Department of English

Prizes

Department prizes and awards offer students opportunities to be recognized for their extraordinary research and writing. New prize cycles are available each semester.

Preston Gurney Literary Prizes

Topics must meet the approval of the English Department’s Committee on Prizes and Premiums.

Fiction

Awarded to an undergraduate senior for the best essay of 5,000 words or less on any topic in literary criticism of fiction.

Poetry

Awarded to an undergraduate senior for the best essay of 5,000 words or less on any topic in literary criticism (poetry).

Cultural Criticism

Awarded to an undergraduate senior for the best essay of 5,000 words or less on any topic in cultural criticism.

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Deadline

March 23

Prizes

1st Prize $1000

2nd Prize $500

The Betsy Amanda Lehman '77 Memorial Award for Excellence in Journalism

Awarded to a Brown senior studying journalism or practicing as a journalist for a campus or professional publication who has demonstrated outstanding accomplishments and intellectual ability.

The portfolio may include selected publications and/or academic work in the study of journalism, including essays written for Brown classes and senior theses.

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Deadline

March 23

Prizes

1st Prize $1000

2nd Prize $500

The Casey Shearer Memorial Award for Excellence in Creative Nonfiction

Awarded to a full-time Brown junior or senior for creative nonfiction of 3,000 words or less. Submission can be a collection of brief pieces or one long piece.

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Deadline

March 23

Prizes

1st Prize $1000

2nd Prize $500

Rules

  1. One entry per competition. A separate entry form must be completed for each competition.
  2. Your name should not appear anywhere on the manuscript. 
  3. The university reserves the right to withhold any award.
  4. Manuscripts will be read by a committee of faculty members in the English Department. The committee's decisions will be final.
  5. Essays that have previously received an English Department award are not eligible.

No hard copies or late submissions will be accepted.