MSU’s Story State Champions Highlight Resilience and Belonging

Conducted by Mississippi State University (MSU), the Story State competition welcomes submissions, whether written, spoken, or filmed, from talented student storytellers across the Magnolia State. The contest is open to all students currently attending a Mississippi institution of higher education. Winners in the written and oral categories each receive a prize of $100, with the overall winner earning the title of Master Storyteller along with an additional $150.

Kamree Howard, a sophomore psychology major hailing from Ellisville, claimed the coveted title of 2024 Master Storyteller by clinching first place in the written division with her piece “Magnolia,” a real-life tale delving into the aftermath of her parents’ separation.

Evelin ‘Jo’ Aguilar, a junior studying architecture from Pearl, secured second place with her story “Master Plan,” a poignant work that explores the inner struggles of a young college student yearning for self-discovery while feeling tethered to familial obligations.

Meanwhile, Samuel Hughes, a senior double majoring in communication and Spanish from Biloxi, garnered the third spot with “Saddiq Dzukogi: Exploring identity through poetry,” a compelling narrative spotlighting MSU faculty member Saddiq Dzukogi, an English assistant professor and esteemed poet.

The top honor in the oral category went to Raylen Ladner, a senior communication student from Diamondhead, for her podcast “Crawfish,” a probing exploration into the impact of climate change on the crawfish industry.

For further details on Story State, kindly visit www.storystate.msstate.edu or reach out to ablount@comm.msstate.edu.

To delve deeper into the MSU College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Communication offerings, visit www.cas.msstate.edu and www.comm.msstate.edu.