
“With more than 120 submissions across the categories, the W-Challenge writing competition was more competitive than ever,” said Lisa Arnold, assistant professor of English and First-Year Writing director. “We are proud of the writing of our NDSU students.”
Students recognized in the writing competition included:
Academic writing
Junior/senior
• First place (tie) – Kirbie Sondreal, a senior majoring in public history and history from Reynolds, North Dakota
• First place (tie) – Tylie Olson, a senior majoring in English from Bismarck, North Dakota
• Second place (tie) - Erin Thostenson, a junior majoring in English from West Fargo
• Second place (tie) – Preston Hoepfner, a senior majoring in political science
Freshman/sophomore
• First place – Emily Cox, a sophomore majoring in mathematics from Grand Forks, North Dakota
• Second place – Marc Michaelson, a sophomore majoring in theatre arts from Dickinson, North Dakota
• Third place - E. Alan Adair, a sophomore majoring in history from Bismarck, North Dakota
Creative writing
Poetry
• First place – Kacie White, a freshman majoring in psychology from Somerset, Minnesota
• Second place – Cierra Steffensen, a senior majoring in management communication from Brookings, South Dakota
• Honorable mention – Kylee Arndt, a freshman majoring in electrical engineering from West Fargo
Fiction
• First place – E. Alan Adair, a sophomore majoring in history from Bismarck, North Dakota
• Second place – Maxwell Borman, a freshman majoring in journalism
• Honorable mention – Brooke Krutsinger, a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering
Creative nonfiction
• First place – Bryan Espinet, a senior majoring in nursing
• Second place – Dan Slaubaugh, junior majoring in strategic communication from Bismarck, North Dakota
• Honorable mention – Etta Delong, a sophomore majoring in civil engineering
Professional writing
• First place (tie) - Dan Slaubaugh, junior majoring in strategic communication from Bismarck, North Dakota
• First place (tie) – Tryston Simek, a senior majoring in English from Bismarck, North Dakota, Addie Long, Oliva Oland, Haley Heinen and Alyssa Pereira, a senior majoring in strategic communication and international studies from Redmond, Washington
• Second place – Noah Thompson, a senior majoring in architecture
Everyday writing
• First place – Cierra Steffensen, a senior majoring in management communication from Brookings, South Dakota
• Second place – Jared Melville, a senior majoring in business administration
• Third place – Gabrielle Hersch, a junior majoring in English from Fargo
Writing in foreign languages
French
• First place-advanced (tie) – Joshua Zmarzly, a senior majoring in French education
• First place-advanced (tie) – Gabrielle Hansen, a sophomore majoring in human development and family science
• First place-beginner – Caitlin Barnard, a freshman majoring in English education
Spanish
• First place-advanced (tie) – Thomas Mickelson, a senior majoring in Spanish education
• First place-advanced (tie) – Amy Dockter, a senior majoring in Spanish
• First place-beginner – Abby Voight, a freshman majoring in electrical engineering from Bismarck, North Dakota
English as a Second Language
• Igor Mekhtiev, a sophomore majoring in computer science
Swedish
• Honorable mention – Majalisa Nelson, a sophomore majoring in English
“The W-Challenge tells students that the university values their writing and recognizes writing as important and the students responded to the challenge,” saidBruce Maylath, professor of English and director of Upper-Division Writing.
"Writing is essential in so many of our personal and professional activities throughout our lives, so we are proud of the students who have practiced and excelled in expressing themselves in the genres and languages of the event,” said Gwen Stickney, associate professor of Spanish and chair of modern languages.“The variety was remarkable.”
The competition was supported by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; College of Engineering; College of Human Development and Education; College of Science and Mathematics; Department of Communication; Department of History, Philosophy and Religion; Department of Modern Languages; NDSU Bookstore; NDSU Libraries; Office of Teaching and Learning; and Women and Gender Studies Program.
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