2023 Critical Essay & Department Award Winners

We are excited to announce the 2023 Critical Essay and English Department Award Winners. Congratulations to the following winners:

Critical Essay Award: 
Shourya Agarwal, ‘24 - “A Common Tongue”
Zachary Partnoy, 26 -  “To Wit, To Woo” (Honorable Mention)

The critical essay competition is open for essays written by any Duke undergraduate enrolled in an English department course.

Stanley E. Fish Award for Outstanding Work in British Literature: 
Anneke Zegers, 23
This award recognizes outstanding work by an undergraduate enrolled in an English course in British Literature.

Louis J. Budd Award for Outstanding Work in American Literature (co-winners)
Aiyana Villanueva, ’23
Ali Rothberg, ‘23
This award recognizes outstanding work by an undergraduate enrolled in an English course in American Literature.

Barbara Herrnstein Smith Award for Outstanding Work in Literary Theory or Criticism
Akshaj Turebylu, ‘23
This award recognizes outstanding work by an undergraduate enrolled in an English course in literary theory or criticism.

Award for Most Original Honors Thesis: 
K.B. Denis, ‘23
This award recognizes a senior student for writing the most original honors thesis.