 English Prizes | Scholarships
The John T. Dukes Memorial Essay Prize in Composition
This prize honors the memory of John T. Dukes, an Army sergeant and barber who had always longed for higher education but was unable to pursue it due to profound dyslexia. This literary prize will be awarded each April to an outstanding essay in composition studies written by a graduate student and chosen by a committee of English department composition faculty selected by the chair of the department.
2009 Dukes Winner:
Elizabeth Moldarelli |
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The Sam Ella Dukes Memorial Poetry Prize
This prize honors the memory of Sam Ella Dukes, who taught English in the public schools of Florida and South Carolina for over forty years. The prize will be awarded each April by a committee of English department faculty appointed by the chair of the department. The prize is open to any undergraduate or graduate student.
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2009 Sam Ella Dukes Winners:
Joel P. Lee
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Samuel T. Snodgrass |
The Donald A. and Laura Jane Keister Memorial Essay Prize in Literature
This prize honors the memory of Donald A. Keister, a former chair of the Department of English and former dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. The essay prize will be awarded each April for an outstanding essay in literary studies written by a graduate student and chosen by a committee of English graduate literature faculty selected by the Chair of the department. Donald E. Miller Professional Writing Prize
This prize, for an undergraduate portfolio of business and technical writing documents, has been funded by Joseph F. Ceccio and Cathy Miller Ceccio in honor of Donald E. Miller, an Illinois businessman who valued clear, effective, and ethical communication in the workplace.
2009 Keister Winner:
Kate Birdsall |
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2009 Miller Winner:
Scott Jackson |
Marion H. Smith Short Story Prize
This prize honors the memory of Marian H. Smith, the beloved aunt of a University of Akron faculty member. The prize is open to any University of Akron graduate or undergraduate student and any student enrolled in the Masters in Fine Arts in Creative Writing as part of the Northeast Ohio University Consortium.
2009 Smith Winner:
Jeremy Sayers |
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Shakespeare in the Spring Essay Prize
The Shakespeare Essay Prize given at the annual Shakespeare in the Spring event is funded by the estate of Cathryn Carroll Taliaferro. Awards go to the best Shakespeare papers written in the last 12 months for a University of Akron English department course by undergraduates and graduate students
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2009 Shakespeare Winners:
Curt Brown |
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Christy Wesig |
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Julia Wise
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Dee Dee Snyder |
Literary Guild Excellence in Literary Criticism Prize
The Literary Guild Excellence in Literary Criticism Prize was instituted by the Literary Guild in 2006. The award recognizes student achievement in the area of critical analysis of literary texts. The winning paper exemplifies the productive application of a critical methodology to a literary work (or works) of any type or genre. Competition for the award is open to all University of Akron undergraduates.
2008 Guild Winner:
Lauren Rossi |
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The Mary K. Kirtz Literary Essay Prize in International Literature
The Mary K. Kirtz Literary Essay Prize in International Literature, funded by Dr. Mary K. Kirtz, honors the achievements of her students who studied Canadian, Modern Russian, Modern European, and Holocaust literatures in the Department of English. This literary prize will be awarded for an outstanding undergraduate or graduate essay on any world literature topic, with the exception of American or British literature. The prize will be $200.
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2009 Kirtz Winner:
Varsha Balachandran |
The Literary Guild "Excellence in Student Service" Prize
We wish to recognize student contributions to the literary life of the English Department, the campus, and the wider community. The prize will be awarded to an undergraduate or graduate student whose outstanding efforts outside the classroom have enriched the experiences of others in the department.
The prize committee will solicit nominations from English Department faculty. The prize committee will then evaluate nominations to determine the award recipient. The award will be presented at the Student Award reception in April.
2008 Literary Guild Student Service Winner:
Frank DePoole |
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Alpha Omega Dukes Memorial Promising Fiction Writer Prize
The award is given each year to an outstanding undergraduate or graduate fiction writer whose work demonstrates true professional potential.
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Alpha Omega Dukes Prize Winner:
Tobin F. Terry |
Othella and Hilah Dukes Memorial Prize
The Othella and Hilah Dukes Memorial Scholarship is a $1,000 award for a graduate student in literature who has completed 12 or more hours in graduate literature courses at the time of the application.
Othella and Hilah Dukes Prize Winner:
Kate Birdsall |
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The Rubbertop Review Student Essay Contest
This award is given annually to an undergraduate writer for a personal essay that addresses what makes Akron home.
Rubbertop Winner:
Sandra Bannister |
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