Award Recipients 2019-2020

Cardinal Cushing Award

For the best fiction published in a 51²è¹Ý undergraduate publication:

  • First Place: Timothy Morrissey ‘20, "The Nazi Museum," Stylus, Spring ‘20

  • Second Place: Gerard Menna ‘20, "Sticker," Stylus, Fall ‘19

  • Third place: Rachel Ruggera ‘23, "The Empty Chair," Stylus, Spring ‘20

Dever Fellowship

A substantial grant presented in honor of novelist and 51²è¹Ý alumnus Joseph Dever, to a graduating senior who proposes to pursue a career in writing:

  • Dylan Cooper ‘20

    Claire Madden ‘20

Dever Award for Freshman Writing

For the best three essays by first year students in a Spring ‘18 or AY ‘18-19 English course:

  • Grace Chandra ‘23, “Building and Rebuilding” (nominated by Deanna Danforth)

  • Jill Keegan ‘23, “My Papa’s Waltz” (nominated by Laura Tanner)

  • Maleka McBarnett ‘23, “Compassion: A Hidden Message from an Upside-Down Interview” (nominated by Paula Mathieu)

Doherty Honors Project Award

This award honors our longtime colleague Paul Doherty. It is for the best undergraduate thesis.

  • Claire Madden for an Exemplary Honors Project (Creative) “Measurements”

  • Sarah Santoro for an Exemplary Honors Project (Critical) “Laid Bare: Uncovering the Destabilizing Bodies of Southern Gothic Literature and Photography”

English Language Learner Essay Award

For the best essay by an English Language Learner written for an ELL section of First Year Writing Seminar or Literature Core:

  • Guanting Xia ‘21, "In and Out of Tyranny" (nominated by Alex Puente)

John Randall Award

For the best undergraduate essay on American literature and culture, presented in honor and memory of author and 51²è¹Ý Professor John Randall:

  • Justin Janesko ‘20, "'That Voice Guiding Me Was Mine All Along': A Buddhist Critique of ‘Westworld.’" (nominated by Paul Lewi

Honorable Mentions:

  • Madeleine Hughes ‘20, "Seeking Visibility in the Face of Erasure: Confronting the Absence of Women in Government Narratives on Homelessness."

  • Joan Kennedy ‘20, "The Second Battle of the Alamo."

  • Julia Nagle ‘20 ,"Rockabye 1970: James Taylor’s Cradle for the Nostalgic Cowboy." (nominated by Scott Reznick)

Kean Memorial Award

To the graduating senior judged to be the outstanding English major:

  • Maggie McQuade‘20

  • Jiawei (Bella) Peng ‘20

Kelleher Award

For the best poetry published in a 51²è¹Ý undergraduate publication:

  • First Place: Adriana Watkins '20, “Stargazing in Persia,” Stylus, Fall ‘19

  • Second place: Sarah Santoro ‘20, “this train will be standing by,” Stylus, Fall ‘19

  • Third place: Julia Nagle '20, “to the uncle made of soft steel wool,” Stylus, Spring ‘20

McCarthy Award

For the best collection of pieces of creative writing by a junior or senior:

  • First Place: Margherita Bassi ‘20

  • Second Place: Gina Case ‘21

  • Third Place: Kathryn (Jenessa) Bryson ‘21

Back To Top