Gannon University's English Department manages several initiatives: Totem, the National High School Poetry Contest, and several Gannon University writing awards.
Totem
The student-run literary and art magazine Totem is published once per year. When the submission window is open, a project link will appear on this page. Inquiries about Totem should be directed to Dr. Clayton Bradshaw-Mittal or Sophia Messenger.
National High School Poetry Contest
The annual National High School Poetry Contest is open to high school students in the United States of America. When the submission window is open, a project link will appear on this page. Inquiries about the poetry contest should be directed to Dr. Clayton Bradshaw-Mittal.
Gannon University Writing Awards
The annual writing awards recognize the work of Gannon University students from across the university's three colleges. Winners are announced at the University Writing Awards Ceremony in April, and this ceremony includes the winner of the National High School Poetry Contest as well as featuring guest speakers. Nomination forms signed by your professor must be included with your submission.
Iconic: The Anthology of Erie Poets
Iconic: the Anthology of Erie Poets is an annual anthology of poets local to Erie, PA. Each year, faculty and students from Gannon University coordinate with NWPA Poetry, Community Access Media, and the Erie County Public Library to produce the anthology. This project is designed to promote community through poetry while celebrating and amplifying the voices of local poets.
Submissions to the Anthology open May 1st and close on August 15th every year. For more information, please contact Dr. Clayton Bradshaw-Mittal.
Iconic: The Anthology of Erie Poets is an annual publication of poets local to Erie, PA. You may subscribe for one (2025) or two (2025 and 2026) years.
Originally a project of the Erie County Public Library, the anthology is now edited by Clayton Bradshaw-Mittal with the support of Gannon University, the Erie County Public Library, Community Access Media, and local poets.
This year's anthology is expected to publish on December 1st.
Issues of the Anthology will be shipped or available for pickup upon receipt by the editorial staff.
Deadline: February 1st
This contest is free and open to the public.
Poems may also win Honorable Mention awards.
Winners will be notified by email in March.
Awardees will be invited to virtually join a workshop by our distinguished featured poet and will be recognized at the 49th Annual Gannon Writing Awards ceremony. He or she will receive a monetary award of $50, a book by our featured poet, and publication in the Awards Night program and in the award-winning literary magazine, Totem.
First Place: $50
Second Place: $40
Third Place: $30
Berwyn Moore Young Erie Poet Award (for high school poets residing in Erie County): $50
For questions, please contact Dr. Clayton Bradshaw-Mittal at highschoolpoetry@gannon.edu
Rules and Eligibility
Entrants must be a high school student or a home-schooled student in grades nine through twelve. Students from anywhere in the United States may enter.
Poems may be in rhyme, free verse, Haiku or other accepted poetry forms and of any length, up to a maximum of 40 lines.
No entry may have been previously published.
Winners receiving a monetary award will be required to complete a W-9 form to receive their prize.
Results will be published on our website during the first week of April. Only the winners will receive individual notifications.
Submission Guidelines
Each student may submit 1 or 2 single-authored original poems as attachment(s) in ONE document.
The file name should contain the student's name and title of submission. For example: Jake Barnes_The River Dog Poem
The cover page or first page of the document of the document should contain student's name, address, phone number, email address, school name, school address, instructor's name, instructor's email, and grade in school.
Poems must be typed and submitted as PDF or DOCX or DOC attachments only. Submissions through Google docs links will not be accepted.
Judging
Gannon English faculty members judge the poems. Each poem is read independently by at least two readers to determine finalists. The final decisions are made by two select faculty members, who will be named at the awards ceremony in April at the Annual Gannon Writing Awards Ceremony.