We’re proud to present the Stories Matter Foundation Masters Award. This award recognizes and spotlights talented creative writing graduate students in the Chicago area.

2023 recipients

Eliana Herman (DePaul University)
Jay Yencich (University of Illinois at Chicago)
Morgan Eklund (Northwestern University)
Amelia Dellos (Columbia College Chicago)
Chris Lombardo (Northwestern University)


2019 recipients
Jeremiah Barker (Northwestern University)
Christopher Flynn (DePaul University)
Laura Jok (University of Illinois at Chicago)
Juliana Ravelli (Columbia College Chicago)
Jameka Williams (Northwestern University MFA)

2020 recipients
Min Li Chan (Northwestern University)
Caroline Macon Fleischer (DePaul University)
Adam Rensch (University of Illinois at Chicago)
Deima Thompson (Columbia College Chicago)
Katherine Williams (Northwestern University MFA)

2021 recipients
Abby Vakulskas (DePaul)
Elizabeth Radford (Northwestern)
Jax Connelly (Columbia College)
Katrina Washington (UIC)
Matthew Richardson (Northwestern)

2022 recipients
Michelle go-un Lee (Northwestern University)
Avery Ferin (DePaul University)
Angelica Julia Davila (University of Illinois at Chicago)
Carlos Antonio Piñón (Columbia College Chicago)
M.K. Davis (Northwestern University)


Rebecca Makkai with 2019 Recipients
2020 Recipients
2021 Recipients
Rebecca Makkai with 2022 Recipients