Phoenix Magazine

Valencia College's West Campus art and literature magazine, the Phoenix, features art, poetry, and prose from some of Valencia's most talented students. The magazine is edited and designed by Valencia College students and each year garners local, state and national awards in content, editing and design. 

Recent accolades include: 

ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS PACEMAKER AWARDS
AMERICAN ADVERTISING FEDERATION —AMERICAN ADVERTISING AWARDS (ADDYS)
PRINTING ASSOCIATION OF FLORIDA'S FLORIDA PRINT AWARDS
COMMUNITY COLLEGE HUMANITIES ASSOCIATION (CCHA), ANNUAL LITERARY MAGAZINE CONTEST
COMMUNITY COLLEGE HUMANITIES ASSOCIATION AWARDS (CCHA)
FLORIDA COLLEGE SYSTEM PUBLICATIONS ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE COMPETITION
REALM (RECOGNIZING EXCELLENCE IN ART AND LITERARY MAGAZINES) (NCTE)

The 2023-24 issue is currently available! You can also pick up your FREE issue in the lobbies of most West Campus buildings now & on some campuses in Communications & Arts Division offices. The 2024-25 issue is currently being produced! 
Can't find one? Contact Professor Jackie Zuromski (3-143) or Professor Meg Curtiss (3-150a).

 

VC's ENGAGE

Winners of the Student Development Cash Awards for 2025 Phoenix: Multiverse

On behalf of the editors, designers, and the faculty advisers of Phoenix magazine at Valencia College, we would like to congratulate the following winning entries in our annual Phoenix magazine submissions contest, sponsored by funding from Student Development. These student's have earned a cash prize as well as a promise of publication in our 2023-24 issue—published in May and available widely in Fall term.

All pieces are chosen anonymously by student editors and graphic designers:

CREATIVE NONFICTION

1st place ($100):
“My Utopia,” by Feili Lin, West

(No second place)

FICTION

1st place ($100):
“Breakdown in Aisle Five,” by Julia Nagy, East

2nd Place ($50):
“The Memory Man,” by Sarah Ward, East

POEM

1st Place (opt to stay an editor):
“Nail Polish Nostalgia,” by Joeli Gutierrez, West

1st Place (new) ($100):
“the photograph,” Anna Karolyne Pereira Correa, West

2nd Place (new) ($50):
“Code of Conduct,” by Nina Iapichino, West

ART

1st Place ($100):
“Self Growth,” by Selma Johnson, (digital), Osceola

2nd Place ($50):
“This Is Me,” by Daniel Pina, (digital), Osceola

 

2024 Phoenix: Truth (Beauty, Pain)
Phoenix Volume 26

VALENCIA STUDENT DEVELOPMENT AWARDS:

Creative Nonfiction

1st place ($100)
Britt Shewell, East, “Nanny Loves Onions” 

2nd place ($50)
Donna Foster, Winter Park, “How I Wore My Hats”

Fiction

1st place ($100)
Adam Scharf, Downtown, “An Elephant Goes over the Waterfall” 

2nd Place ($50)
Lin Diaz, Osceola, “Just Like Soulmates”

Poem

1st Place ($100)
Celestina Ah-Wong, West, “My Twisted, Mundane Mind” 

2nd Place ($50)
Snousha Glaude, Downtown, “From a Rested Place”

Art

1st Place (tie $75 each)
Arina Russanova, West, “Untitled” (oil, 9x12)
Stephanie Restrepo, West,“Left Behind,” (mixed media, 9x11)

2nd Place ($50)
Melanie Quinones, Osceola, “Memento Mori ,” (pencil)

ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS:

2024 Pacemaker Award Finalist
2024 Pacemaker Award Winner

 

AMERICAN ADVERTISING FEDERATION, DISTRICT 4 (AAF Orlando)
AMERICAN ADVERTISING AWARDS (ADDYS)

Student Gold Addy 2025—Magazine Design

Sam Losinski (Creative Director), and Staff: Kayla Sawyer, Michelle Candurin, & Alessandra Bekas

PRINTING ASSOCIATION OF FLORIDA

2024 FLORIDA PRINT AWARDS
Best of Category & Best of Show
for Editorial Design (Magazine & Newspaper)

COMMUNITY COLLEGE HUMANITIES ASSOCIATION (CCHA), 2024 LITERARY MAGAZINE CONTEST:

2nd Place, Southern Region

CCHA INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:

1st place, poem, “A Heart so Tender it Loves in Pint,” Jandayra Gonzalez Matos
1st place, short story (tie), “The Maw,” Aryana Anderson
3rd place, short story, “Just Like Soulmates,” Lin Diaz
2nd place, creative nonfiction, “Nanny Loves Onions,” Britt Shewell
2nd place, best artwork, “Untitled III pg. 68” Arina Russanova

 

2024 FLORIDA COLLEGE SYSTEM PUBLICATIONS ASSOCIATION MAGAZINE COMPETITION, DIVISION B

General Excellence, 2nd Place

Poem, 3rd Place: Jandayra Gonzalez Matos, “A Heart So Tender It Loves in Pints”

Poetry, 2nd Place: Celestina Ah-Wong, Snousha Glaude, Jandayra Gonzalez Matos, “From a Rested Place,” “My Mundanely Twisted Mind,” “A Heart So Tender It Loves in Pints”

Fiction, 2nd Place: Adam Scharf, “An Elephant Goes over the Waterfall”

Nonfiction, 2nd Place, Britt Shewell, “Nanny Loves Onions”

Artwork, Individual, 2nd Place: Arina Russanova, “Untitled III”

Artworks, 2nd Place: Holly Anderson, Hanna Melo Fugulin, Melanie Quinones; “Pride,”“Prosaic,” “Memento Mori”

Two-page Spread, 2nd Pace: Snousha Glaude, Arina Russanova; “From a Rested Place,”“Matter” (62-3)

Editing, 2nd Place: Phoenix Editorial Staff

Contents, 1st Place: Sam Losinski

Design, 2nd Place: Phoenix Design Staff: Sam Losinski (Creative Director), Kayla Sawyer, Michelle Candurin, & Alessandra Bekas

 

2024 REALM (RECOGNIZING EXCELLENCE IN ART AND LITERARY MAGAZINES) (NCTE): 

First Class! (highest award)

 

 

Get Published! Earn Money!

Courtesy of Student Development, a $100 prize will be awarded the best entry in each of the following four categories: Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry, and Art.

We had so many amazing submissions for our upcoming issue it was hard to judge the winners. Thank you to all who submitted your art and literary works! The next issue is currently in the works! If you submitted work please check your Valencia email to see if your work was selected for publishing. Award winners, please check your Valencia email to learn more about your award.

To enter your work or become part of the team that puts the publication together click here. 

Magazine Publishing Schedule

The Phoenix wants to
publish YOUR creative work!
Review the guidelines
and submit your entry TODAY!