Winthrop Graduate Student Wows S.C. Humanities with Her Writing (05/08/24)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Shyanne Hamrick is working towards her graduate degree in English and a certificate in creative writing, with a future goal of earning a master's in creative writing.
• She went into English because she believes that storytelling is the way we immortalize and release the joys and heartaches of the human condition.

ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA - Winthrop University graduate student Shyanne Hamrick '22 will receive a $2,000 scholarship from the South Carolina Humanities to help with her pursuit of a Master of Arts in English.

The Rock Hill resident already holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and a minor in creative writing from Winthrop. She is working towards her graduate degree and certificate in creative writing, with a future goal of earning a master's in creative writing.

"I went into English because I believe that storytelling is the way we immortalize and release the joys and heartaches of the human condition," Hamrick said. "My research interests include craft analysis, accessibility, intersectional feminism, and class studies in 20th century and contemporary American literature."

She works on the Winthrop campus as a graduate assistant for the McNair Scholars program.

This spring, the S.C. Humanities Council gave out two graduate scholarships to encourage students to explore humanities fields as they pursue their academic careers. Hamrick received one, while a student at Clemson received the second one.

Hamrick submitted a writing sample as part of her application, which greatly impressed the review committee. Titled "'A House of My Own'": A Space for Chicana Agency and Imagination in The House on Mango Street," the paper also recently won the William A. Sullivan Graduate Writing Award. Winthrop's English Department presents the Sullivan Award as recognition of excellence in academic writing.

Hamrick's faculty advisor, English faculty member Dustin Hoffman, wrote in his support letter that in his 15 years of teaching, Hamrick ranks in the top percentile in her writing, intellect, work ethic and artistry. "She's the type of student who improves a program for her presence," he said. "She nurtured a great maturity to allow herself to learn and to have her mind changed, to truly collaborate with her peers, while also offering fresh viewpoints of her own."

For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at [email protected] or at 803/323-2404.