This special issue of the Yale Daily News Magazine showcases the winning works from the 2023 Wallace Prize. The Prize is awarded to previously unpublished fiction and nonfiction writing by Yale undergraduates.

In each genre, an anonymous panel of academics, writers, and editors reads student submissions and selects standout entries. The panel also decides how to grant ranked prizes and divides a monetary award among winners. The pieces in this issue stood out to the judges for their originality, clarity of voice, and overall excellence. The Wallace Prize depends deeply on the generosity and wisdom of our judges, who volunteered their time in evaluating the 100+ submissions we received. We are so thankful.

Thanks also to all of the students who entered, and to our production & design team for their inspired (and speedily-delivered) layout and illustrations.

Enjoy!

Nonfiction: 

First Place: “The Body Talks Back” by Avery Mitchell ’23

Second Place: “Never Sick” by Miye Sugino ’26

Third Place: “In the Delta” by Elise Wilkins ’25

Honorable Mention: “Thyroid Not Included” by Ellie Atlee ’25

Honorable Mention: “Too Much Shit” by Madison Hahamy ’24

Honorable Mention: “1111 River Road” by Michaela Wang ’25

Fiction: 

First Place: “Moira” by Ella Attell ’24

First Place: “Coconut Cake” by Maia Siegel ’25 

Second Place: “Dino Farm” by Ann Zhang ’24