Three members of the Lindenwood University community have earned national recognition for outstanding written works. Assistant Professor and MFA Writing Program Department Head Dr. Joe Baumann, Adjunct Instructor Dr. Ted Morrissey, and student Chris Morrow have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize.
Founded in 1976, the Pushcart Prize was established to celebrate independent publishing. While simply being published is an achievement, a nomination shows that the work stands out among the best. Morrissey, whose story “The Unbearable Sweetness” was nominated, described how much of an honor this distinction is to him. “For writers of short fiction, one of the most significant national awards is the Pushcart Prize,” he said. “Such recognition balances out all the hours of writing and revising, the countless submissions (and the inevitable rejections).”
Morrow, a student in the writing MFA program, discussed the sense of affirmation that he felt when he learned that his work, “The Eye of Europa,” was nominated. “Getting the Pushcart nomination was as surprising as it was uplifting,” he said. “We deal with a lot of rejection as writers and, for me, it tells me that I am on the right track and that the work I am doing resonates with readers.”
Baumann, whose own work “A Perfect Pale Darkness” was nominated, emphasizes the importance of understanding rejection as a part of the writing process with his students. “You have to just be okay with that. That’s going to happen. Then, the upside to that is when someone does say yes, the yes feels even sweeter.”
Lindenwood students receive insight into the publishing process through their coursework. The University’s digital journal, the Lindenwood Review, offers MFA students the opportunity to serve as editorial assistants for the annual publication. When undergraduate students submit their work, the MFA students make editorial decisions, including accepting and rejecting submissions. Baumann says this process is instructive for students to get firsthand experience of the process and to understand rejection as a natural part of being a writer.
Morrow also shared how the program has helped him develop his skills. “The Lindenwood MFA program has been so important to my journey as a writer,” Morrow said. “The faculty (and fellow students) provide such crucial feedback and suggestions which help both the work and the writer improve. And, the faculty support us in and out of the classroom not just as students but as writers.”
Morrow’s nomination reflects how that experience can translate into meaningful recognition beyond the classroom. The Pushcart Prize nominations highlight the writing program’s emphasis on hands-on experience and professional preparation. By learning from faculty who actively publish and navigate the realities of the literary industry, Lindenwood students gain a clearer understanding of the challenges and rewards of the profession.