Manzella Earns Prize for Creative Essay

Abby Manzella, assistant professor of English and creative writing, received a 2025 Pushcart Prize for her creative nonfiction essay “Glossary of Centralia, Pennsylvania.” The Pushcart Prize is the premier award for writing from small presses. Manzella’s essay uses the borrowed form of a glossary in relating the story of the underground fires in Centralia, Pennsylvania. The piece originally appeared in The Threepenny Review in 2023 and was recently republished in the 2025 Pushcart Anthology. The Kirkus review of the collection specifically mentions Manzella’s essay, calling it “especially perceptive” and “brilliant.”