What: The Connecticut Poetry Circuit Student Poets recently announced their 2011-12 student winners, which includes Trinity senior Leslie Ahlstrand ‘'12. Five students in state were selected, and will read their work as part of a state tour, stopping at Trinity College for an Allan K. Smith Reading Series event. The event, free and open to the public, will be followed by a reception.
Where: Reese Room, Smith House, on the campus of Trinity College, Vernon Street, Hartford, Conn., 06106
When: Thursday, February 9 ~ 4:30 p.m.
Background: The Connecticut Poetry Circuit was established in 1968. In addition to acknowledging the work of one outstanding established poet per year, a panel of judges representing the Circuit, select five student poets from colleges across the state to participate in a series of readings. The work of the winners of this prestigious competition is also published in Connecticut Review.
Student Biographies
Leslie Ahlstrand is a senior at Trinity College where she is a double major in Public Policy and Law, and English. Currently she is working on her thesis in Creative Writing. Her poetry has been published in Slate Magazine, the literary journal of Trinity College. She is the recipient of numerous writing awards, including the John Curtis Underwood Memorial Prize in Poetry, The Watkinson Creative Fellowship, the Academy of American Poets Prize, and the Alumnus Prize in Fiction. In addition to her interest in writing, Leslie is a lover of all kinds of music and a jewelry designer. Upon graduation, she plans to work for a few years before returning to graduate school and then seeing where the world takes her. Leslie is a native of Boston, Massachusetts.
Andrea Amulic is senior at Connecticut College where she is a double major in Literatures in English, with a concentration in Creative Writing, Poetry, and Psychology. Her poetry currently focuses on her experiences this past summer living in Zagreb, Croatia as well as her own heritage. Andrea was born in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Jared Coffin is a fourth year student at Southern Connecticut State University where he majors in English and minors in Philosophy. His poetry has been published In Folio, SCSU’s literary journal, and The Honors Review, SCSU’s Honors College publication. At Southern, he has received first place in the SCSU Undergraduate Fiction Contest and second place in the SCSU Undergraduate Poetry Contest. He is also the editor of Folio. After graduation, he plans to pursue an MFA in Poetry and research the role of literature in national memory. Jared enjoys flying small planes, and in addition to becoming a professor, he hopes to become a flight instructor. Jared is a native of Providence, Rhode Island.
Jemel Nejaime is a general studies major at Manchester Community College. He has received the college’s Outstanding Young Poetry Award and has placed first in its Creative Writing Awards, Poetry Division, Contest. Jemel hopes to master storytelling in all its forms: poetry, short stories, novels, graphic novels, screenplays, and even video game scripts. Jemel is a native of Granby, Connecticut.
Felicity Sheehy is a sophomore at Yale University where she is a double major in English and Psychology. Her poetry has been published in The Kenyon Review, Broken Bridge Review, and Long River Run Review. He placed first in the Patricia Giodd Poetry Prize, sponsored by The Kenyon Review, and was the 2009 State Champion in the IMPAC CT Young Writer’s Competition. Felicity’s interests include border collies and backpacking. Felicity was born in New York City.