By: Erik Pedersen, Content Strategy Director

Read the Full Issue

BALTIMORE – The 2023-24 edition of Damozel, a creative literary magazine produced annually by Notre Dame of Maryland University’s English Department, was selected as the first-place winner of the Outstanding Literary Arts Journal Award by Sigma Tau Delta, the international English honor society.

Sigma Tau Delta was founded in 1924 and currently contains over 770 active chapters located in the United States and abroad. Any literary arts journals coordinated and supervised by Sigma Tau Delta chapters were eligible to be considered for the organization’s Literary Arts Journal Award. Notre Dame’s English Department will receive a $500 award after winning first place in the national competition.

Damozel is a student-run magazine which showcases any form of creative writing, art, or photography by current NDMU students and alumni. The latest issue was produced by editors Tiara Aragon ’27, April Boss '24, Chrys Foster ’25, Holly Hand ’25, Aniyah Plumer ’24, and Cassandra Thompson '25; alumna editor and advisor, Micah Castelo '18; and faculty sponsor Dr. Jeana DelRosso.

The special edition issue contained 52 submissions created by a group of 34 Notre Dame community members. In celebration of Damozel’s 100th anniversary, it included submissions from both current students and select pieces from past issues dating back to 1935.  

“It’s particularly gratifying to be celebrated for our 100th anniversary issue, which features literary pieces and artwork not only from the 2023-2024 school year, but also from previous editions of Damozel in decades past,” said Dr. DelRosso. “I am incredibly proud of our alumna and student editors, as well as the legacy of 100 years of literary achievement at Notre Dame.”

The 2024-25 edition of Damozel is expected to be released late in the spring semester. Submissions should be sent to damozelndmu@gmail.com, and those submitting are asked to include their first and last name, class year, major, the title of the work and the submission type. Poetry, short stories or non-fiction essays should be sent as a Word document or PDF file. Images or artwork should be sent as a .jpeg, .jpg or .png file.

Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.