2011-2012

The Cushing Award—for the best fiction published in a 51²è¹Ý undergraduate publication:

  • First Place to David Kunkel

  • Second Place to Tracy Rizk

  • Third Place to Katrin Tschirgi

Dever Prize for Freshman Writing—for the best essay written by a freshman in any English Course.

  • First Place: Patrick McBee for his essay "Patty Creek"
    Nominated By Randy Bustamante, who writes: "Patrick deftly demonstrates the interplay of memory and imagination (cf. Patricia Hampl) in this personal narrative. The artful structure conveys the grand but not overblown theme very well, resulting in a meditation that feels precociously insightful and yet genuine and well-earned."
  • Second Place: Emma McGowan "All in the Essence of Time"
    Nominated by Elizabeth Graver, who writes: “All in the Essence of Time,” on Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" strikes me as a noteworthy example of a close reading essay. Emma's prose is at once lucid and elegant. She constructs an argument that allows the tensions and contradictions in the story to emerge beautifully, and she shines light on its central concerns, both formally and in terms of its subject matter. Several of her observations opened up this story (which I have read numerous times) in new and revelatory ways for me."
  • Third Place: Yeram Choi "An Activist In Search of a Voice"
    Nominated by Instructor Jessa Kirk, who writes: "This paper was born of an interview assignment. The act of profiling another student was by far the most challenging paper for my class to write, but Yeram embraced the challenge and created this affecting portrait of another 51²è¹Ý freshman. Yeram's other writing—creative and academic—is all of a high quality. She will go far."

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

  • Katrin Tschirgi

Kean Award—to the graduating senior judged to be the outstanding English major:

  • Daniel Accardi

Kelleher Award—cash award given annually to undergraduates who produce the best work in poetry published in 51²è¹Ý undergraduate publications:

  • First Place: "Elephant Man" by Katrin Tschirgi (Spring Stylus)
  • Second Place: "My Father's Dogs" by Helen Spica (Fall Stylus)
  • Third Place: "Travel Blind" by Michael Wolf (Spring Stylus)

McCarthy Prize—for best piece of creative writing by a junior or senior:

  • First Place: Katrin Tschirgi - poetry
  • Second Place: Elizabeth Martin - nonfiction
  • Third Place: Amy Stephenson - nonfiction

Randall Award—a gift of books presented in honor and memory of author and 51²è¹Ý Professor John Randall to the undergraduate writer of the best essay in the field of American literature and culture:

  • Kristin Canfield - First Place
  • Jordan Mendoza - Honorable mention