Calling All Poets!
Share your poem for a chance to win bookstore gift cards.
If you’re a poet and a student at one of the 10 Maricopa Community Colleges, we invite you to share your voice in our annual Poetry Contest, celebrating International Education Week 2025.
The theme for this year’s poetry contest is “Beyond Borders: Voices of Global Learning.” This competition offers students the opportunity to explore the concepts of global learning, cultural connection, and the power of words to transcend boundaries.
Whether you’re a seasoned poet or simply inspired by the theme, this is your opportunity to let your creativity shine and be celebrated by the Maricopa community—and a chance to win a bookstore gift card!
Winning poems will be featured, along with an open invitation for other participants to read their work aloud, at a virtual poetry slam on November 20.
This competition is sponsored by the Maricopa Community Colleges Global Engagement Council.
Eligibility
- You must be a currently enrolled student at one of the 10 Maricopa Community Colleges during the Fall 2025 semester.
- Faculty are not eligible to compete
Guidelines:
- The poem must center on the theme “Beyond Borders: Voices of Global Learning.”
- Your entry must be unpublished and must not have won any previous awards.
- One poem submitted per person.
- The poem’s length cannot exceed a maximum of 100 total lines.
- Submit your poem by November 7 (11:59 p.m. MST). The winner will be notified by November 14.
Gift Card Prizes:
- 🥇 First Place: $100
- 🥈 Second Place: $75
- 🥉 Third Place: $50
- Three Honorable Mentions: $25 each
How to Enter
Submit your poem through the official application form.
For questions, please email: [email protected]
Honoring Aziz Alhadi
This year’s contest is dedicated to the memory of Aziz Alhadi, former Director of International Education at Mesa Community College, who passed away in the summer of 2024.
Aziz joined MCC in 2019, bringing more than 20 years of experience in international education. He was admired for his visionary thinking and leadership, passion for cultural understanding, and ability to inspire meaningful change. His contributions to Maricopa Community Colleges were invaluable, and his loss is deeply felt by his colleagues and the community.
He will be remembered for his poems and passion, his unwavering dedication to students and coworkers, and the positivity he brought to every interaction. Through this contest, we honor his spirit of creativity, connection, and global learning.
Celebrate your voice. Share your story. Be part of a global community of learners through poetry.