Northwest Ranger Writers Write to New Heights
Senatobia, MS (04/24/2025) — Northwest Mississippi Community College general education student, Jenna E. Nylander of Oxford was awarded honorable mention for her piece "Vereinsamt" in the Mississippi Community College Creative Writing Association (MCCCWA) writing competition during their annual conference, held April 11 at Copiah-Lincoln Community College's Natchez campus. Also during the conference, Northwest English instructor, Dr. Harold Johnson, was elected as the new president of MCCCWA.
MCCCWA is an organization meant to support student writers and help them as they mature offering opportunities for publications, awards, and more. This organization seeks to support and inspire students as they pursue literature.
The competition features a variety of categories including Creative Nonfiction, Dramatic Writing, Essay, Poetry, Short Story, and Literary Magazine. The award winners are chosen by judges specializing in each category, and winners are honored at the conference.
Dr. Johnson is proud of the accomplishments of his students this year, but especially Nylander who has grown and written the recognized piece this year.
"Jenna is a clear example of the creative talents Northwest students have to offer," said Dr. Johnson. "Anyone, students or faculty, interested in honing their creative writing skills is more than welcome to join one of our classes. Creative Writing I is available year-round at the Senatobia and DeSoto campuses, and online."
Nylander's piece "Vereinsamt" is a German term for forced separation and isolation, according to Dr. Johnson.
"The narrator, perhaps a ghost, delivers a dream-like, melancholy rumination ingrained with a deep sense of loss," Dr. Johnson said. "The use of color to suggest images-for example 'spilling red' connotes blood--resonates with Jenna's creative expression as both a poet and a visual artist."
As the next year makes its way around, Dr. Johnson is excited for new possibilities and responsibilities that come with taking on this leadership role in the organization.
As president of MCCCWA, Dr. Johnson will be responsible for planning the spring 2026 statewide writing competition and will serve as editor of the MCCCWA's annual publication "The Mississippi Community College Writer."
If you'd like to learn more about MCCCWA, please visit, https://www.mcccwa.com/.
If you'd like to learn more about Northwest, please visit, northwestms.edu.
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Northwest English instructor, Dr. Harold Johnson, and Northwest student, Jenna E. Nylander of Oxford, at the MCCWA Conference on April 11 at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. Photo courtesy of Dr. Harold Johnson
Northwest Mississippi Community College
Andrew Dale, Associate Vice President of Community Relations, adale@northwestms.eduShare this Story
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