ESCANABA — Each year, Bay College, along with all of Michigan’s community colleges, participate in the Liberal Arts Network for Development (LAND) Writing Competition. During the fall semester, any current Bay College student was eligible to submit up to two entries in each of three categories: fiction, poetry, and essay. The top two entries in each category advanced to the state competition.

This year, Bay College had a state-level winner who placed among entries that were submitted from all 28 Michigan community colleges. Alexandra Hagan’s “Fresh Vegetables” was awarded the first-place prize in the essay category.

Hagan is a dual-enrolled senior at Iron Mountain High School. By continuing her education, she hopes to become a child life specialist.

An awards ceremony and presentation of prizes will be held virtually on Friday, Feb. 19, at the annual LAND Conference. The award-winning essay will also be published this spring in Bay College’s annual literary and art magazine “Serendipity.”