Undergraduate Writing Award Recipients 2018-2019

Cardinal Cushing Award

For the best fiction published in a BC undergraduate publication:

  • First Place: Celia Smithmier '20, “motherhood, 1968,” Laughing Medusa, 2018-19

  • Second Place: Tim Morrissey '20, “The Concert,” Stylus, Spring ‘19

  • Third place: Sarah Santoro '20, “Layers,” Stylus, Spring ‘19

Dever Fellowship

A substantial grant presented in honor of novelist and BC alumnus Joseph Dever, to a graduating senior who proposes to pursue a career in writing:

  • Michael Quinn ‘19

Dever Award for Freshman Writing

For the best three essays by first year students in a Spring ‘18 or AY ‘18-19 English course:

  • Fitgee Jean-Pierre '22, "Party Culture: Cut, Copy, Paste BC" (nominated by Elieen Donovan-Kranz)

  • Angela Loh '22, "The Future of Mathematics: An Interview with Mina Khan" (nominated by Brianna Hynes)

  • Emily Sabbey '22, "How to Handle a Conspiracy Theorist" (nominated by Alex Puente)

Doherty Honors Project Award

This award honors our longtime colleague Paul Doherty. It is for the best undergraduate thesis.
  • Roisin Reilly, for an exemplary critical Honors Thesis, “The Lion Tamers: Literary Representations of AIDS in the United States in the 1980s and 1990s”

  • Sarah Mandelblatt, for an exemplary creative Honors Thesis, “Lesser Pyres”

English Language Learner Essay Award

For the best essay by a freshman English Language Learner written for an ELL section of First Year Writing Seminar or Literature Core

  • Zhiyuan (Tony) Wang, "Lost in Translation" (nominated by Katherine Kim)

  • Zhiyuan (Steve) Huang, "This is the Harvest” (nominated by Kristin Imre)

John Randall Award

For the best undergraduate essay on American literature and culture, presented in honor and memory of author and BC Professor John Randall:

  • Elena Maestas '20, “Remembering Lynching: The Role of Politicized Monuments and Popular Movements in Reconciliation” (nominated by Lori Harrison-Kahan)

Kean Memorial Award

To the graduating senior judged to be the outstanding English major:

  • Karen Choi

Kelleher Award

For the best poetry published in a BC undergraduate publication:

  • First Place: Sabrina Black '19, "Bridges," Stylus, Fall ‘18

  • Second place: Maura Monaghan '19, "Tracks," Stylus, Spring ‘19

  • Third place: Julia Nagle '20, "How Dragonflies Mate," Stylus, Spring ‘19

McCarthy Award

For the best collection of pieces of creative writing by a junior or senior:

  • First Place: Michael Quinn '19

  • Second Place: Sabrina Black '19

  • Third Place: Thomas Toghramadjian '19