Celebrating Student Creativity: The Sandra Hutchins Creative Writing Awards

Now in its 14th year, the awards program honors writers for producing 'phenomenal pieces or art worth sharing'.

Each year, Belmont students gather to honor the creative spirit of former professor, Dr. Sandra Hutchins, through the annual Sandra Hutchins Creative Writing Awards. Established in 2012, the awards recognize excellence across fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction, while carrying forward the legacy of Dr. Hutchins, whose vision and leadership helped shape Belmont’s creative writing program. 

The awards ceremony is held as part of a weeklong series of panels, lectures, performances and discussions designed to explore the role of the humanities in shaping culture and community. The symposium serves as a platform for students, faculty and guest speakers to engage in meaningful dialogue, making it a fitting backdrop to celebrate and elevate the creative voices of Belmont students. 

Storytelling that Transcends the Classroom 

The Sandra Hutchins Creative Writing Awards celebrate student voices and remind the Belmont community of the remarkable creative work happening all around campus. 

The awards encourage submissions in three genres: poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. Participants may submit up to three poems, one short story or one work of creative nonfiction. Entries are stripped of any identifying information before being reviewed by three separate faculty judging committees, one for each genre. This process ensures that winning selections are chosen based on merit and artistry alone. 

 “The voices and creativity of Belmont students matter,” said Dr. J Buentello Benavides, assistant professor of English and awards chair, “The essays, stories and poems our students produce are not solely assignments bound to our classrooms. They are phenomenal pieces of art worth sharing with the Belmont campus and larger literary community.” 

2025 Creative Writing Award Winners 

This year’s winners reflected a rich range of voices and visions: 

Poetry

1st Place: Black Flies  by Emily Ball

2nd Place: Veteran Lawn Care  by Jodi Marr

Fiction

1st Place: The Phone Booth by Peyton Kauffman 
2nd Place: The Treehouse by Sarah Moore 

Creative Nonfiction

1st Place: A Dictionary for the Child of Divorce by Emily Fackler 
2nd Place: Yubitsume by Genevieve Dickerson 

Student Voices 

For many recipients, the Creative Writing Awards offered not only recognition but also encouragement to keep honing their craft.  

Peyton Kauffman

1st Place Winner in Fiction: The Phone Booth

Kauffman reflected on how his story came to life: 
“For my award piece, I took an idea I had on my phone — a phone booth that doesn’t let you call someone, but calls you. I wanted to write a story that breathes joy and wonder into someone’s life. I wasn’t inspired by anything specific, just the idea of telling a story from the point of view of someone who’s not exceptional but is chosen to experience something magical.” 

Kauffman, who writes nearly every day, sees a future for himself in creative writing: “When I got here on my first day, I was told Belmont has a teaching program in the MFA. My end goal is to get my Master’s in creative writing and eventually teach.” 

Sarah Moore

2nd Place Winner in Fiction: The Treehouse

Moore’s story follows a woman who returns to her rural Tennessee hometown after her estranged father’s death. Haunted by memories of her first love, a forbidden relationship stifled by small-town expectations and her father’s harshness, she revisits the treehouse that once held their secret world.   

Moore originally wrote the story for a publishing class last spring. It wasn’t until a friend encouraged her to share it that she even considered revising it for submission.  

Genevieve Dickerson

2nd Place Winner in Nonfiction: Yubitsume

For creative nonfiction second-place winner, Genevieve Dickerson, the process of revising her essay became a transformative experience. 
“I wrote the first iteration for Dr. Montague’s class six months ago, and since then, it’s been heavily edited for this competition,” she said.  “I had to dilute some content for subject matter reasons, and honestly, it made the piece better without compromising it.” 

Dickerson also shared her perspective on Belmont’s literary community. “I love the program here. At Belmont you’re around excellent people but you can speak, be heard and engage more. I really enjoy the seminar-style classes. They allow better discussion and connection.” 

 Many students who submit come from writing-focused majors such as English, Communication Studies, Corporate Communication, the Creative Writing minor or even the MFA in Creative Writing. However, part of what makes the awards unique is that they are open to all students, regardless of their course of study. Not only are Belmont students encouraged to leverage their coursework for opportunities outside the classroom, but the university also actively provides platforms, such as the annual  Humanities Symposium, to ensure their voices are shared and celebrated.  

A Living Legacy 

Belmont's Creative Writing Awards are more than an annual competition. They are an ongoing tradition that builds community and validates the voices of young writers. As the winning works demonstrate year after year, Belmont students continue to write with courage and imagination.