“I submitted my design because I love art and designing,” Hardika recalls. “Any chance I get to do either—I’ll take it!” A transfer student from Kathmandu, Nepal, Hardika embraced the chance to practice her design skills and explore literary themes. To her surprise, her design won first prize and is now part of the English Department’s t-shirt “swag package” for majors in Creative Writing and Literary Studies. Hardika’s image is a tribute to the literary arts: it features an open book, bursting with vibrant detail. Hardika worked with a local Beloit company, Fresh Horizons Group, to perfect and produce the design, which was ready in time for majors and 2021 grads to enjoy.

While Hardika herself is a Media Studies major and Studio Art minor, English at Beloit has always invited creative work from students across campus. The department’s swag contest is only the latest in a long tradition of supporting art from all students through annual creative writing contests, including its highly coveted Mackey Prize–a $1000 award, won by Savannah Henley-Rayve in 2021. As for Hardika, the t-shirt contest was a “fun opportunity” for exploring her creative talents, which she has since honed by working on other original graphic designs for Beloit’s Programming Board. She looks forward to “more [opportunities] like this!”