Macricostas School of Arts & Sciences

Writing Department

Annual Writing Awards

Creative Writing

BARBARA WINDER AWARD
This award was established to honor Professor Barbara Winder, long-time teacher of creative Writing at Western. It is awarded to the student who has submitted the best piece of writing to the Writing Department in the last year.

JIM SCRIMGEOUR AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN POETRY
This award is given to an undergraduate creative Writing student in honor of Emeritus Professor and poet James R. Scrimgeour.

THE RONALD K. GOODRIDGE AWARD
This award was established in honor of Ronald K. Goodridge, a lifetime reader and lover of historical fiction and non-fiction. The award is presented to a junior or senior Writing major with the best historically based and researched essay or short story. The award includes a $100 cash stipend.


Journalism

Four University-wide Western journalism awards are available each year. Students need to apply for these awards. Clips may be recent ones.

THE ARNOLD C. BRACKMAN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Open to junior or senior journalism students who have shown potential in the field of journalism and plan to pursue a career in journalism. A committee including a representative of the Department of Writing, Linguistics and Creative Process; the Dean of Arts and Sciences; an alumni journalism student; and a member of the current ECHO senior staff will choose the award recipient. The award is approximately $200.

Students interested in applying for the Brackman award should submit three clips, a letter stating qualifications and future plans in journalism and writing and a transcript to the Chair of the Writing Department by March 5.  Editors who are applying on the merits of their editorial efforts should describe these in detail in a letter. The letter is an important part of the application. Be sure that the letter addresses the specific qualifications asked for in the descriptions above.

JOURNALISM PROGRAM OUTSTANDING FEATURE/LIFESTYLES STORY AWARD
This $50 award will be given to the student journalist who submits the best feature/lifestyles article or review from within the last 12 months. The feature may be in either manuscript or published form.

JOURNALISM PROGRAM OUTSTANDING SPOT NEWS AWARD
This $50 award will be given to the student journalist who submits the best spot news story published in the past 12 months. The news story must be a published clip, but may be from any publication.

OUTSTANDING COMMENTARY AWARD The $50 award will be given to the student who submits the best commentary piece (editorial or column) in the past 12 months. The commentary piece may be in either manuscript or published form.


Other

RAY BAUBLES AWARD The award is given by the department to the most outstanding non-traditional student undergraduate.

LOUISE KOLB AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TUTORING Judged by the Director of the Writing Lab.

DISTINCTION IN WRITING FOR SENIOR PORTFOLIO Chosen annually by the Department committee reviewing senior portfolios.

THE JOHN TAMAS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP John Tamas passed away suddenly on July 25, 2005. He was a successful and popular WestConn student, writer and musician. The John Tamas Memorial Scholarship Fund was created with several gifts from friends, relatives and his mother, Gail P. Anderson, in the summer and Fall of 2005, to the WCSU Foundation, Inc. Awarded to an outstanding student in creative writing. Recipient is chosen by the Writing Department and reported to Vice President for Development who administers the scholarship through the Foundation.