HERKIMER, NY, October 28, 2026 — The 2026 issue of Phaethon, Herkimer County
Community College’s literary and arts publication, received third place for "Best
Magazine" in the Eastern Division of the Community College Humanities Association
(CCHA). Additionally, Science major Alyssa Leggett received second place in the short
stories category for “Science is in Conscience.”
The student publication team for the 2026 issue included:
Alyssa Leggett (Fiction Editor)
Jillian Hutchinson (Visual Editor)
Avery Richard (Visual Editor)
Elijah Williams (Visual Editor)
Hailey Ramos (Visual Editor)
Luke Bednar (Visual Editor)
The Eastern Division of the CCHA is comprised of community colleges in the areas of
Connecticut, Washington DC, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Puerto
Rico.
Phaethon is advised by faculty members Andrew Devitt, Matthew Powers and Blake
Pitcher. In 2025, the publication earned first place in the Best Magazine category in the
CCHA’s Eastern Division, with student contributors also receiving awards in short
fiction, photography and artwork.
More information about Phaethon is available at: http://www.herkimer.edu/phaethon.
###
About Herkimer County Community College: Located in central New York State, just off the NYS
Thruway exit 30, Herkimer County Community College is one of 30 community colleges in the State
University of New York (SUNY) system. Herkimer offers a quality and affordable educational
experience and is ranked among the top two-year colleges in the nation based on transfer and
graduation rates. Herkimer County Community College offers a variety of associate degree and
certificate programs in art, business, communication arts, criminal justice and law, education,
healthcare and service, liberal arts and sciences, and STEM, and is a leading provider of fully-online
degree programs. The student body of approximately 2,500 students hails from throughout the nation
and several foreign countries. With on-campus housing for more than 600 students, a nationally-
ranked athletics program, and a variety of student activities, clubs and events, Herkimer County
Community College students enjoy the complete college experience. Herkimer County Community
College is a fundamental contributor to the economic development of Herkimer County and the South-
Central Adirondack region. More information is available at http://www.herkimer.edu.
