Arnold C. Brackman Journalism Award:  LESLIE PIZZAGALLI

Professor Arnold Brackman established the journalism program at WCSU and led many students to careers in the field. This award recognizes excellence in news writing. 

Barbara Winder Award in Creative Writing:  VINCENZO ANASTASIA & SUSAN PATNAIK

This award was established to honor Professor Barbara Winder, long-time teacher of Creative Writing at Western. It is awarded to the student who has submitted the best piece of writing to the Writing Department in the last year. The award includes a $50 cash prize. 

Distinction in Writing for Senior Portfolio:   MARKUS ELKEN, KRYSTA SCRIVEN, & JACOB SOLOMON (Spring 2019); ANTHONY TUCCIARONE (Fall 2020)

Senior Portfolio distinction is awarded by a panel of faculty members in the Department of Writing, Linguistics, and Creative Process to Professional Writing majors whose portfolios demonstrate the highest level of accomplishment in writing.

Distinguished Thesis Recognition for Excellent MFA Thesis Projects:  GINA ATANASOFF, SUZANNE BLAIR & CATHERINE D'ANDREA (Spring 2019); MATTEA HELLER & LISA PETERSON (Fall 2020) 

Thesis Distinction is awarded by the Thesis Committee (which includes the students’ thesis advisors and the Coordinator of the MFA in Creative and Professional Writing) to students whose thesis work is judged to be of publishable quality and among the best work, historically, to have been presented in the program. 

Elizabeth Roche Award for Excellence by an Emerging Writer:  MATHEW SCHUMER 

This award is given by Prof. John Roche in honor of his late sister and photojournalist Elizabeth Roche to a first- or second-year student who has exhibited special promise as an emerging writer. This award includes a $50 cash prize. 

Excellence in Creative Nonfiction Award:  AMANDA BENJAMIN 

This award is given to a student who has demonstrated mastery of creative nonfiction in at least one excellent work in the genre during the past year. 

Excellence in Writing for Stage, Screen, and Multimedia Award:  MORGAN CAIRNS 

This award is given to a student who has exhibited excellence in writing for stage, screen, or multimedia platforms. 

Jim Scrimgeour Award for Excellence in Poetry:  DESTINY BARUM 

This award is given to an undergraduate Creative Writing student in honor of Emeritus Professor and poet James R. Scrimgeour. The award includes a $50 cash prize. 

John Briggs Award for Editorial Excellence:  AUDREY REDPATH

This award is given in honor of Professor Emeritus John Briggs by journalism faculty in the Department of Writing, Linguistics, and Creative Process to a student who has served as an editorial leader in student publications. 

Louise Kolb Award for Outstanding Service to the Writing Center:  WILLIAM SILVIA

This award is given by the Coordinator of the WCSU Writing Center to a student who has served the Writing Center with distinction. 

Patrick Ryan Award for Literary Citizenship:  MIKAYLA SILKMAN 

This award is given for the first time in 2020 in honor of Dr. Patrick Ryan, retiring former Chair of the Department of Writing, Linguistics, and Creative Process, to a student who has been a leader in building literary community on campus. 

The Ronald K. Goodridge Award for Outstanding Historically Based and Researched Essay or Short Story:  BRIANNA BENCOSME 

This award was established in honor of Ronald K. Goodridge, a lifetime reader and lover of historical fiction and non-fiction. The award is presented to a junior or senior Writing major with the best historically based and researched essay or short story. The award includes a $100 cash stipend. 

WCSU AWP Intro Awards: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction:  BRIANA McGUCKIN (fiction), LISA PETERSON (nonfiction), MURDINA WRIGHT (poetry)

Winners of the WCSU awards (selected in open competition) advance to compete for the national-level writing awards from the Association of Writers & Writing Programs.