The English Department is honored to announce the winners of its 2023 writing contests. The department administers writing contests to recognize fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry and critical writing by English majors and non-major undergraduates.
FICTION
Anne Flexner Memorial Award for Fiction
Camden Chin ’26
“Value of a Dollar” and “Harold"
Family members and friends of former English student Anne Flexner (1945) established the Anne Flexner Memorial Award for Creative Writing to recognize undergraduates for their work in fiction and poetry.
Reynolds Price Award for Fiction
Emma Huang ’25
“Equivalence”
The Reynolds Price Fiction Award was established in memory of the distinguished novelist, essayist, poet, and public intellectual Reynolds Price, a graduate of Duke and professor in the English Department for over 50 years.
CREATIVE NONFICTION
George P. Lucaci Award for Creative NonFiction
First prize:
Maggie Wolfe ’24
“The Rise and Fall”
Second prize (co-winners):
Nima Babajani-Feremi ’24
“After Rebirth”
Haoning Jiang ’23
“That Time I Pirated a Pixar Movie and Cried Like a Baby”
This award was created to encourage creative nonfiction writing and honor George P. Lucaci, a former Duke student who has actively supported undergraduate creative writing in the English Department for many years.
POETRY
Academy of American Poets Prize
Tyler King ’25
“Texan Gospel”
Laura Boyle ’24 (Honorable Mention)
“Zoo of Self”
Founded in 1934 in New York City, the Academy of American Poets is the largest membership-based nonprofit organization advocating for American poets and poetry. Its mission is to support American poets at all stages of their careers and foster contemporary poetry appreciation.
Anne Flexner Memorial Award for Poetry (co-winners)
Dylan Haston ’23
“The Will She Had: Grail Quest”
Lauren Garbett ’23
“bright futures, brighter pasts”
Family members and friends of former English student Anne Flexner (1945) established the Anne Flexner Memorial Award for Creative Writing to recognize undergraduates for their work in fiction and poetry.
Terry Welby Tyler, Jr. Award for Poetry (co-winners)
Tina Xia ’23
“Love for Sale”
Marina Chen ’24
“/&&*” (“stick and poke”)
This award was established by the family of Terry Welby Tyler, Jr., who would have graduated with the class of 1997 to recognize and honor outstanding undergraduate poetry.
Creative Writing Scholarship Winners
William M. Blackburn Scholarship
Edgar Salas ’23
Created in 1962 by students and friends of Professor William Blackburn (1899-1969), who established the creative writing initiative at Duke, this scholarship recognizes outstanding achievement in the field of creative writing.
Francis Pemberton Scholarship
Mina Jang ’23
This scholarship is awarded to a junior or senior pursuing creative writing studies. It was created by the Trustees of The Mary Duke Biddle Foundation in memory and honor of Francis Pemberton's service to the Biddle Foundation.
Margaret Rose Knight Sanford Scholarship
Miranda Gershoni ’23
Given annually to a female student who demonstrates a particular promise in creative writing, this scholarship was established to recognize the untiring efforts of Margaret Rose Knight Sanford on behalf of Duke University.
Critical Essay & Department Award Winners
Critical Essay Award:
Shourya Agarwal, ‘24 - “A Common Tongue”
Zachary Partnoy, 26 - “To Wit, To Woo” (Honorable Mention)
Stanley E. Fish Award for Outstanding Work in British Literature:
Anneke Zegers
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 and Ali Rothberg
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
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
This award recognizes a senior student for writing the most original honors thesis.