English Professor Elizabeth Knapp Wins Three Mile Harbor Book Award

Elizabeth Knapp, Ph.D., professor of English at Hood College and founding director of Hood’s low-residency MFA in creative writing, has been named winner of the 8th Annual 3 Mile Harbor Book Award for her forthcoming poetry collection, “Causa Sui,” which is scheduled for release in September 2025.

The 3 Mile Harbor Annual Book Award is a national prize recognizing excellence in poetry. The award supports the publication of exceptional manuscripts and is administered by 3 Mile Harbor Press, an independent publisher devoted to publishing the best work from diverse voices, including LGBTQ, feminist and environmentally aware authors.

 “I’m honored to have received this award and look forward to working with 3 Mile Harbor press this summer as we prepare the book for publication,” said Knapp. 

“Causa Sui,” a Latin phrase meaning “something generated by itself,” is Knapp’s third full-length poetry collection. Knapp’s previous books include “Requiem with an Amulet in Its Beak” (2019), winner of the Jean Feldman Poetry Prize, and “The Spite House” (2010), winner of the De Novo Poetry Prize. Her work has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies and has been recognized by awards from the Poetry Society of America and the Maryland State Arts Council, among others.

In addition to her accomplishments as a writer, Knapp founded and directs Hood’s low-residency MFA in creative writing, which has attracted emerging writers from across the country. The two-year, 48-credit program includes residencies on Hood’s campus and in Prague and provides students with a solid foundation in literary craft, criticism and publishing, while immersing them in the rhythms of the writing life.

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