A Poet Amongst Us

Middlesex Community College Student Named Connecticut Student Poet

In only the second time in its history, Middlesex Community College has an official “Connecticut Student Poet” among its ranks. The student, Hannah Watkins, is the first MxCC student to receive this honor in more than 36 years – and is one of only five winners from colleges throughout the entire state. As part of this honor, Watkins will read her poems at events throughout the state, and will have some of her work published in the fall 2011 issue of the prestigious “Connecticut Review” creative arts publication.

Each college in Connecticut is allowed to nominate just one student for this honor, which is sponsored by The Connecticut Poetry Circuit. Directors of the circuit review submitted works and select the top five writers for the year. This year, Watkins joins winning students from Yale University, the University of Hartford, Southern Connecticut State University and the University of Connecticut. Together, this group of young poets will go on tour to read their original poetry at various colleges in the state (including Middlesex Community College) and at the Sunken Garden at the Hill-Stead Museum in Farmington, Conn.

Watkins, a second-year student at MxCC, was nominated for the award by Professor Christine Ruggiero who teaches creative writing and other English courses at the college. “I realized early on that Hannah was special – and really was a poet,” Ruggiero said. “Her poetry moves me, and that is not something to be taken lightly. I thought she had a good chance at winning this extraordinarily competitive distinction, so I readily nominated her work. When I received the phone call, I was thrilled for Hannah, and also for our English program here at Middlesex Community College.”

Among Watkins many poems are a few favorites which she recently read on the “Middlesex Moments” radio program. These include “Drainpipe Dreams,” “A Gift from Dad,” and “Stone Wall Builder.” Each poem reflects Hannah’s observations of moments in time, expressed through her creative use of words and compelling structure of poetry.
“What I really like about Hannah’s work is that each poem is different, and she follows many different styles,” said Dr. Jonathan Daube, interim president of Middlesex Community College. “Her work is so enjoyable to read and to listen to, on many different levels. We are proud of her accomplishment – and are proud of the hard work and dedication of Professor Ruggiero and our entire English department. Our program is designed to help students like Hannah really build their writing skills, and it is wonderful to have this work recognized.”
Interestingly, poetry literally runs in Watkins’s blood as she is a distant relative of Emily Dickinson, the timeless American poet from the 1800s. In a year marked by somewhat of a resurgence in interest in the life and times of Emily Dickinson (a new biography, “Lives Like Loaded Guns: Emily Dickinson and Her Family's Feuds,” by Lyndall Gordon was published recently, and a new DVD was released by filmmaker Ernest Urvater titled “Angles of a Landscape: Seeing New Englandly”), it seems only proper that an outlying cousin receives this recognition. Clearly Dickinson’s legacy to American literature is far from over.

Founded in 1966 as a branch campus of Manchester Community College, Middlesex Community College is an independent member of the Connecticut Community College System. The school offers more than 50 degree or certificate programs on its three locations: the main, 38-acre campus in Middletown, the downtown Meriden Center, and the shoreline in Old Saybrook. The college promotes understanding, learning, ethics, and self-discipline by encouraging critical thinking. Current enrollment exceeds 2,950 full and part-time students, and 1,600 continuing education students.
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