The Anthony Veasna So Scholarships
Anthony Veasna So (1992-2020) was an American writer of short stories that often drew from his upbringing as a child of Cambodian immigrants and were described by the New York Times as “crackling, kinetic and darkly comedic.” His debut short story collection, Afterparties, was published posthumously by HarperCollins in 2021 and was named a New York Times Bestseller and a winner of the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Prize for Best First Book.
Anthony was not just one of the most talented new writers to grace this decade—he was also a member of the Adroit family, having served as a prose editor for four years. Anthony was as an inspiration to all of us, and to so many writers around the world. In honor of Anthony’s contribution to both the Adroit Journal‘s staff community and the world’s fiction readers, we will recognize six emerging fiction writers each year as Anthony Veasna So Scholars in Fiction.
All emerging writers who have not published full-length collections or novels are eligible (regardless of age, geographic location, or educational status), and are encouraged to submit. Writers with forthcoming debut full-length collections are eligible so long as collections won’t appear earlier than April 2026.
Anthony Veasna So Scholars receive $200 and publication of one piece from their portfolio in a future issue of The Adroit Journal. Finalists will be awarded copies of Anthony’s collection, Afterparties, and a list of semifinalists determined by the editors will be released with results.
The submission window for the Veasna So Scholarship is open from November 15, 2025 through December 31, 2025. Click here to submit!
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Read on for our 2025 results!
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