Beatrice K. Balkcum Renaissance Literary Award

The Beatrice K. Balkcum Renaissance Literary Award was established to honor the life of Bea Balkcum, her contribution to the Goldsboro community, and her love for the written word. Mrs. Balkcum taught English at Goldsboro High for fifteen years before teaching at Wayne Community College for an additional twenty years. Here, she taught many classes, including literature, composition, and public speaking. She also served as director of the General Studies division (now College Transfer) and a dean later in her career. Even after retirement, her service to Wayne continued; Mrs. Balkcum served the college on the board of trustees for several years and was also a board chairman.

This award, given in her name, gifts $1,000 to a college transfer student and emerging writer whose work—published in this year’s issue of Renaissance—is selected by the Renaissance editors as the most outstanding piece of writing in the magazine. Former winners of the award can be found below:

Authors