Manasco Awarded Poetry Fellowship from Alabama State Council on the Arts
Pamela Manasco, an English instructor at Alabama A&M University, has been awarded the 2024 Artist Fellowship in Poetry from the Alabama State Council on the Arts. The fellowship, which comes with a $5,000 grant, is awarded to individuals working in arts education and recognizes artistic achievement and professional commitment. Fellows use the funding for professional development and training to advance their artistic careers.
Manasco’s poetry has been featured in numerous esteemed journals, including “Rattle,” “Susurrus,” “New South Journal,” “Rust + Moth,” and others. Additionally, she recently won the 2024 Stephen Meats Poetry Prize from “The Midwest Quarterly” for her poem “A Story About Stars.”
“Only two poetry fellows are awarded each year, ” Manasco shared. “I was overjoyed to receive this award because it provides validation that the work I’m undertaking with my poetry is valuable, and it means a lot that my home state has chosen to recognize my writing.”
A native of Greenville, Alabama, Manasco holds a BA in English from the University of Alabama and an MFA in Creative Writing (Poetry) from the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She began her teaching career at AAMU as an adjunct professor in 2016 and transitioned to a full-time position in 2018.
“The fellowship acknowledges not only current publications and scholarship but also potential for continued artistic growth,” adds Manasco. “I am extremely thankful that the judges saw that potential in my application materials. This award will also help immensely with the cost of submitting my recently completed first poetry manuscript to contests, with the goal of publication.”
Manasco also plans to use the fellowship funds to cover her trip to the annual Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP) Conference in Los Angeles next year. The opportunity will allow her to further develop her skills, which she eagerly anticipates passing on to her students.
“I love getting to know my students and witnessing their growth as writers throughout the semester,” Manasco said. “Anytime students are engaged with the material and I see that spark of inspiration as they explain their ideas – it’s so rewarding and the reason I enjoy what I do.”
