The University of Indianapolis has announced its selection for the 2024-2025 Student Poet Laureate. Senior Grace Carrender has been awarded this honor. As poet laureate, she will read five original poems during significant school events throughout the academic year and will receive a stipend for her contributions.
Dr. Jen Camden, an English professor and Associate Chair of the English Department, explained the role. She noted that the UIndy Student Poet Laureate position is similar to other poet laureate roles, such as the Indiana Poet Laureate, currently held by Curtis Crisler, and the National Poet Laureate, Ada Limón. These laureates create poems to celebrate or commemorate important events.
Carrender is pursuing a degree in secondary English education, with a minor in Spanish and an Honors concentration. Her poetry has been featured in Etchings, the university’s literary magazine. She was also the recipient of the Lucy Munro Booker Poetry Award in 2024. Carrender expressed her excitement about the laureateship, stating that it allows her to share her work and enhance her writing. She has already presented one of her poems at the university’s convocation ceremony.
“I am so grateful and honored to have been named this year’s poet laureate,” Carrender said. “It has provided me with the opportunity to work on my writing and create pieces for events such as UIndy’s convocation this past summer. I love sharing my work with others and experiencing the sense of community and closeness that reading and listening to poetry can bring.”
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