Winner Biographies

STYLUS 2020 WINNERS

Cabrini Art Award Winners

Alice Bi is a sophomore English and Government double major with a concentration in International Relations. She has lived in Taipei, Beijing, and Singapore. Alice currently resides in Maryland as a member of the Jiménez-Porter Writers’ House.

Balbina Yang is a junior studying English and Art History. She enjoys swimming and watching Food Network.

Cassiel Arcilla is a freshman Studio Art major. She is a huge supporter of local creatives. Storytelling through film, art, and music are what makes her heart burst, and she is hoping one day she can share her vision on the big screen.

Jiménez-Porter Literary Prize: Prose Winners

Chidinma Opaigbeogu

I started writing poetry when I was twelve years old as a way of connecting with the world around me. Over time, my work has evolved and has become more of an exploration of myself. As a Nigerian-American, it was often hard for me to define myself. I felt too Nigerian to be fully American, and not Nigerian enough to claim my heritage. This conflict within me has strengthened my desire to know more about the country my family comes from and has spurred the writing of poetry that explores key events and experiences such as the Biafra War and the rich food culture in Nigeria. I hope to continue to use poetry as a tool to explore culture and identity and to find others who may have felt that same confusion as I did.

Nina Holtz is a senior English and Communication double major at UMD. She is part of UMD's all-sketch comedy group, Sketchup, and enjoys writing both comedy and stories.

Amanda Bachman

I'm a Senior Marketing and English double major with a Creative Writing minor. I've been a part of the Jiménez-Porter Writers' House program, as well as the Smith Design and Innovation Fellows Program. I'm interested in using experimental methods to portray emotional distress in unconventional ways.

Jiménez-Porter Literary Prize: Poetry Winners

Ray Newby is a sophomore English and Government & Politics major, as well as a first-year student in the Jiménez-Porter Writers' House. He is passionate about quesadilla night at the dining hall, uselessly hypothesizing about baseless literary theories, and eradicating inequality.

Chidinma Opaigbeogu

I started writing poetry when I was twelve years old as a way of connecting with the world around me. Over time, my work has evolved and has become more of an exploration of myself. As a Nigerian-American, it was often hard for me to define myself. I felt too Nigerian to be fully American, and not Nigerian enough to claim my heritage. This conflict within me has strengthened my desire to know more about the country my family comes from and has spurred the writing of poetry that explores key events and experiences such as the Biafra War and the rich food culture in Nigeria. I hope to continue to use poetry as a tool to explore culture and identity and to find others who may have felt that same confusion as I did.

Caitlin Lee-Hendricks is a junior English and Women's Studies dual degree. An English honors student, she is currently finishing her thesis, which focuses on the study of the haiku, tanka, and haibun. Passionate about teaching, she is currently the teaching assistant for two classes: LGBT200 and ARHU320.