VCU Publishing announces the the inaugural VCU Publishing Awards. These awards recognize scholarship and creativity from VCU Publishing's journal partners. VCU Libraries publishes five open access peer-reviewed scholarly journals. VCU Publishing also hosts the archives of the Virginia War Memorial Foundation's Mighty Pen Project, which provides creative writing instruction for veterans and their families. 

Publishing partners were asked to select representative works from 2021 that demonstrate VCU Publishing’s goals to advance research, creative expression, and learning.

The awardees for works published in 2021 are:

Rod Earle, for his article "No Cell for the Soul: Prison, Philosophy and Bernard Stiegler - A Short Appreciation," which appears in the special issue of the Journal of Prison Education and Re-entry on "Philosophy in Prison." In a beautifully written paper, Rod Earle considers Stiegler's journey into philosophy from a prison cell. He uses Stiegler's philosophical ideas to challenge readers to reflect on contemporary concerns about prisons, universities and wider society. He concludes that Stiegler's essay "How I became a Philosopher" should be on every prison philosophy course. Earle, a senior lecturer at The Open University, has published widely on prison issues, racism, race and ethnicity and youth justice.

Miko Yoshida, for "Énouement," a work of creative nonfiction from the Mighty Pen Project that depicts returning to the real world after military service by exploring the relationship between a Marine and his weapon. This piece eloquently captures the experiences of many young Americans serving in the military and illuminates the complicated transition between military service and civilian life. It also addresses relevant health and social issues through the lens of a young Asian-American having recently left the armed forces. Yoshida, a second generation Japanese-American and Los Angeles native, deployed three times to Afghanistan as a Marine and did a stint in corporate America in New York City. He is currently doing research and attending graduate school.

Based in the VCU Libraries, VCU Publishing amplifies VCU scholarly and research findings, and provides publishing opportunities and experiences for VCU students and faculty. VCU Publishing includes a portfolio of platforms and publishing services, and seeks partnerships within VCU and the Greater Richmond community to broaden that portfolio in ways that advance research, creative expression, and learning at VCU and for the region.

To learn more about publishing with VCU Libraries, contact publishing@vcu.edu.