Prizes

The English Department awards two annual prizes, both named after long-time distinguished members of the faculty. Any student may submit to the Lawrence Owen Prizes in Creative Writing; a few exceptional seniors who are English majors are sent invitations by the department to submit works for the Florence Amamoto Prize for Academic Excellence in English Studies. Awardees receive recognition at the College's Honor's Day in May as well as a modest cash award.

Lawrence Owen Prizes in Creative Writing

Instructions for assembling and submitting portfolios can be found at the top of the submission form. The writer's name should be on the portfolio, but should not appear anywhere on the work itself. Judges will read the submissions "blind." Students may submit an entry in more than one genre.

Lawrence Owen Contest Submissions

Previous Award Winners
Year Winners
  Poetry Fiction Nonfiction
2024

Zainab Syed-1st Place

Madeleine Archer-2nd Place

Josie Woldemar-3rd Place

Josh Hake-1st Place

Julia Anderson, Madeleine Archer, and Josie Woldemar-2nd Place

Mia Eisenbacher-1st Place

Patrick Stonecipher-2nd Place

Ingrid Duncan-3rd Place

2023

Carley Swanson-Garro and Jariya Goerwitz-1st Place

Kamila Gutierrez-2nd Place

Emily Monicken and Christian Ash-1st Place

Cecilia Erickson-2nd Place

Jonas Doerr-1st Place

Aiya Jorde-2nd Place

Abby Housker-3rd Place

2022

Carley Swanson-Garro-1st Place

Christian Ash-2nd Place

Bryn Swiston-3rd Place

Lillian "Lilly" Anderson-1st Place

Christian Ash-2nd Place

Samuel Peters-3rd Place

Tserling "Lhamo" Dorma-1st Place

Victoria "Tori" Smith-2nd Place

Madeline "Maddie" Sandish-3rd Place

2021

Laura Stickney-1st Place

Kathleen O'Brien-2nd Place

Tessa Pieper-3rd Place

Nicole Cundiff-1st Place

John Kraemer-2nd Place

Samuel Peters & Aidan Seyala-3rd Place

Jordan Johnson-1st Place

Gabriella Garry-2nd Place

Laura Stickney-3rd Place

2020

Laura Stickney - 1st Place

Frances Wetherall - 2nd Place

Christian Ash - 3rd Place

Anh Tran - 1st Place

Christian Ash - 2nd Place

Grace Worwa & Lillian Anderson - 3rd Place

Eli Dotson - 1st Place

Frances Wetherall - 2nd Place

Marie Osuna - 3rd Place

2019

Miranda Shaffer Nicole Cundiff Emma Myhre
2018 Frances Wetherall Nicole Cundiff Nicole Cundiff
2017 Frances Wetherall Elli Moran Gretchen Seewald
2016 John Poblocki and Katie Allen Nels Foslien Nels Foslien
2015 Luke O'Connor Molly Butler John Poblocki
2014 Rebecca Hare Earl Stoll Kong Meng Xiong
2013 Aaron Lawrence Trevor Oestenstad Aaron Albani
2012 Patrick Perish Ethan Marxhausen Wade Underwood
2011 Olivia Karns Ethan Marxhausen Lindsay Lelivelt
2010 Ryan McGinty Song Yang Abby Travis
2009 Ingrid Greenlee Ingrid Greenlee Abby Travis
2008 Megan Bren Molly Kolpin Rebecca Andert
2007 Ellen Bergman Adam Nemmers Kate Ellingsen
2006 Hallie Wunsch Matthew McLaughlin
2005 Tyler Dorholt Adam Nemmers
2004 Joe Lencioni
2003 Karin Leonard
2002 Matthew Jaksik
2001 Caroline Hildreth
2000 Genevieve Dahmen
 

Florence Amamoto Prize for Academic Excellence in English Studies

The top English majors are selected by GPA and faculty nomination and sent invitations by the department to submit a portfolio of their work from English classes. Portfolios range from 15–20 pages, and at least some of the work must be scholarly or analytical.

Previous Award Winners
Year Winner
2024

Houston B. McLaury

2023

Amanda Nyakwada and Cascade Oppitz

2022

Lenora Combs and Samuel Peters

 

Gerhart Alexis Prize for Academic Excellence in English Studies

Five exceptional students who are English majors are sent invitations by the department to submit a portfolio of their work from English classes. Portfolios range from 15–20 pages, and at least some of the work must be scholarly or analytical.

Previous Award Winners
Year Winner
2021

Nicole Cundiff

2020

Laura Stickney

2019 Taylor Claeys
2018 Thomas Sullivan
2017 Thomas Sullivan
2016 Andra Gulenchyn
2015 Ryan Liebl
2014 Andrea Blom
2013 Abby Huff
2012 Julia Tindell
2011 Brooke Beskau
2010 Lynn Olson
2009 Deborah Lasswell
2008 Kelsey Savre
2007 Jonathan Peasley
2006 Jonathan Peasley
2005 Andy Brown
2004 Anna Stenson
2003 Sandra Valdes
2002 Amelia Greiner
2001 Jessica Fredrickson
2000 Jessica Bergeman