Writing Prize Competition 2026 Results
Undergraduate Prizes
Academy of American Poets Prize: Best single poem.
1st Plae: Khara Rosebrook
Honorable Mention : Ainsley Smith
Judge: Michael Joseph Walsh
English Composition Prize: Outstanding Essays written for an ENGL1000, 1001, 1002, 1012 or 2089 class.
1st Place: Khara Rosebrook
2nd Place Tie: Cass Baker, Elijah Clarke
Judges: Jena DiMaggio, Ron Hundemer, Katie King
Hopton Short Story Prize: Best undergraduate short story of 12 pages or less.
1st Place: Audrey Baker
Honorable mention: Bobby Hampton
Judges: Lisa Ampleman, Ron Hundemer, Cheli Reutter
Jean Chimsky Poetry Prize: Outstanding group of three to five poems.
1st Place: Khara Rosebrook
Honorable Mention: Luca Campagnoli
Judges: Kathryn Cowles
Literary Nonfiction Prize: Best submission 3,00 words or less.
1st Place: Evan Trimbe
Honorable Mention Tie: Ainsley Smith, Luca Campagnoli, Elijah Clarke, Wallah Samarah
Judges: Lisa Ampleman, Michael Griffith, Gary Vaughn
Professional Writing Prize: Excellence in professional writing.
1st Place: Dajla Luckey
2nd Place: Elliot Stenken
Judges: Lora Anderson, Mariah Kemp, Katie Powell
Robinson Essay Prize: Outstanding essay.
1st Place: Sydney Scott
2nd Place: Elliot Stenken
3rd Place: Audrey Zelinski
Judges: Kirsten Andersen, Tamar Heller, Christina LaVecchia
Screenplay Prize: Best short screenplay of 10 pages or less.
1st Place: Claire Gumser
Judge: Mike Hennessey
Shakespeare Prize: Best essay written on Shakespeare.
1st Place: Ella Morriss
2nd Place: Dajla Luckey
Judges: Beverly Brannan, Joanna Huh, Mary Leech
Graduate Prizes
Academy of American Poets Prize: Best single poem.
1st Place: Rose Zinnia
Honorable Mention: Arah Ko
Judge: Michael Joseph Walsh
Hatfield/Westheimer Short Story Prize: Best graduate short story of 10 pages or less.
1st Place: Sam Simas
2nd Place: Nikki Barnhart
3rd Place: Mialise Carney
Judge: Maggie Su
Jean Chimsky Poetry Prize: Outstanding group of three to five poems.
1st Place: Jo Wallace
Honorable Mention: Summer LaPointe
Judge: Donald Revell
Literary Nonfiction Prize: Best submission 3,00 words or less.
1st Place: Daniel Galef
2nd Place: Erin Noehre
Honorable Mention: Rose Zinnia
Judges: Lisa Ampleman, Gary Vaughn, Kristen Iversen
Professional Writing Prize: Excellence in professional writing.
1st Place: Braydon Dungan
Judges: Lora Anderson, Mariah Kemp, Katie Powell
Robin Sheets Critical Essay Prize: Best critical essay.
1st Place: Christine Ochs-Naderer
2nd Place: Erin Noehre
3rd Place: Braydon Dungan
Judges: Kristen Andersen, Mariah Kemp, Tamar Heller
Shakespeare Prize: Best essay written on Shakespeare.
1st Place: Erin Noehre
Judges: Beverly Brannan, Joanna Huh, Mary Leech