Limit of one entry per prize per student
Limit of three contests per student
Include your name and the name of the prize on each entry or group of poems
Email to english@mtholyoke.edu by April 14, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.
Millicent Allen Lyric Poetry Prize: For excellence in the composition of lyric poetry (open to juniors and seniors only)
Virginia Lee Barnes Prize: For the best critical essay in English, American Studies, or Medieval Studies (open to seniors only)
Barbara Benson Memorial Prize: For distinction in prose writing—fiction, essay, or any prose form (open to juniors and seniors only)
Gertrude Claytor Award of The Academy of American Poets: For the best poem or group of poems (open to all undergraduates)
Minnie Ryan Dwight Prize: For excellence in journalistic writing (open to all undergraduates)
Kathryn McFarland Prize: For excellence in creative writing of any form (open to all students)
Sydney Robertson McLean Short Story Prize: For the best short story (open to all undergraduates)
Anne Singer '69 Memorial Prize: To a student who shows both the promise of a gift for writing and a dedication to craftsmanship (preference for first years, sophomores, and juniors)
Ada L.F. Snell Poetry Prize: For the best poem or group of poems, the whole not to exceed fifty lines (open to all undergraduates)
Graduate Fellowship in English & Joseph McGrath Bottkol Fellowship: For the pursuit of graduate study in English. Application available at this link.
Naomi Kitay '33 Fellowship: Awarded on the basis of merit to a recent graduate or graduating senior, as an aid toward a career in creative prose writing. Application available at this link.
Jean Sudrann '39 Research Fund: To support student research relevant to the study of English (e.g., travel grants to conduct research or present on research at a conference). Open to all students; not limited to English majors. Interested applicants should submit a 500-word description of proposed research, a one-page budget, and one reference (name and contact information) who is familiar with the student's work and the merits of the project.
Clio Melpomene Prize: To assist aspiring poets and/or historians after graduation. Applicants must be MHC students slated to graduate as members of the Class of 2025. Submission instructions can be found here. Application Deadline: Monday, April 28, 2025, at 12:00 p.m.
Richard A. Johnson Prize: Awarded to a student with a strong academic record, in any major, who plans to teach at the secondary level. The prize may be used to support the expenses of graduate study toward a career in secondary teaching; for support during a practicum semester; or for a project, research, or experience that will enhance the student's teaching capabilities. See the Alumnae Association's Fellowships page for the deadline and other details. (Note: The Alum Fellowships program is closed for restructuring during the 2024–2025 academic year. They expect to reintroduce the program next year.)