Boyd’s Station Announces 2026 Mary Withers Rural Writing Fellowship Winner

Boyd’s Station Announces 2026 Mary Withers Rural Writing Fellowship Winner

HARRISON COUNTY, KY — Boyd’s Station is pleased to announce Nikole Valiente as the recipient of the 2026 Mary Withers Rural Writing Fellowship. This annual $3,000 grant supports one college journalist to spend the summer writing long-form news articles about Harrison County, Kentucky, in partnership with the Louisville Courier Journal.  

Nikole is a senior at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, Florida, scheduled to graduate in December 2026 with a bachelor's degree in digital journalism. She is currently a writing intern at Caplin News, an FIU news publication. She previously served as Editor-in-Chief of The Reporter, the student newspaper of Miami Dade College, and won the school's Excellence in Journalism Award in 2024. 

"Having the opportunity to report on the stories of Harrison County is a blessing," Nikole said. "I can't wait to immerse myself in the community, get to know new people and understand what matters to them."

She will begin documenting Harrison County on May 26.

Nikole is the 7th winner of the Mary Withers Rural Writing Fellowship. Past fellows have gone on to become professional journalists for the Associated Press, Arizona Republic, and the Quad-City Times, and continue returning to Boyd's Station to support each year's fellowship winner. 

2026 Boyd’s Station Project 306.36 Grant Recipients

Boyd’s Station Announces 2026 Project 306.36 Visual Storytelling Grant Recipients

HARRISON COUNTY, KY — Boyd’s Station is pleased to announce Maddie McCuddy and Lylee Gibbs as the recipients of the 2026 Boyd’s Station Project 306.36 Visual Storytelling Grants. These annual grants support college photojournalism students documenting Harrison County, Kentucky, as part of the ongoing Project 306.36 visual archive.

Maddie McCuddy, a recent graduate of the University of Montana with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, is the recipient of the $3,000 Ed Reinke Visual Storytelling Grant. 

McCuddy is currently a staff photographer with Mobile Traveler Studios and the Hogslop String Band in Nashville, Tennessee. She was named a Top 10 finalist in the 2025 College Photographer of the Year (CPOY) competition. McCuddy will begin her work in Harrison County in July 2026.

“Curiosity is what makes me want to document new people and places around the world,” McCuddy said. “It’s what drives my work in visual documentation and why I want to document the people and places of Harrison County. I want to keep learning about different communities—their values, what shapes them, and how they live.”

Lylee Gibbs, pursuing a degree in photojournalism at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, is the recipient of the $3,000 Tim Dillon Visual Storytelling Grant. Gibbs will begin documenting Harrison County on June 1, 2026.

Gibbs is currently the Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Egyptian in Carbondale, Illinois, and previously served as a 2025 Newsroom Visuals Intern at St. Louis Public Radio. She will graduate from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in May 2026 before arriving in Kentucky.

“I grew up in a news desert and spent my entire college career in one,” Gibbs said. “I’ve seen the distrust of media in rural areas and the stories that go untold. That understanding prepares me to respectfully connect with members of the Harrison County community who may be hesitant to have their stories heard.”

Please welcome Maddie McCuddy and Lylee Gibbs—the eighth class of accomplished photojournalists to participate in Boyd’s Station Project 306.36 since its inception in 2018—to Harrison County, Kentucky. Project alumni have gone on to become professional photographers, writers, and artists across the country and continue to give back to the program and community.

The Boyd’s Station Project 306.36 Visual Documentary Program is an annual archive initiative dedicated to documenting the people and places of Harrison County, Kentucky. The program creates a lasting visual archive while providing world-class mentoring and guidance to the next generation of visual storytellers.

Boyd’s Station thanks the Clyde N. Day Foundation and Clifford Craig Heritage for their continued funding and support, which make these highly competitive grants and fellowships possible each year.

Additional thanks go to Nikon Professional Services and PhotoShelter for their ongoing support and services provided to students participating in Project 306.36.

To learn more about Project 306.36 and the namesakes of these visual storytelling grants—Ed Reinke and Tim Dillon—visit:
www.boydsstation.org/about-306

Project 306.36 Visual Storytelling Grants Alumni:
https://www.boydsstation.org/alumni

The Boyd’s Station Project 306.36 Visual Archive:
https://30636.photoshelter.com/index

Boyd's Station Artist Guild Spring Showcase

Boyd's Station is thrilled to announce its much-anticipated Boyd’s Station Artist Guild Spring Members Showcase, featuring an eclectic array of artwork from our members. The exhibition highlights the vibrant creativity and diverse talents of the artists who have contributed to our growing artistic community in and around Harrison County, Kentucky.

From mesmerizing paintings to quilted works, the Spring Members Showcase promises to captivate art enthusiasts of all tastes. This exhibition celebrates the rich tapestry of artistic expression within our community, showcasing the talent and dedication of our members.

To commemorate this special event, Boyd's Station Gallery invites the public to a special reception on Saturday, May 11, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Boyd's Station Gallery located at 203 E. Pike Street in Cynthiana, KY. This evening offers a unique opportunity to engage with the artists, immerse yourself in their creations, and celebrate the spirit of creativity that flourishes within our midst.

"We are delighted to present the Spring Members Showcase, highlighting the incredible talent of our growing community of artists," said Jack Gruber, the founder and director at Boyd's Station. "This exhibition is a testament to the dedication and passion of our members, whose diverse perspectives and artistic visions enrich our cultural landscape. We invite everyone to join us for an unforgettable evening of art and celebration."

The Spring Members Showcase will be on display from May 11 through June 23, 2024, allowing ample time for art enthusiasts to experience the beauty, innovation, and imagination on display at Boyd's Station Gallery.

The Spring Members Showcase is open to the public, and all are welcome to attend this special event. Come and experience the beauty, innovation, and imagination on display at Boyd's Station Gallery.

Opening Reception Date: Saturday, May 11, 2024 Time: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Exhibition Dates: Sat., May 11-Sun., June 23, 2024 (Fridays, 4-7 pm, Saturdays, 12-6 pm, Sundays, 12-4 pm

Location: Boyd's Station Gallery, 203 E. Pike Street, Cynthiana, KY

Info: guild@boydsstation.org

Bestselling Author and Kentucky Poet Laureate at Boyd's Station Gallery

The Boyd's Station Gallery is happy to host The Next Chapter Bookstore author event welcoming newly named Kentucky Poet Laureate and seven-time New York Times bestselling author Silas House for a reading of his work and Q/A at the Boyd's Station Gallery on Friday, April 28 beginning at 6PM.

Everyone is welcome and Silas House will be signing books following the Q/A next door at The Next Chapter Bookstore located at 201 E. Pike Street, Cynthiana, KY.

There will be plenty of the author's books available for sale and snacks at The Next Chapter Bookstore! 

Complete event details here.

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Silas House - Q/A and Author Reading
Boyd's Station Gallery
203 E. Pike Street, Cynthiana, KY 41031
6PM - Friday, April 28, 2023

Silas House - Book Signing 
The Next Chapter Bookstore
201 E. Pike Street, Cynthiana, KY 41031
Immediately following the Q/A hosted at the Boyd's Station Gallery 

Author Silas House Official Website

https://www.silas-house.com/about.html

The Next Chapter Bookstore Official Website

https://www.thenextchapter41031.com/

Boyd's Station 2023 Project 306.36 Summer Student Grants and Fellowship Awarded

Boyd’s Station is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023 Boyd’s Station Project 306.36 Program fellowship and grants, which are awarded to college photojournalism and writing students to live and work during the summer in Harrison County, Kentucky.

Lukas Flippo | Yale University

Sophia Liang | Harvard University

Abigail Pittman | UNC-Chapel Hill

Lukas Flippo, a senior at Yale University originally from Amory, Mississippi, is awarded the $3,000 Reinke Grant for Visual Storytelling. Flippo will begin working in Harrison County beginning in May 2023 following graduation from Yale.

“I am interested in the stories where people and place intersect, those complex businesses, intersections, farms, and roads where the past and present collide across generations, politics, and socioeconomic status to build a future,” Flippo said. “I hope to approach Harrison County with an open mind and an empathetic sense of respect and honor for the people who make their lives there, focusing on stories that mold those people and the places they hold dear. I will learn about the challenges a community like Harrison County faces to inform my ongoing passion for documentation of rural America.”

Abigail Pittman, a junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill originally from Four Oaks, North Carolina, is awarded the $3,000 Bell Family Storytelling Grant recipient. She will begin her work documenting Harrison County beginning in May 2023.

“Because I’m also from a rural area in North Carolina, I’m interested in what rural storytelling can look like given time,” remarks Pittman, “Working with the Boyd’s Station project would give me tools to document my hometown. I’m confident that, again given time, one could find equally interesting and important stories as in a metropolitan area. Voices in rural areas are not heard often, especially minority voices, and it’s important to recognize both things.”

Sophia Liang, a senior at Harvard University studying English and neuroscience and originally from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, is awarded the $3,000 Mary Withers Rural Writing Fellowship. She will be working on articles for Project 306.36 and for Boyd’s Station’s media partner, the Louisville Courier-Journal, in June 2023 following her graduation from Harvard.

“I’m an aspiring science journalist, and I think this fellowship would provide me a unique opportunity to examine rural healthcare systems,” notes Liang, “which tend to be overlooked and underreported. Although rural Kentucky is a far cry from my suburban New Jersey hometown, I’m so excited for this opportunity to develop my reporting skills, explore the outdoors, and meet lots of new people.”

The Boyd’s Station Project 306.36 Visual Archive

The three grant recipients for 2023 represent the 5th class of students at Boyd’s Station. Our alumni have gone on to become professional photographers, writers, and artists throughout the country, and continue giving back to the program.

The Boyd’s Station Project 306.36 Visual Documentary and Writing Program is the annual archive project focused solely on documenting the people and places of Harrison County, Kentucky, creating an archive of these student journalists' work while providing world-class mentoring and guidance to this next generation of storytellers. 

To learn more about Project 306.36, please visit www.boydsstation.org/about-306. 

Boyd’s Station thanks the Clyde N. Day Foundation and Clifford Craig Heritage for the continued funding and support in making these highly competitive grants and fellowships possible for the success of Project 306.36 each year. We also would like to thank Photoshelter and The Louisville Courier-Journal and Nikon Professional Services for their yearly support of providing their amazing services for use by the student taking part in Project 306.36.