Alinor Smith, BA ’25 with a  double major in Public Policy and Leadership and English Literature, has been announced as the winner of the Rachel St. Paul Poetry Prize for Best Group of Poems, given by the University of Virginia. After graduation, she is headed to New York City to work for Teach For America in the South Bronx.

Raised in Oviedo, Florida, Smith didn’t follow a straight path to public policy, but her journey to UVA's Batten School and to her recent win is a testament to how creativity, curiosity, and compassion can guide a life. 

Can you tell us a little about yourself and what brought you to UVA and the Batten School?

My first time visiting UVA was in the 10th grade. It was my 16th birthday and one of the dreariest days I had ever seen. There were absolutely no colors on the trees, and it was rainy and cloudy, but the glow of UVA still shone through. Before visiting, I had made up my mind about going to another Virginia university to study engineering, but after visiting Charlottesville, exploring the Downtown Mall, and seeing how alive the area was, I could easily envision myself here for the next four years. 

I had a bit of a roundabout way of arriving at Batten. I consider myself a dabbler, someone who is generally good at any hobbies and interests that I pick up. After moving away from the idea that I wanted to study engineering, I decided I wanted to study international relations and German as a double major. Then, I switched to wanting to do astronomy before transferring to the School of Education and Human Development to study Youth and Social Innovation. After trying a few different avenues, I decided I wanted to do something broader to appeal to my variety of interests and passions, which led me to Batten. I applied to Batten during the second semester of my second year and immediately knew that Batten was for me. I had always loved learning, and the diverse policy concentrations and electives resonated with me in a way that was unique. 

When did you first start writing poetry, and what drew you to it as a form of expression?

When I first started writing poetry, it was not my best work. I took an introduction to poetry class that met every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8:00 in the morning. Despite the early mornings and the feelings I had about my early work, classmates would tell me that something in my work sparked something in them. This surprised me because I had never been told my poetry was good, and these comments about this newfound gift inspired me to keep going. However, life had other plans. 

Even though I felt that “spark” in my poetry, academic demands took over, and for the next two years, I focused on essays instead of poetry. Then, after a string of other challenges, poetry found me again. I started writing as a way to process everything I was going through and felt more compelled than ever to channel my energy into my writing.

What really solidified my passion for writing was being accepted into Professor Rita Dove’s poetry workshop. [Editor's note: Dove is the Henry Hoyns Professor of Creative Writing at UVA, a Pulitzer Prize winner, and former poet laureate for the United States and for Virginia.] I felt inspired to apply to her workshop, which is only available to a small group of undergrads every year, and did so by assembling a collection of five poems, centered around the body of work I had just produced during a difficult time in my life. In Professor Dove’s class, I attended every single one of her office hours, and every time she made a suggestion or recommendation, I would do it. I was so inspired by Professor Dove’s expertise that if she carried a poetry book around, I would acquire it the next day. It was this deep passion and admiration that led me to create the collection that ultimately won the award. 

Can you tell us more about the pieces in your winning collection and what inspired them?

The first poem in my collection is an abecedarian titled what will I carry, a poetry form where each line begins with a successive letter of the alphabet. It was inspired by my grandmother, her deferred dreams, and the legacy she passed on to her children. It sets the tone for the collection, introducing themes of inheritance and reflection. 

The second poem in my collection is titled Lacrimae Rerum, which is Latin for “the tears of things.” I got the inspiration for this poem after watching an episode of Severance, and it is centered around deciding you want children and then losing them after all. 

My next poem, Giant’s Causeway, is one I wrote during my capstone course in Ireland through Batten’s study abroad program. During the program, we learned about polices for conflict and peace while traveling through Northern Ireland. I was moved by the beauty of the place but also frustrated about being in a town so rich with inspiration yet struggling to create. That feeling became the heart of the piece. 

The final poem, Surviving the Worst Thing That Will Ever Happen to You, is rooted in a high school memory, sitting by a creek after something traumatic, seeking stillness. It’s about grounding, stillness, and resilience. That theme, finding peace in pain, runs throughout my entire collection. 

Do you see any connection between what you’re learning in public policy and your creative work?

Absolutely, in fact, I feel that they cannot be separated; they are inextricably tied. As someone going into education policy, I believe that being creative is what sets great teachers apart from good ones and I know that being creative will help me connect with my students even more. This rings true in any profession: creativity is the differentiator. 

Poetry also helps build human connection, which is essential in policy work. That’s what I found with Professor Dove, not just shared interests, but a human-to-human connection. 

You can’t replicate that with AI or algorithms. Creativity is also not simply limited to traditional art, it can be acts of resistance or innovation. Creative problem-solving is essential to impactful public policy.

What are your plans for after graduation? 

After graduation, I am headed to New York City to work for Teach For America in the South Bronx, and I hope to continue sharing poetry with my students. I want to show them that they’re worthy of expression and self-advocacy. So many students today feel disempowered. I want to help change that. 

Long term, I want to keep writing, making art, and inspiring people, especially those who think they don’t have the time, money, or ability to write. I always hear people say, “I could never write poetry like that...”, but one of my mom’s mantras growing up was, “Just because it’s hard doesn’t mean you can’t do it.” That stuck with me. Even if it’s hard, especially if it’s hard, you should still do it. 

There are many ways to be a writer. Whether through poetry, prose, or even essays built into our curriculum. Writing can be healing, powerful, and cathartic. That’s why I do it. 

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