Department of English Honors and Awards
2024 Awards
The KU English Department recognizes the following undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty members for the 2023-2024 academic year.
GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS
THE KENNETH ROCKWELL AWARD
For excellence in the study of literature based upon the submission of one critical essay and a Degree Progress Report.
1st Place Tie:
- Jess House, “A Marriage of Ideals: Escaping Administration in Sarah Jeannette Duncan's Set in Authority”
- Emma Webster, “’Yes, I Know the Author:’ Charles Brockden Brown’s Multiple and Retroactive Implied Audiences”
THE WILLIAM ALBRECHT MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
For a significant research project based upon a research proposal. Recipient must be a graduate student enrolled in English at the University of Kansas and returning to KU for at least one more semester of study.
Whitney Yi Knapp, "To Understand Everything"
DR. ANNE MARIE TURNER AWARD
For outstanding research in the field of American literature
- Emma Webster
MARGARET FULLER AWARD
For scholarship in Feminist studies
1st Place:
- Tiffany Fritz, “The Imperial Propaganda of Supernatural Racialization in White Proto-feminist Literature.”
2nd Place:
- Marcia Walsh, “Resolving the Conflict Between the Beloved Community and the Sacred Hoop”
SELDEN LINCOLN WHITCOMB FELLOWSHIP
For outstanding teaching and research
- Zachary Smith
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT TEACHING AWARDS
OUTSTANDING INSTRUCTOR AWARD
The Department of English at the University of Kansas recognizes Graduate Teaching Assistants or Lecturers who have distinguished themselves by the quality of their teaching.
Abby Breyer
Anthony Boynton
Iain Ellis
Zachary Smith
THE MABEL S. FRY AWARD
For excellence in teaching based upon nominations by undergraduate and graduate students of the department.
- Professor Pritha Prasad
THE FRANCES L. STIEFEL TEACHING PROFESSORSHIP IN ENGLISH
For an English faculty member who has generated a distinguished record of research, teaching, and service.
- Professor Misty Schieberle
THE SELDEN LINCOLN WHITCOMB FELLOWSHIP
For excellence in scholastic research and promise in the field of teaching based upon a short personal statement, one critical essay, and evidence of exemplary classroom teaching.
- Zachary Smith
STEPHEN F. EVANS AWARD
For excellence in course development. The Department of English at the University of Kansas recognizes Graduate Teaching Assistants or Lecturers who have distinguished themselves by the quality of their course design and development.
Abby Breyer
Whitney Knapp
Zachary Smith
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS
FIRST YEAR WRITING AWARDS
For excellence in writing for papers written in fulfillment of assignments in English 101, 102, and 105.
ENGL 101:
Cecilia Moreno
Aubryn Bowers
ENGL 102:
- Matthew Kurniawan
- Leo Patredis
ENGL 105:
- Leah Heischmidt
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN 200-LEVEL WRITING
For excellence in writing for papers written in fulfillment of assignments in ENGL 203, 209, 210, and 211.
- Nash Rosado
ELLIE STRATMAN AWARD
For writing about the arts
- Cara Broel
JOHN F. EBERHARDT EXCELLENCE IN WRITING AWARD
For English double major or English minor
- Tamara Rodriguez
- Isabel Mathew
THE HELEN RHODA HOOPES AWARD
For the best essays submitted in fulfillment of a regular class assignment by undergraduate women.
- Kat Balke
- Clare Hawkins
- Joohye Oh
- Fatima Asif
- Gabriela Ruiz
HENRY MATTHEW WEIDNER AWARD
Open to students who are undergraduate men. For the best essays submitted in fulfillment of a regular class assignment by undergraduate men.
- Weston Curnow
- John Marshall
ILUS W. DAVIS AWARD forexcellence in expository writing by undergraduate students
Ashleigh Waggoner
Major Copeland
Cara Broel
Leah Heischmidt
KENNETH ROCKWELL AWARD for excellence in the study of literature
For the best essay submitted in fulfillment of a regular class assignment.
1st Place:
- Jane Makela
2nd Place:
- Joohye Oh
3rd Place:
- Ty Harris
4th Place:
- Cara Broel
SEAN PAUZAUSKIE AWARD LITERATURE AND MEDICINE AWARD for students considering a career in healthcare
- Bhavya Gupta
OUTSTANDING SENIORS
Kat Balke
Major Copeland
Jude Patenaude
Cherin Russell
Katie Taylor
Katie Bryan
Fatima Asif
Rachel Paese
Weston Curnow
Ashleigh Waggoner
Jacob Barta
Gabriella Ruiz
Kahill Perkins
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT WRITING AWARDS
THE WILLIAM HERBERT CARRUTH MEMORIAL POETRY CONTEST
For undergraduate students based upon the submission of one to three poems.
1st Place:
Katherine Blase
2nd Place Tie:
Betsey Lewis
Naomi James
Samantha Barnes
Honorable Mentions:
Zoya Nebesniak
Rachel Stander
Cara Broel
THE HENRY MATTHEW WEIDNER CREATIVE WRITING AWARD
For the best portfolio of work by a graduate student.
Fiction
1st Place:
- Tiffany Fritz
2nd Place:
- Mackenzie McGee
Poetry
1st Place:
- Anthony Boynton
Runner Up (Tie):
- Tiffany Fritz
THE EDGAR WOLFE AWARD IN FICTION
For best short story by an undergraduate.
1st Place:
- Kathryn Taylor, “Stuntwoman Saves the Midwest”
2nd Place:
- Harry Whited, “Deer”
3rd Place:
- Janie Rainier, “You Would Have Died of Dysentery"
4th Place:
- Cecilia Moreno, “The Lollipop Lament”
THE THOMAS J. O’DONNELL AWARD IN CREATIVE NONFICTION
Graduate
1st Place:
- Meagen Youngdahl, “For the Stone Stacker”
2nd Place Tie:
Evan Barton, "The Holy Land Experience"
Alexander Crayon, “My Father’s Siblings At Their Father’s Funeral”
Undergraduate
1st Place:
Naomi James, “Movement”
2nd Place:
Weston Curnow, “Mens Sana In Corpore Sano”
3rd Place:
Kat Balke, “Flowers in the Christmas Garden”
Honorable Mention:
- Elizabeth Mooney, “I Know That I Know Nothing”
THE MAXWELL NATURE WRITING CONTEST
For the best nature essay or nature-themed story.
Graduate
1st Place:
Meagen Youngdahl, “Falling Together in Time”
2nd Place:
Alex Crayon, “Blossom End-Rot"
Undergraduate
1st Place Tie:
Cecilia Moreno, “When the Lights Sang”
Jane Makela, “Freemartins”
2nd Place Tie:
Kathryn Taylor, “A Musk Turtle Named Clay Aiken.”
Mallory Wells, “Gut-Shot”
3rd Place:
- Elanie Sturgeon, “A Worm’s Last Summer”
THE GUNN CENTER AWARD FOR SPECULATIVE FICTION for best science fiction, fantasy, or speculative fiction
Graduate
1st Place Tie:
Mackenzie McGee, “Our Song (Our Version)”
Tiffany Fritz, “Power-Saving Mode”
Undergraduate
1st Place Tie:
Ashleigh Waggoner, “Orange Trees in Aruba”
Rylie Oswald Al-Awhad, “Splattered Ink”
CYNTHIA REISS-CLARK WRITING AWARD for undergraduate and graduate students in STEM fields whose writing about science makes topics broadly accessible to wider audiences
- Samantha Barnes