Prize Competitions

Ida B. Wells Prize for Distinguished Work in Africana Studies, awarded annually to a senior for an outstanding essay or other project, distinguished in achievement of its intellectual goals. No more than one submission per student. Work may be on any aspect of Africana studies and may be of any length; creative pieces or portfolios as well as analytic/scholarly essays are welcome. Research papers must be paginated; unmarked by teacher's comments or grades; and include proper citation, including footnotes and bibliography where appropriate. Include a brief description of the original assignment, as well as the names of the instructor and class for which it was produced. Deadline: submissions are due by noon on the last day of classes by electronic submission to dosepowi@smith.edu.

Eleanor Flexner Prize, awarded for the best piece of work by a Smith undergraduate using the Sophia Smith Collection or the Smith College Archives or the Rare Book Room, only if the work itself takes U.S. women as its subject. Students interested should submit papers no later than the final day of classes in the second semester by email to Jeanette Wintjen.

Nancy Boyd Gardner Prize, awarded for a single outstanding paper or other project by a Smithsonian intern during the current year for work related to the Smithsonian Internship Program. Students interested should submit work no later than the final day of classes in the second semester by email to Jeanette Wintjen.

Samuel Bowles Prize, awarded to a major in the graduating class for the most distinguished paper in anthropology. Submissions may be seminar papers, special studies projects or honors theses.Submissions are due by the last day of classes and must be emailed to Jeanette Wintjen, academic administrative assistant for Anthropology.

Phyllis Williams Lehmann Travel Award, established in 1978 by friends and former students of Professor Lehmann, is awarded annually to seniors majoring in the history of art to support educational travel opportunities. Preference is given to students interested in pursuing the study of art history, especially classical antiquity, at the graduate level. Classical studies majors and archaeology minors are also encouraged to apply. To be considered for a prize, students must submit a written proposal describing their travel plans, a copy of their transcript, and an itemized budget. Application information is available at the Department of Art's Prizes, Internships & Opportunities webpage. Deadline: Wednesday, March 27.

Megan Hart Jones Studio Art Prize, established in 1987 by family and friends in memory of Megan Hart Jones ’88, is awarded annually to one undergraduate for outstanding work in any studio art or architecture class. Each student may submit only one piece of artwork. Triptychs, diptychs and other multipart projects will not be accepted. Installation and time-based work (e.g., performance, video, audio, Internet, interactive) will not be accepted but may be submitted to the Tryon Prize. Normally announced on Ivy Day, winners of the Megan Hart Jones Studio Award receive a substantial cash prize. Application information is available at the Department of Art's Prizes, Internships & Opportunities webpage. Deadline: Friday, April 26.

Elizabeth Killian Roberts Prize, established in 1990 by family and friends in memory of Elizabeth Killian Roberts ’45, is awarded annually for the best drawing. Entries are judged by faculty in the Department of Art. Normally announced on Ivy Day, winners of the Roberts award receive a substantial cash prize. Application information is available at the Department of Art's Prizes, Internships & Opportunities webpage. Deadline: Friday, April 19.

Enid Silver Winslow '54 Prize in Art History is awarded annually for the best student paper completed for an art history course taught at Smith. Papers are judged anonymously by a committee of art history faculty. Students may submit a paper written at any point during their studies. Normally announced on Ivy Day, winners of the Winslow award receive a substantial cash prize. Application information is available at the Department of Art's Prizes, Internships & Opportunities webpage. Deadline: Friday, April 19.

Tryon Prize for Writing is awarded by a jury for outstanding writing related to art seen at the Smith College Museum of Art. Writing may take any form including an essay, poem or research paper. Jurors seek insight and scholarship. Submissions must be received no later than Friday, May 3. See the Tryon Prize for Writing entry form for guidelines. Send questions to ccenter@smith.edu.

Tryon Prize for Art is awarded by a jury for installation, performance, video, sound, digital, Internet and interactive art. Jurors seek a high level of artistic expression and presentation. Only one submission is allowed. Photography and work submitted to the Megan Hart Jones Studio Art Prize are not eligible. See the Tryon Prize for Art entry form for guidelines. Submissions must be received no later than Friday, May 3. Send questions to ccenter@smith.edu.

Amey Randall Brown Prize, established in memory of Amey Randall Brown by Mabel Brown in 1887, is awarded for the best paper or research poster submitted in any area of the plant sciences. Submissions may be course-related papers, special studies projects or honors theses. Competition is open to any undergraduate who has not previously won the prize. Submissions are due by 5 p.m. on the last day of classes. Further details may be obtained from Jesse Bellemare, Department of Biological Sciences, Sabin Reed Hall.

Subul Sunim Prize, awarded annually for the best academic paper written for a class taken at Smith on a subject in the field of Buddhist studies. Smith undergraduates as well as those in the Five Colleges are eligible. To submit a paper for consideration, students should complete the information and upload a paper using the online form. Submissions must be received by noon on Tuesday, May 7, 2024. One does not need to be a Buddhist Studies minor to submit a paper.

John Everett Brady Prize is awarded for excellence in Latin. The award, open to all classes, is made on the basis of an examination in translation of Latin at sight. The examination will be administered on Thursday, April 25 in Wright Hall 237 from 7-8 p.m. Contact: Nancy Shumate 

Alice Hubbard Derby Prize is awarded to a member of the junior or senior class for excellence in the translation of Greek at sight and to a member of the junior or senior class for excellence in the study of Greek literature in the year in which the award is made. The examination is to be held Thursday, April 18 in Seelye Hall 304 from 7-8 p.m.  Contact: Thalia Pandiri.

George E. Dimock Memorial Prize, established in memory of Professor George E. Dimock, is awarded for the best essay on a classical subject submitted by a Smith College undergraduate. The deadline for submission is 3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30. Essays should be submitted by email to Jennifer Roberts, administrative assistant in the Department of Classical Languages and Literatures. They should include two separate Word files, one giving only the title of the essay and the author's real name, and the other giving the title and a pseudonym, followed by the essay. Contact: Rebecca Worsham.

Mary Maples Dunn Prize, awarded for an essay (normally 4–8 pages) written within the current or the three preceding semesters in a regular course in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, including approved cross-listed courses for the EAS track. Essays originally submitted in seminars, for special studies or as honors theses are not eligible, nor are courses taken at other institutions. If an essay was written in response to a specific question or problem posed by an instructor, the stated assignment should be submitted along with the essay. All essays should indicate for which course and in which semester they were originally written and should be submitted via email as a clearly marked pdf document to Kathleen Gauger, kgauger@smith.edu, by Monday, April 21, 2024 and clearly identified as a submission for the Dunn Prize. Students may submit only one essay for the competition per year. English language submissions only, please.

The Ettie Chin Hong '36 prize is awarded to a senior majoring in East Asian Languages and Cultures who has demonstrated leadership and academic achievement (Minimum GPA of 3.5 in the major) and who intends to pursue a career in education or service to immigrant and needy communities. If you would like to participate in the prize competition, please submit a copy of your unofficial transcript, your resume, and your short answers to the questions on the application form (on our website) explaining your qualifications for the prize, and one name of a faculty member as your reference. The deadline for you to submit the form (with relevant documents) is Monday, April 1, at midnight.

Samuel Bowles Prize, awarded to majors in the graduating class for the most distinguished paper in economics. Submissions are due by the last day of classes and should be submitted to Kelley Dunphy, Wright Hall 226. Questions should be directed to the chair of the department, Mahnaz Mahdavi.

Distinction in Education and Child Study Prize, awarded to senior majors based on a paper, research project, or other meaningful contribution to the field of Education and Child Study. The deadline for submission is by the last day of classes. and you may submit to Shannon Audley. Self, peer and faculty nominators will write a brief (no more than one page) nomination letter explaining the impact of the student’s work to one of the four foundational areas of educational study: (1) historical and philosophical; (2) learning sciences; (3) sociocultural; and (4) curriculum and instruction. In addition, the nominator will provide specific evidence for or of the contribution (e.g., the paper, research project, etc.).

Students should submit work for these prizes to englishprizes@smith.edu by 3:45 p.m. on Monday, April 22. Entries should be signed with an assumed name. Material that has appeared in student publications is eligible for most prizes. For a complete listing of the procedures and requirements for submissions for English department prizes, please consult the department website.

Elizabeth Babcock Poetry Prize

Awarded for the best poem by an undergraduate. Competition is not open to those who have already won the prize, nor may the poem have been printed previously.

Ethel Olin Corbin Prize

Awarded for the best original poem (preferably blank verse, sonnet or ballad) or informal essay by an undergraduate.

Ruth Forbes Eliot Prize 

Awarded for the best poem submitted by a first-year or sophomore.

Rosemary Thomas Poetry Prize

Awarded for the best poem or group of poems.

Elizabeth Drew Fiction Prize

Awarded for the best fiction written by an undergraduate.

Elizabeth Drew Essay Prize

Awarded for the best classroom essay on a literary subject submitted by an undergraduate in a class taught by a member of the English department.

Elizabeth Drew Memorial Prizes 

Awarded for (a) the best honors thesis in English, and (b) the best essay on a literary subject submitted by a first-year.

Eleanor Cederstrom Prize 

Awarded for the best poem by an undergraduate, written in a traditional verse form.

Helen Kate Furness Prize 

Awarded for the best essay on a Shakespearean theme prepared in courses or seminars. Honors theses are not eligible.

Elizabeth Wanning Harries Prize

Awarded to a graduating Ada Comstock Scholar for academic distinction and demonstrated commitment to the study of literature in any language.

James T. and Ellen M. Hatfield Memorial Prize

Awarded to a senior majoring in English for the best short story.

Mrs. Montagu Prize

Awarded for the best essay on a literary subject concerning women.

Gertrude Posner Spencer Prize 

Awarded for excellence in writing fiction and non-fiction prose.

Anne Bradstreet Prize from the Academy of American Poets 

Awarded for the best poem or group of poems by an undergraduate.

Emogene Mahoney Memorial Prize

Awarded for (a) the best essay on a literary subject written by a first-year student and (b) the best honors thesis.

Norma M. Leas Memorial Prize 

Awarded to a graduating English major for excellence in written English.

Iris Prize is for the work of a graduating senior in Film and Media Studies that shows excellence in a thesis, paper or other major project that is the result of substantial research, innovative thinking and creativity. Students should submit their work to the chair of the program, Jennifer Malkowski, by Thursday, May 9, at noon.

We are accepting prize submissions for 2024 via this form. Full guidelines can be found on the website for the Department of French Studies. Questions? Please email Erin Haynes

Note: You must be logged out of Drupal to view the submission form. If you need help converting photos into PDF documents, please consult this link.

Submissions for the Colette, Césaire and Voltaire prizes must be received by 4 p.m. EDT on April 19.

Voltaire Prize, awarded to a student at Smith College for an essay or project completed in French for an intermediate literature or culture course that shows originality and engagement with their subject. Note: FRN 220 essays or projects can only be submitted for the Colette Prize.

Césaire Prize, awarded to a student at Smith College for excellence in an essay or other project in French completed for an advanced literature or culture course taken on campus.

Colette Prize, awarded to a student at Smith College for an essay or project that shows originality and engagement in a French language course.

Thomas Corwin Mendenhall Prize, awarded for an essay written within the current or the three preceding semesters in a regular history course. Essays originally submitted in seminars, for special studies or as honors theses are not eligible. Submit a copy via email in pdf format to llettre@smith.edu by Friday, April 26, clearly identified in the subject line as a submission for the Mendenhall Prize competition. Students must include Prize Submission Cover Sheet A student may submit no more than one essay for this competition.

The Merle Curti Prize is awarded for the best piece of writing on any aspect of American civilization. Interested students should submit a copy via email in pdf format to llettre@smith.edu by Friday, April 26, clearly identified in the subject line as a submission for the Merle Curti Prize competition. Students must include Prize Submission Cover Sheet  

Note: Each student may submit only one entry per prize.

Michele Cantarella Memorial “Dante Prize,” established in 1988 by family, colleagues, friends and former students, is awarded to a senior for the best essay on any aspect of The Divine Comedy or Boccaccio’s Decameron. Entries must be submitted by email by Thursday, May 2, at noon, to the Department’s Administrative Assistant: Kathleen Gauger, kgauger@smith.edu. To ensure the integrity of the blind review of all submissions, write your name on a separate title page. Once received, your entry will be assigned a number and your name removed before being forwarded to the reviewing panel.

The Anacleta C. Vezzetti Prize is awarded to a senior for the best piece of writing in Italian on any aspect of the culture of Italy. Entries must be submitted by email by Thursday, May 2, at noon, to the Department’s Administrative Assistant: Kathleen Gauger, kgauger@smith.edu. To ensure the integrity of the blind review of all submissions, write your name on a separate title page. Once received, your entry will be assigned a number and your name removed before being forwarded to the reviewing panel.

The Susan Komroff Cohen ’62 and Paula Deitz ’59 Prize in Landscape Studies, is for excellence in a thesis, paper or project that examines the science, design or culture of the built environment. Sophomores, juniors and seniors are eligible and need not be landscape studies minors. Interested students should submit the version of the project or paper that includes the instructor’s comments and grade. Submissions are due in the Landscape Studies Office, Wright Hall 107, by the last day of classes.

LALS Prize is awarded to a senior major for an outstanding paper or piece of creative work (e.g. poem, visual art, video) from any LALS or Latin American or Latino/a Studies class. Deadline for submission is noon on May 1. Submit by email to LALS program chair, Javier Puente.

Margaret Collins Stoop Adesso Prize is awarded for the best new choral work composed by a Smith student. The prize is not limited to students who have taken a composition course. Compositions should be submitted to the administrative assistant of the music department, Sage Hall 102, by noon on the last day of classes.

Sarah H. Hamilton Memorial Prize is awarded for an essay on music. The essay may be a paper previously submitted for a course assignment and should be between 2,000 and 4,000 words. Any undergraduate may submit an essay to the administrative assistant of the music department, Sage Hall 102, by 4:30 p.m. on the last day of classes. It must be signed with a fictitious name and accompanied by an envelope containing the real name of the competitor.

Settie Lehman Fatman Prizes are awarded to students enrolled in intermediate and advanced music composition courses, one for a composition in extended form, the other for a composition in a small form. Compositions should be submitted to the administrative assistant of the music department, Sage Hall 102, by 4:30 p.m. on the last day of classes.

Carillon Composition Prize, established in memory of Dorothea Carlile 1922, offers two prizes annually, one for the best original composition for carillon and one for the best transcription for carillon. The competition is open to all students. Entries must be submitted by noon on the last day of classes to the administrative assistant of the music department, Sage Hall 102.

Neuroscience Service Award is awarded to a senior major on the basis of a submitted description of the activities of that student in neuroscience outreach or service to our Smith community. Submit nomination by email to Mary Harrington by April 17.

Students are invited to submit midsized and longer papers that reflect substantial research and innovative thinking for consideration for religion department prizes. Students may submit more than one paper; the department will determine which prize category a given paper fits should it be deemed prize-worthy. Students should complete the information and submit a paper using the online form. Papers must be received by noon on Tuesday, May 7.

Henry Lewis Foote Memorial Prize is awarded for the best essay on a subject in the field of biblical studies suggested by a course in the religion department and written by a Smith College undergraduate.

James Gardner Buttrick Prize is awarded for the best essay on a subject in the field of studies in religion suggested by a course in that department and written by a Smith College undergraduate.

Jochanan H.A. Wijnhoven Prize is awarded for the best essay on a subject in the area of Jewish religious thought written for a course in the religion department or the Program in Jewish Studies by a Smith College undergraduate.

Samuel Bowles Prize is awarded to graduating sociology majors for the most distinguished paper in sociology (written in a sociology course). Questions should be directed to Tina Wildhagen, department chair. Submissions are due on or before May 2 by email to Karikari Acheampong

Arthur Shattuck Parsons Memorial Prize is awarded for the outstanding paper written in a sociology course on sociological theory, methods and their application. Questions should be directed to Tina Wildhagen, department chair. Submissions are due on or before 2 p.m. on May 2 by email to Karikari Acheampong.

S. Mona Ghosh Sinha Prize is awarded annually for the best academic paper written by a Smith undergraduate on a subject that concerns South Asia. Papers from any academic discipline are welcome, and one need not be a South Asia Studies minor to be eligible. Students may not submit more than one paper for consideration in any given year. Students should complete the information and submit a paper using the online form by the deadline of 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8.

Gabriela Mistral Student Prize for Spanish is awarded to a graduating SPN major for the best senior essay or project in Spanish. Submissions, one per student, may include papers, portfolios, or projects in Spanish, completed for courses or special studies during the last two semesters of study, excluding honors theses. Submissions must be electronically submitted but aren’t required to be text-only. Hard copies will not be accepted. If submitting a portfolio or project, it must be scanned and submitted electronically in a form easy to access. Difficulty to access may disqualify a submission. Entries must include a cover sheet indicating for which course the submission was originally completed. Submissions must be sent by email to Lorraine Hedger, lhedger@smith.edu, by noon on May 7. Potential applicants should contact Spanish faculty with any questions. The department reserves the right to award the prize as deemed appropriate each year.

Clarice Lispector Student Prize for Portuguese is awarded to a graduating SPB major or minor for the best senior essay or project in Portuguese and Brazilian Studies. Submissions, one per student, may include papers, portfolios, or projects completed for courses or special studies during the last two semesters of study, excluding honors theses. Submissions must be electronically submitted but aren’t required to be text-only. Hard copies will not be accepted. If submitting a portfolio or project, it must be scanned and submitted electronically in a form easy to access. Difficulty to access may disqualify a submission. Entries must include a cover sheet indicating for which course the submission was were originally completed. Submissions are due by noon on Tuesday, May 7 and should be sent by email to Lorraine Hedger, lhedger@smith.edu. Potential applicants should contact Malcolm McNee with any questions. The department reserves the right to award the prize as deemed appropriate each year.

Denis Johnston Playwriting Prize accepts submissions from all current undergraduates of any of the Five Colleges. This annual prize is awarded jointly by the Smith College Departments of English and Theatre. Unpublished manuscripts of any length may be submitted to the 2024 Denis Johnston Prize Committee, Smith College Theatre Department via email. More than one script may be submitted.  Each submission should include a cover letter with: contact information (including an address valid after May 2024), name of school, email address, and phone number.   Students will need to include with each script to be considered for the award contact information including an address valid after May 2021, name of school, email address and phone number. Send submissions via email to Ella Longpre. The deadline for script submission is Friday, April 5, 2024.

Jeanne McFarland Prize and Valeria Dean Burgess Stevens Prize are awarded by the Program for the Study of Women, Gender and sexuality and the Project on Women and Social Change for excellent work in the study of women, gender and sexuality. Submissions are due no later than 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24. Please see complete guidelines for submission on the Program for the Study of Women and Gender website.

The Schuster Van Dyne Prize in Queer Studies is awarded annually by the Program for the Study of Women, Gender and sexuality for excellent work in queer studies. Submissions are due no later than 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24. Please see complete guidelines for submission on the Program for the Study of Women and Gender website.

David Burres Memorial Law Prize is from the Office of the Dean of the College. Established in 1985 by the widow (Professor Emerita Helen Searing), family and friends of Attorney Burres, who in his lifetime encouraged the entry of women into the legal profession. The prize, to be used toward first-year tuition, is awarded to a graduating senior or an alumna who has been accepted to law school (entrance may be deferred; the prize will be held until needed). Preference is given to students aspiring to practice law in the public interest rather than for private gain, in memory of Attorney Burres’s work for the disenfranchised and in the area of civil liberties. Need is a factor, though the prize is not restricted to students on financial aid. Applicants should submit a résumé, a statement of professional intentions, a statement of where they have been accepted for law school and whether they will be receiving financial aid and two letters of reference, one of which must be from a Smith faculty member who has had the applicant in class. All materials must be submitted electronically to Melissa Incampo at mincampo@smith.edu by 4 p.m. on Friday, April 26.

Barbara Jordan Award for Study of Law and Public Policy
From the Office of the Dean of the College. Established in 1989 to encourage African-American women to undertake careers in law and public policy, after the example of Congresswoman Barbara Jordan (1936–1996). Students and alumnae are eligible. The prize funds may be used to help prepare for admission (e.g., for application costs, internships, travel to interviews) or they may be applied toward academic loan-forgiveness. The funds may also be held for later use to help meet the costs of tuition and books. Applicants should submit evidence that they have been accepted into a school of law or a graduate program of public policy, along with a statement of professional intentions that should explain why you are interested in pursuing a career in law or public policy, some of the events in your life that led you to the decision to do so and your career plans. In addition, you should submit a résumé, a description of how the prize funds will be used and two letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a Smith faculty member whose class you took. All materials must be submitted electronically to Melissa Incampo at mincampo@smith.edu by 4 p.m. on Friday, April 26.

Ruth Dietrich Tuttle Prize is from the Office of the Dean of the College. Established in 1985 to encourage further study, travel and/or research in the areas of international relations, race relations or peace studies. The prize is for use at any time through the next academic year. Undergraduate students of any nationality who have done substantial academic work or have had relevant experience in any of these areas are eligible. Preference is given to seniors as long as they have not enrolled in graduate school. Applications are available by emailing Melissa Incampo at mincampo@smith.edu. All materials must be submitted electronically to Melissa Incampo at mincampo@smith.edu by 4 p.m. on Friday, April 26.