Sarah Schillaci of Ridgewood, New Jersey, a senior at Carleton College, is the winner of the 34th annual Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM) Nick Adams Short Story Contest. Schillaci’s story, “Rolande Quits Her Job,” was selected from among 39 submissions by students from across the Midwest. Schillaci, an English major, will receive an award of $1,000.
“Rolande Quits Her Job” tells the story of the relationship between a high school dropout and a shoe salesperson. Author and novelist Joe Meno, the final judge of the contest, wrote of Schillaci’s story, “With its intimate, original narrative voice glowing with human warmth and authenticity, this story does what the best stories do, revealing the truths of one particularly rich relationship. The writing here is conversational and wonderfully real . . . Full of wit and humor, this story rises to the challenge of great storytelling.” Schillaci’s story is available on the ACM Web site.
This is the second year in a row that a Carleton College student has received this award. Last year, Anne Guidry, currently a junior majoring in English, won for her story titled “The Billie Holiday.”
The Nick Adams Short Story Contest has been held annually since 1973 by the ACM, a consortium of 14 private liberal arts colleges, which includes Beloit College, Carleton College, Coe College, The Colorado College, Cornell College, Grinnell College, Knox College, Lake Forest College, Lawrence University, Macalester College, Monmouth College, Ripon College, St. Olaf College and the College of the University of Chicago.