We love sharing
short stories

The People’s Choice winner, “Leftover Destiny,” a poem written by Shruti Natal, received the most online reader votes via the Libraries Short Stories website during the contest. Natal, a third-year student from India studying industrial engineering at Penn State University Park, said her inspiration came from a Carl Sagan quote, and that “Despite it being out of control, human life and destiny is complex and worthy of appreciation.”

The student Editorial Board is comprised of eight students under the leadership of a Short Edition Editorial Board intern, most recently Ashton Zillhardt, who held the post for three years before graduating in May. In addition to leading the Editorial Board, many of Zillhardt’s submissions have earned Honorable Mentions in past writing contests.

The Libraries Short Stories Editorial Board winners, chosen by the all-student editorial team and listed alphabetically by title, are:

• “Every Time I Die,” a poem by RRRadan, pen name for Michelle Paukett, a fourth-year student studying plant pathology and international agriculture and development at Penn State University Park, from Greene, New York.
• “Opposites,” a poem by Brendah Polanco, a senior studying criminal justice at Penn State Abington, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• “Strung-Out,” a short story by Sabin Bottomstone, a senior studying writing and digital media at Penn State Berks, from Myerstown, Pennsylvania.
• "You are an Abyss," a short story by Gus Eberlein, a second-year student studying physics and astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State University Park, from Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.

Honorable mentions, chosen by the all-student editorial team, are:

• "The Fates’ Blind Eye," a short story by Mackenzie Siegel, a senior studying writing and digital media at Penn State Berks, from Reading, Pennsylvania.
• "A Secret Message Ending in Forever," a short story by Ashton Zillhardt, a senior studying writing and digital media at Penn State Berks, from Mohnton, Pennsylvania.
• "Fated," a poem by Kris Wilde, administrative support staff for nursing and radiology sciences at Penn State Schuylkill.
• "Heavenly Bodies," a short story by Rebecca Horwitt, a childhood education assistant for the Arboretum at Penn State, University Park.