storytelling contest cup

Best of the Storytelling Contest

UCSF Storytellers Take Top Honors

Creativity, curiosity and extraordinary storytelling are on full display in the winners of the eighth annual Synapse Storytelling Contest, with this year’s honorees transforming experiences in medicine, science, nature, identity and everyday life into memorable works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry...

August 25, 2026

Campus

Birthday Dinner

April 29, 2019

Editor's note: Kelly Crotty is the third place winner if the Synapse Storytelling Contest creative writing category. From judge, Synapse...

Eye Contact Can Be Overwhelming

April 29, 2019

Victoria Turner

Victoria Turner is the third place winner in the Synapse Storytelling Contest science writing category. Category judge, SF Chronicle science...

The Gaze

April 29, 2019

I'd give up my throne, I'd give up my crown, To see the world painted, In that beautiful shade of...

trauma_bay

Thoughts from the Trauma Bay

April 29, 2019

Thoughts from the Trauma Bay is the second place winner of the Synapse Storytelling Contest's personal essay category. Comments from...

victoria_turner_yardsale_web

We All Yardsale Sometimes

April 22, 2019

Victoria Turner

In 2017, I skied for the first time. In 2018, I slipped on ice and broke my collarbone. My classmates...

storytelling

Evidence of Things Not Seen

April 7, 2019

Rebecca Jaszczak

When you promised to make my brain sing color, I jumped at the chance. You were a painter of vibrancies...

Coming Home

March 31, 2019

After a long drive, the sight of the city on the Bay Bridge welcomes you

green_dragon

The Green Dragon

March 31, 2019

Dimming day’s sunset Metal birds take off ... descend Head on his shoulder Bathed in golden rays Winged dots in...

storytelling

Lands

March 24, 2019

Frigid, Icy Nights Chatting Faces of six continents, in the highline of the 7 line Crowded, moving rivers along the...