Two Carson-Newman profs earn prestigious Pushcart Prize nominations

(Dec. 9, 2015) – Carson-Newman University’s Drs. Susan O’Dell Underwood and Artress Bethany White recently had work nominated for The Pushcart Prize. Both serve on faculty in the University’s English Department.

The Pushcart Prize: Best of the Small Presses series, published every year since 1976, is the most honored literary project in America. Works are nominated by magazine and small book editors.

“The English Department is extremely proud of Susan and Bethany,” said Dr. Shawn O’Hare, chair of the department. “We all know that they are wonderful teachers, and these nominations are just a reminder that they are excellent poets as well, recognized and celebrated nationally. Carson-Newman is fortunate to have such accomplished artists on faculty.”

Underwood’s nominated poem, “God as Chicken Truck,” comes from a series of poems all of which start with “God as…”. The professor of English saw her poem “God as Redbud” recently published in “Tusculum Review.”

White’s poem, “Mississippi in June,” earned her a nomination. It was also published as a finalist for the Knightville Poetry Prize sponsored by “The New Guard” literary journal, which appears in Vol. 4 of that publication. White serves as associate professor of English at the University.