Awarded for her poetry, Cole Swensen, a retired Iowa Writers’ Workshop Professor, became the 14th recipient of the Paul Engle Prize. 

The Paul Engle prize was created in 2011 and, according to the Iowa City Unesco City of Literature website, is an award meant to honor individuals who share similar traits to Paul Engle. As a poet, playwright, essayist, editor, and critic, Engle was a long-time director of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and co-founder of the University of Iowa International Writing Program. 

The prize represents a “pioneering spirit” in all aspects of literature and is given to those who have contributed to the betterment of the world through literary arts. The prize includes a $25,000 award and a one-of-a-kind work of art. 

John Kenyon, executive director of the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature organization, said the nonprofit organization created the prize to honor Engle and encourage other writers who have had similar impacts.

“This was a way to recognize writers, not just for their books, but for the way they affect their communities and the world at large through efforts beyond the page,” Kenyon said.

Swensen accepted the prize at the Coralville Public Library on Nov. 16. She is a poet, editor, and translator who taught at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop from 2001 to 2012. Swensen also taught at Brown University until her retirement in 2023. 

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Swensen is the author of 20 collections of poetry and has translated more than 30 books of French poetry, creative nonfiction, and art criticism. Swensen recently won the National Translation Award from the American Literary Translation Association in 2024 and the 2025 Stephen Mitchell Translation Prize. 

Swensen’s work includes “Gravesend,” a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Award in Poetry, “Goest,” a finalist for the National Book Award, “Try,” winner of the Iowa Poetry Prize, “New Math,” winner of the National Poetry Series, and “And And And,” a finalist for the Griffin Poetry Prize. 

Ellen Alexander, assistant director at the Coralville Public Library, spoke at Sunday’s event and said she was excited to see so many people show up in support of the literary arts. 

“I feel like this award and this day are a really lovely embodiment of what I think we all need a little more of in our lives right now,” she said, “So here we are, during this polarizing time in history, gathered together on a Sunday afternoon in celebration of a literary prize.” 

While accepting her award, Swensen thanked Kenyon, the UNESCO organization, and her nominator. Swensen also spoke highly of Engle, calling him one of her “guiding examples” since she came to the UI to teach in 2001. 

“I am deeply, deeply honored by this award for many reasons,” she said. “But way up there at the top of the list is because Paul Engle exemplifies par excellence as the literary citizen I have also aspired one day to become.” 

Swensen also praised Engle for being a part of a network of writers who are also editors, publishers, teachers, translators, critics, reviewers, and administrators like herself. Swensen said when writers themselves are working together to do those things, they are less commercially motivated and have more democratic votes when it comes to production. 

“Paul Engle told hundreds and hundreds of students and others that literature is not just written, but is also sculpted by collaborative interactions that underscore writing as a basis for community,” she said. 

Swensen spoke about her time at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and recalled fond memories of happiness and community that she found while working there. Swensen also mentioned the strong bond between the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and the UI’s International Writing Program. “Even if students didn’t know the language of the writer that they were paired with, collaboration and explorative conversation nonetheless made translation possible,” she said. 

Swensen commended Engle for the work he did connecting writers to the UI’s International Writing and said his methods worked well to solve the literary problems he faced during his time as director. 

“Though it’s impossible to know what he would make of these challenges, I do think that he would be pleased that poetry, among all languages used, is best positioned to defy and override the major ones” she said.