Jay Paine Named Creative Writing Student of the Year 2023-2024

The English Department named Jay Paine the English Creative Writing Student of the Year for 2023-2024. The Creative Writing Committee said Jay was selected “for all the incredible work he has done while in our program — Editor in Chief, and previously Managing Editor and the Poetry Genre Editor of Sink Hollow; a reader at the inaugural Ken Brewer Celebration of Writing; a Writing Center tutor; a Bull Pen president; and an active publisher of poetry in undergraduate literary magazines — and because Jay makes everyone around him feel smart and capable while he himself is well on his way to wise.”

Jay switched his majors many times before settling on Creative Writing, which he chose after talking to other creative writing majors. Jay said, “I realized they are my people.” Classes, such as Descent and Return: Ancient Views of the Afterlife, Speculative Nonfiction, and Intermediate Greek Poetry, were influential in Jay’s time at USU because of their unique nature. “These courses spoke to my niche interests and helped me understand and appreciate what literature can do and teach us,” he noted.

Jay switched his majors many times before settling on Creative Writing, which he chose after talking to other creative writing majors. Jay said, “I realized they are my people.” Classes, such as Descent and Return: Ancient Views of the Afterlife, Speculative Nonfiction, and Intermediate Greek Poetry, were influential in Jay’s time at USU because of their unique nature. “These courses spoke to my niche interests and helped me understand and appreciate what literature can do and teach us,” he noted.

Jay took advantage of many opportunities as an undergraduate and will be going to New Mexico State to earn his MFA in Creative Writing. “I’m already using the knowledge and skills I've gained through my degree in everyday life,” said Jay. “Studying creative writing has helped me appreciate all literature and people's desire to create.”