USI English Associate Professor Marcus Wicker was nominated for his poetry book “Maybe the Saddest Thing” for an NAACP Image Award, which will be televised.

“My PR sent out the nomination – I honestly had forgotten about it,” the 28-year-old said. “I got a phone call and was really surprised.” 

He said he is more excited about being chosen as a nominee than he is about possibly winning. 

“It’s truly an honor to just be nominated,” Wicker said.

He said although he didn’t expect “Maybe the Saddest Thing” to raise this much attention, every author subconsciously believes in himself.

“As a writer, you want to tell yourself – ‘I think my voice and perspective is important to write,'” he said. 

Wicker said he likes to remain low-key around campus, but students have still congratulated him on his nomination.

“Some seem to geniunely care,” he said. “A few have come up to me in class and congratulated me.” 

Wicker said his nomination tells students that with training and revision, they can accomplish anything.

“Maybe the Saddest Thing” took several years to develop, he said. 

“It began as my graduate student thesis, and then followed to a fellowship and it continued to develop,” he said. 

He said he is currently working on another book. 

English Instructor and Southern Indiana Review Editor Ron Mitchell said he was part of the committee that hired Wicker, and he had high expectations.

“He’s been even better than I expected for just being here a single semester – what he’s accomplished is amazing,” Mitchell said. 

He said students can benefit from Wicker’s enthusiasm and work ethic. 

“He’s young, and it’s an inspiration to our students to see someone his age have his success,” Mitchell said.

His short time at USI has helped connections with the Southern Indiana Review as well, he said. 

“He has (made) an impact in that the number of the people who know about the journal and submit to the journal has increased, but the quality has (also) increased dramatically,” Mitchell said.

More people are learning about the Southern Indiana Review through Wicker, he said. 

“You know the phrase ‘high tide raises all boats’ – it’s brought a lot of national press to the unversity,” he said.