The McHenry County College (MCC) literary arts magazine
VOICES 2025 was recently honored by the Community College Humanities Association (CCHA), taking first place for Best Magazine – Central Division and second place for Best Magazine nationally. The CCHA Literary Magazine Awards recognize excellence among two-year college student publications, honoring magazines and individual works for outstanding writing, art, design, editing, and overall publication quality.
VOICES features short fiction, poetry, visual art, video, and music submitted by MCC students. Several students also received individual recognition in the Central Division, including Kevin Randles, Best Song, “Won’t Look Back”; Tegan Sobecki, first place for Best Creative Nonfiction, “6034 W. Melrose Place”; Rachel Maes, first place for Best Short Story, “Corvus”; and Jan Bosman, first place for Best Poem, “Ode to Cicadas.”
“We’re extremely proud of our students for the creativity and hard work that went into
VOICES 2025,” said Matt Irie, Art Department Chair and
VOICES faculty advisor. “This recognition reflects not only their individual talents, but the strength of the magazine as a whole—a true testament to the passion and collaboration of the team.”
The
VOICES staff consists of MCC instructors Matt Irie, Starr Nordgren, Paige Lush, and Justin Schmitz. The faculty advisors select student editors to curate, jury, edit, and assist with the technical production of the magazine.
The magazine has won numerous awards over the years, including a Gold Crown Award, numerous Silver Crown Awards, and multiple Gold and Silver Medalist Critiques from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA).
View the magazine here.
