By: Erik Pedersen, Content Strategy Director
BALTIMORE – The 2022-23 edition of Damozel, a creative literary magazine produced annually by Notre Dame of Maryland University’s English Department, has been recognized as a REALM First Class magazine by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).
The NCTE’s REALM Awards publicly highlight high-quality literary magazines created by students with the support of their teachers. Damozel was one of just 108 publications to receive the contest’s highest-available First Class ranking. Nearly 400 publications were submitted for consideration by schools representing 46 states and five countries.
Damozel is a student-run magazine which showcases any form of creative writing, art, or photography by current NDMU students and alumni. The latest issue was produced by literary editors April Boss ’24 and Tahreem Haq ’23; alumna editor and advisor, Micah Castelo ’18; and faculty sponsor Dr. Jeana DelRosso. It contained 28 submissions created by a group of 18 NDMU community members.
“I am so proud of our Damozel literary editors, April Boss and Tahreem Haq, and so grateful to our alumna editor and advisor Micah Castelo for their outstanding work on this magazine,” said Dr. DelRosso. “It is incredibly gratifying to see that, in Notre Dame's 100th year of producing Damozel, it just keeps getting better every year!"
Student literary magazines from middle school through the university level were eligible to participate in the program. Judging for the REALM Awards, which is based on a point system evaluating the magazines’ literary content, design, and graphics, was conducted by a panel of volunteer reviewers from across the country.
The next edition of Damozel is expected to be released during the spring semester. Submissions for the issue are being accepted through February 5: they can be sent to damozelndmu@gmail.com, and those submitting are asked to include their first and last name, class year, major or program of study, and the title of the work. Poetry, short stories or non-fiction essays should be sent as a Word document or PDF file. Photography or artwork should be sent as a .jpeg, .jpg or .png file.
Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.
Julia Campagna, director of mission and ministry at NDMU, discusses both the history of All Saints' Day and how the holiday is recognized on campus in this USA TODAY feature article.