Writing Prize Competition 2023 Results
Students will be notified directly regarding prize details. Awards given out on April 14th from 2:30-4:30pm in the Elliston Poetry Room (Langsam 646).
Undergraduate Prizes
Academy of American Poets Prize: Best single poem.
Winner: Soumya Jaiswal as Rava Kumari
Honorable Mention: Grace Guy as Astrid Kinsey
Judge: Dorothy Chan
Dorthy is the author of five poetry collections, including the forthcoming, Return of the Chinese Femme (Deep Vellum Books Fall 2023 / Spring 2024). They are an Assistant Professor of English at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Co-Founder and Editor in Chief of Honey Literary Inc, 501(c)(3) BIPOC literary arts organization, run by women, femme, and queer editors of color. Visit their website at dorothypoetry.com.
English Composition Prize: Outstanding Essays written for an ENGL1000, 1001, 1002, 1012 or 2089 class.
First Prize: Niyati Kanchan as Kaira Kahaani
Second Prize: Case Grillot as Sam Arkand
Third Prize: Anish Gangavaram as Rocky Bhai
Judges: Beverly Brannan, Mary Leech, and Ron Hundemer
Hopton Short Story Prize: Best short story of 12 pages or less.
Winner: Lili Alimohammadi as Noora Or
Honorable mention: Holly Deschene as Emma Promise
Honorable mention: Rosie Ward as Grace Peony
Judges: Lisa Ampleman, Chris Bachelder
Jean Chimsky Poetry Prize: Outstanding group of three to five poems.
Winner: Lili Alimohammadi as Noora Or
Honorable Mention: Varsha Vinod as Doctor Charm
Judge: Alecia Beymer
Literary Nonfiction Prize: Best submission of 10 pages or less.
Winner: Marianna Dionysiou as Kiwi Banana
Honorable Mention: Morgan Weltzer as Megan Smith
Judges: Michael Griffith, Alecia Beymer
Playwriting Prize: Best drama or play.
Winner: Zoe Peterson as Maxine Torrance
Judge: Jennifer Glaser
Professional Writing Prize: Excellence in professional writing.
1st Place: Lily Stewart, Will Mnich, Sadie Pan as Team LinkedIn
2nd Place: Marianna Dionysiou as Olive Almond
Judges: Teresa Cook, Michele Griegel-McCord
Robinson Essay Prize: Outstanding essay.
First Prize: Lily Stewart as Star Chickweed
Tie for Second Prize: Ashley Bruner as Clarissa Preston and Hannah Barton as Luella Bennet
Judges: Gary Vaughn, Tamar Heller, Leland Person
Screenplay Prize: Best short screenplay of 10 pages or less.
Winner: Zoe Peterson as Eve Hagar
Judges: Rebecca Lindenberg
Shakespeare Prize: Best essay written on Shakespeare.
Winner: Lily Stewart as Star Chickweed
Judges: Beverly Brannan, Joanna Huh, Gary Vaughn
Staples Capstone Prize: Best capstone project in any English capstone course this academic year.
Winner: Marianna Dionysiou as Tangarine August
2nd Place: Lily Stewart, Julia Funk, Liam Richissin as Team Grosbeck
Honorable Mention: Bethany See as Nicole Smith as & Maria Adams as Strawberry Shortcake
Judge: Lisa Beckelhimer, Cheli Reutter
Graduate Prizes
Academy of American Poets Prize: Best single poem.
Winner: Hassaan Mirza as Stoning Rolls
Honorable Mention: Violeta Orozco as Nighting Gale
Judge: Yesenia Montilla
Yesenia is an Afro-Latina poet & a daughter of immigrants. She received her MFA from Drew University in Poetry & Poetry in translation. She is a CantoMundo graduate fellow and a 2020 NYFA fellow. Her work has been published in Academy of American Poets Poem-a-Day, Prairie Schooner, Gulf Coast and in Best of American Poetry 2021 and 2022. Her first collection The Pink Box is published by Willow Books & was longlisted for a PEN Open Book award. Her second collection Muse Found in a Colonized Body published by Four Way Books was nominated for an NAACP Image Award in 2023. She lives in Harlem, NY.
Hatfield/Westheimer Short Story Prize: Best short story of 10 pages or less.
First Prize: Hassaan Mirza as Stoning Rolls
Second Prize: Alida Dean as Kim Wexler
Third Prize: Daniel Hunt as Zane Madish
Judge: Robin McLean
Jean Chimsky Poetry Prize: Outstanding group of three to five poems.
Winner: Rome Hernández Morgan as Rowing Stones
Honorable Mention: Sean Ayres as Albert Affirmations
Judge: Felicia Zamora
Literary Nonfiction Prize: Best submission of 10 pages or less.
First Prize: Rome Hernández Morgan as Rowing Stones
Honorable Mention: Nicholas Molbert as Mark Barlow
Judges: Lisa Ampleman, Laura Micciche
Playwriting Prize: Best play.
No award given this year.
Professional Writing Prize: Excellence in professional writing.
No award given this year.
Robin Sheets Critical Essay Prize: Best critical essay.
Tie for First Prize: Nicholas Molbert as Mark L. Barlow & Alida Dean as Kim Wexler
Judges: Cheli Reutter & Jennifer Glaser
Shakespeare Prize: Best essay written on Shakespeare.
No award given this year.