English Department awards and Contests
The following is a list of department sponsored contests and awards. We also list a sampling of university awards that are available to Pitt students.
- Burkhart/Alumni Scholarship
- Carol Kay Prize
- Composition Program Writing Awards
- Creative Non-fiction Undergraduate Award
- Edwin O. Ochester Poetry Award
- Fred Koloc Award for Outstanding Progress in Intensive Seminar
- James Snead Memorial Essay Contest
- J.K. and Gertrude Miller Award
- Marlee and James Myers Award
- McDowell Award in Non-Fiction
- Montgomery Culver Award in Fiction
- Ossip Awards
- Taube Award in Fiction
- Turow-Kinder Fiction Award
Burkhart/Alumni Scholarship - upon faculty nomination over $2,500 is awarded each year to outstanding junior majors in English literature. The Undergraduate Awards Committee normally announces these awards in the fall.
Carol Kay Essay Award - for the best undergraduate essays on: British Literature between 1500-1900. *contest details*
James Snead Memorial Award (Film, African-American Literature, German Literature, American Literature). *contest details*
J.K. and Gertrude Miller Award - for the best undergraduate essays on: Medieval or 20th century British literature Commonwealth or Global literature in English World literature in English translation Literary or cultural theory. *contest details*
Composition Program Writing Awards - two prizes are awarded annually to honor outstanding work by student writers in any of Pitt's composition courses. Deadline this year is January 31, 2007. *contest details*
Edwin O. Ochester Poetry Award - Sponsored by Edwin Ochester in memory of his father, a price of $250 is awarded annually for the best poem written in undergraduate poetry workshops 1210 or 1730. Deadline is normally in the spring.
Edythe Portz Prizes
The Pittsburgh Undergraduate Review awards prizes of $250 to the best essay published in each semester's issue. Essays may deal with any subject in the arts and sciences and should be at least ten pages long typed double-spaced. The Review adjudicates the prizes by soliciting the opinions of faculty referees. See its website for further details: http://www.honorscollege.pitt.edu/~pur
Film Studies Undergraduate Writing Award
To honor outstanding essays on film a prize of $250 is offered, with a deadline normally falling in January; consult the Film Studies Program's office in CL 624 for current guidelines.
Fred Koloc Award for Outstanding Progress in Intensive Seminar
McDowell Award in Non-Fiction - for the best undergraduate non-fiction writing submission. A prize of $1,000 in tuition remission is awarded upon faculty nomination. This award is honoring the late Pittsburgh television newsman, Al McDowell.
Montgomery Culver Award in Fiction - for the best short story written by an undergraduate currently enrolled in a fiction class at the University of Pittsburgh.
Submissions should be marked "Culver Prize" and include the author's name, address, telephone number, social security number, and the instructor's name on the first page or on a cover sheet. Deadline is in the spring, and the prize is $100 and adjudicated by a special panel.
Ossip Awards - up to eight prizes are awarded annually for outstanding essays written for under- graduate courses in any discipline at the University of Pittsburgh. Submission is normally early in the Fall term to the Director of Composition, and essays are judged by the college writing board. Additional information to follow.
**click here for contest details**
Taube Award in Fiction - a prize of $500 annually is awarded for the best fiction by a Pitt junior or senior at the University of Pittsburgh, Oakland campus. Student's should submit either 3 short stories or one extended piece of work from a novel (or novelette). The excerpt from the novel should be no fewer than 50 pages. The work submitted should have been written during the student's enrollment at the University of Pittsburgh either in writing program classes or as part of a student's own independent writing activities.
Students should submit 3 copies of their work. Each submission should be accompanied by a cover sheet containing the title of the story or novel, the student's name, home address, social security number, instructor's name, and a Xerox copy of your Pitt ID. If student's would like to receive results by mail, they may include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with the submissions. Each page of each story or novel should be identified only by the title.
They are judged by a special panel composed of literature and fiction faculty. Deadline for fall semester submission is 12/15/06. Deadline for spring semester submission is usually late February. All award winners will be announced in April.
Turow-Kinder Fiction Award - a prize is given to an MFA student for first and second place for a short story or novel chapter. Teachers of graduate workshops are encouraged to collect student stories or novel chapters. All entries must include the student's name, address, social security number, the title of the piece and the instructor's name. The submission must be clearly marked "Turow-Kinder Award".
Creative Non-fiction Undergraduate Award
other english/university related awards
Brackenridge Undergraduate Fellowships
Chancellor's Undergraduate Research Fellowships
Chancellor's University Teaching Fellowships
George B. Anderson Awards
Nationality Rooms Scholarships
Research Abroad Program Assistantships
Semester at Sea Scholarships
USX or Toretti Undergraduate Research Awards
Women's Studies Program Student Research Prizes