Crowder College
For immediate release
Oct. 21, 2025
RE: Crowder Quill opens 45th anniversary literary-art contest
Neosho, MO – The Crowder Quill literary-art magazine of Crowder College is now accepting entries for its 45th anniversary contest, featuring categories in literature, photography and art.
The free competition accepts entries in eight different categories: poetry, fiction, nonfiction, black and white photography, color photography, digital art, 2D art, and 3D art.
“Winning entries will be published in the 45th anniversary special edition,” stated Latonia Bailey, Quill Adviser. “I encourage everyone to take part in the continuing tradition of the Crowder Quill.”
Entries should be submitted digitally through the online portal at www.CrowderQuill.com under the “To Enter Contest” tab. Participants may submit up to four entries per category by the Feb. 1 deadline. Full guidelines and details are available on the website.
The contest is open to Crowder College students, area high school students, and community members. High school entrants are also eligible to win a $500 scholarship for top placement in each category.
“It’s always exciting to see high school winners later enroll in Crowder’s art, photography, and communication courses,” Bailey added.
Email Quill@Crowder.edu to make arrangements for hand-delivered 2D and 3D art entries or if internet access is an issue. Winners will be notified by mid-March, and the anniversary edition will be published in May. The magazine is distributed free on campus, throughout the community, and online.
The award-winning Crowder Quill, published annually since 1980, celebrates and promotes local authors, artists, and photographers. For the first 25 years, the contest was held each semester—except for fall 2000 and 2002—before transitioning to an annual event, with the only break occurring in spring 2021. This long-standing tradition has produced 67 editions of the publication, marking the 2025–2026 cycle as the 45th anniversary contest.
The Crowder Quill course is part of the Digital Media Marketing certificate at Crowder College in which students gain skills in content creation, marketing strategies, social media, graphic design, and communication.
For more information about the contest or the spring semester college course that produces the Quill — DIGM 105 Applied Graphic Design and Media Campaigns — contact Latonia Bailey at LatoniaBailey@crowder.edu.
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