Catch Earns AWP Literary Recognition

Knox College’s student-run literary magazine, Catch, earned third place from the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) for its Spring 2025 edition, adding to its long tradition of excellence and creativity. The AWP Prize for Undergrad Lit Mags is awarded annually to one outstanding undergraduate-led journal and two runners-up. The prize celebrates the work of undergraduate student writers and editors, including exceptional content, cohesive design, and innovation.

“To me, the national recognition of Catch was something that belonged to the magazine decades ago,” said co-editor-in-chief Jes Shannon ’26, of the recognized issue. “Receiving the AWP Prize was affirming that the creative risks Danielle (Miron ’25, co-editor of the winning issue) and I took were worth the Catch legacy. We spent hours in the publications office, carefully shaping our books. Having this book be recognized as a literary achievement is like a hug reaching back in time, telling us—sleep deprived and unsure—that we were part of the magic too.”

Knox College was one of the smallest institutions and one of the few solely undergraduate-produced literary magazines honored this year by the AWP, continuing Catch’s long tradition of being recognized for literary excellence, winning numerous national and international awards, including the 2014 National Program Directors' Prize from the Association of Writers and Writing Programs and International Pacemaker Awards from the Associated Collegiate Press in 2003, 2005, 2008, 2015, and 2016.

With submissions and contributions from over 30 students, the spring 2025 edition was a major undertaking and group project. Featuring dramatic works, poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, as well as art, music, and postcards, the publication offers something for everyone.

“We love variety! We like to joke about a fly fishing magazine also called Catch, so in keeping with the fish theme: if Catch is a big net, we want to collect all the unique voices and fishes across the ocean of campus,” Shannon said. “Catch is a medium that inherently archives. We want to put forth a tapestry of the polished work students have created.”

While Catch always offers a variety of work, the winning edition used cyanotype, a camera-less photographic printing process that yields a rich, monochromatic blue image.

“One of our design editors, Maya (Dengler Kaufman ’28), suggested it during the brainstorming process,” Miron said. “We looked it up and liked the look of it, so we decided to run with it. I think it greatly impacted the look and feel of the issue, and we created most of the design around the concept of cyanotype.”

The edition also offered several features to create a more interactive feel and encourage readers to contribute to the success of Catch and Knox College. 

“We had postcards at the end of the book that readers could take out and send across the world,” Shannon said. “Danielle is an especially passionate postcard collector, so it feels special to have that be a part of the book. We also made the second-ever Catch audiobook. We gathered some authors to read their work, and Danielle also narrated pieces. I edited the audio to about a two-hour listen. Having the book in an audio format was something we wanted to explore. We wanted to know if students connected to the work differently that way. Though it took weeks and many hours, I am glad we tried it out.”

The extra effort was worth it, not only for the prize earned by the students but also for the recognition alongside peers in the collegiate literary world, as Catch continues to place its name alongside some of the most recognized universities worldwide.

“Last year, Yale University won third place in this award just as we have now,” Shannon said. “Learning that the work we are doing is on the same level as top universities is so gratifying. As much as we guided our team, they injected this book with so much care and attention. I am glad everyone's hard work gets to be recognized in this award.”