2024 Braly Creative Writing Awards

Award for Fiction: “Poppy” by Lukas Pitkevits

Lukas Pitkevits is a senior at UMBC, currently studying for a degree in Biological Sciences. Although he is pursuing a career in the STEM field, he is passionate about creative expression through storytelling, which he believes can be just as enlightening as any form of science. When he isn’t writing, he can be found curating playlists, watching ocean documentaries, or flipping through various art books. You can read his work here.

Award for Poetry: “Coffee Can” by Layanne Khaskia

Layanne is a Palestinian-American and Muslim writer, poet, and biochemistry student. She first became entranced by the world of poetry at age 17 and hasn’t put her pen down since. Her work centers themes of Palestinian culture and life from the perspective of a young woman growing up estranged from her ancestral land. You can read her work here.

Award for Creative Nonfiction: “Flesh and Blood” by Erica Rigoroso

Hailing from a mysterious town in Southern Maryland, Erica Rigoroso is a senior studying English Literature and Communications and Technology. She finds comfort in writing about her personal experiences, aiming to make sense of all that has come her way. Aside from writing, Erica likes to listen to Blondie on repeat, watch strange movies, and most importantly—spend time with her cat, Karl. You can read her work here.