A University of British Columbia graduate taking the honour of becoming the first winner of the Bridge Prize, national short story writing competition.

The University of Lethbridge established the Bridge Prize last year as Canada’s only short story competition open exclusively to post-secondary graduates and undergraduates.

Sara de Waal from Abbotsford, BC won the favour of an 18 member jury panel with her tale, titled “Cecilia and Richard” which one juror described as a “compelling story of young, forbidden love and the struggle to be free in what is supposed to be a free society.”

De Waal earned the $7,500 award from a pool of 340 submissions from students in 61 post-secondary schools across nine provinces.

The Bridge Prize is awarded every second year. Submissions open for the 2022 competition on Jan. 21st, 2021.