Awards & Scholarships

The George P. Hayes Fellowship for Graduate Study Award was established in honor of George P. Hayes, professor emeritus and former chair of the English department. The fellowship provides “assistance to a graduating senior or recent graduate who is beginning a program leading to an MA or PhD in English.”

• 2024 Shalima Wellington '16
• 2023 Ellaree Yeagley '18
• 2022 Lane Porter '22
• 2021 Lydia Matthis '19
• 2020 Amber Kidd '19
• 2019 Claudia Mitchell '16
• 2018 Ciel Zhang '18
• 2017 Abigail Biles '17
• 2016 Meiqing Xiong '16
• 2015 Vheryl Wollner '15
• 2014 Sy Myat Thu, Chesya Burke
• 2013 Lauren Elizabeth Albin, Mary Elizabeth Albin
• 2012 Elizabeth Gustoson-Berkstresser
• 2011 Jennifer Bartell, Neil Simpkins
• 2010 Krystal McKenzie
• 2009 Margaret Greaves
• 2008 Alison Hennessee
• 2007 Kristin Hall
• 2006 Mollie Barnes

The Academy of American Poets Prize is given with the cosponsorship of the Academy of American Poets. The recognition received is national.

• 2024 Carole Gilley; First Runner-Up: Madison Jennings; Second Runner-Up: Taylor Johnson
• 2023 Julian Uhlman; Honorable Mention: Scout Ard
• 2022 Cindy Nguyen; 2nd place: Jackie Hernandez; Honorable Mention: Aminah Parris
• 2021 Marianna Maciel; honorable mention Sarah Letteer
• 2020 Sophia Elzie, Honorable mention: Rachel Farnsworth
• 2019 Srinidhi Panchapakesan
• 2018 Molly McDaniel, Honorable mentions: Alex Fallon and Anna Vuu
• 2017 Maya Mackenzie, Honorable mentions: Mariya Pekar and Bianca Buschor
• 2016 Shakoora Sabree, Honorable mention: Natalie Martinez
• 2015 Courtney Faye Taylor, Honorable mentions: Molly McDaniel and Erin Pirkle
• 2014 Gabe Hall, Sophia Kumin, Keely Lewis
• 2013 Bethany Paige Sullivan
• 2012 Bhumi Patel
• 2011 Bhumi Patel, Samantha Tanner
• 2010 Elaine Koutroulias
• 2009 Isabel Harding, Leticia Santos
• 2008 Emily Lake Hansen
• 2007 Kimberly Wallace
• 2006 Kimberly Wallace
• 2005 Kimberly Wallace; honorable mention, Cailin Copan-Kelly
• 2004 Twan Farmer; honorable mention, Cailin Copan-Kelly
• 2003 Twan Farmer; honorable mention, Amber Prentis
• 2002 Whitney Mutch; honorable mention, Yaisha Harding
• 2001 Tramaine Hugie

The Betty W. Stoffel '44 Award for Poetry and Creative Writing was established in her memory by her husband, Lee Stoffel. This recognizes a student whom the English faculty deems “outstanding” in poetry or creative writing. 

• 2024 Eli Kuhn
• 2023 Rebecca Robinson
• 2022 Mina Goldsman
• 2021 Camryn Smith
• 2020 Nia Coates
• 2019 Lyrik Courtney
• 2018 Sye Williams
• 2017 Kierre Murphy
• 2016 Halden Ingwersen
• 2015 Sarah Banasiewicz
• 2014 Katherine Rose Criscuolo
• 2013 Sanidia Oliver
• 2012 Megan Mabry
• 2011 Chani Zwibel
• 2010 Michele Hunter
• 2009 Justine Schwartz
• 2008 Hika Anani, Kimberly Crews
• 2007 Elizabeth Ott
• 2006 Shiloh Booker
• 2005 Jennifer Bartell
• 2004 Megan Morris
• 2003 Alexandra Pajak
• 2002 Tiffanni Lee-Fong
• 2001 Melanie Knowles

The Janef Newman Preston Prizes for Creative Writing are presented in memory of Professor Janef Newman Preston, who was for many years a valued member of the English Department. The award recognizes students in the categories of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and dramatic writing; the recipients are selected by the department.

2024

• Poetry:  Léane Coudray
• Fiction: Brynn Johnson
• Nonfiction: Avery Best
• Drama or Screenwriting: Anjali David

2023

• Poetry: Julian Uhlman
• Fiction: Anabel McGinnis
• Nonfiction: Maggee Chang
• Drama: Kennedy Lynn

2022

• Poetry: Seren Davis
• Fiction: Eve Clark
• Nonfiction: Ash Busick
• Drama: Sara Mackian

2021

• Poetry: Morgan Brown
• Fiction: Lourrain Simon
• Nonfiction: Annel Chavez
• Dramatic Writing: A’lyah Releford

2020

• Poetry: Sara Masters
• Fiction: Maya Webster
• Nonfiction: Meh Sod Paw
• Dramatic Writing: Anna Dodds

2019

• Poetry: Joie Otting
• Fiction: Camryn Smith
• Nonfiction: Taylor James
• Dramatic Writing: Maya Getling

2018

• Poetry: Lyrik Courtney
• Fiction: Shelby Turner
• Nonfiction: Alice Mawi
• Dramatic Writing: Sophia Ho

2017

• Poetry: Bianca Buschor
• Fiction: Anna Lachkaya
• Nonfiction: Ellaree Yeagley
• Dramatic Writing: Carolina Canas

2016

• Poetry: Allison Dupuis
• Fiction: Emma Sachs
• Nonfiction: Sydney Love
• Dramatic Writing: Zoe Howard

2015

• Poetry: Lily Hulatt
• Fiction: Stacia Ashe
• Nonfiction: Martha Wallace
• Dramatic Writing: Lingcong Zhou

2014

• Poetry: Courtney Taylor
• Fiction: Jessica Crisler
• Nonfiction: Thanh-Thao Tran-Phan
• Dramatic Writing: Phoebe Perry

2013 and earlier, all prizes were awarded for Fiction.

• 2013 Caitlin White
• 2012 Merrill Montgomery
• 2011 Brittani Banks, Kayla Miller
• 2010 Megan Lank
• 2009 Vanessa Arcio, Jessica Probus
• 2008 Yeshey Pelson
• 2007 Laura McKelvey
• 2006 Alison Hennessee
• 2005 Kelli Harris
• 2004 Simone Irwin
• 2003 Tonysha Johnson, Joy Todaro
• 2002 Tonysha Johnson
• 2001 Sarah Worden

The Robert Frost Prize in Creative Writing was established by the Class of ‘63 and consists of a cash prize to be awarded to the student who shows the most promise in the field of creative writing, as judged by members of the English department.

• 2024 Cindy Nguyen
• 2023 A'Lyah Releford
• 2022 Damara Soto
• 2021 Maya Gelting
• 2020 Sigal Kahn
• 2019 Alex Brown
• 2018 Anna Lachkaya
• 2017 Anastasia McCray
• 2016 Latianna Nichols
• 2015 Courtney Faye Taylor
• 2014 Gabe Hall, Cheryl Wollner
• 2013 Anna Isabelle Deang, Keely Rebecca Lewis
• 2012 Marian Kaufman
• 2011 Martha Holloway, Samantha Tanner
• 2010 Elaine Koutroulias
• 2009 Shawna Floyd
• 2008 Stacey Mantooth
• 2007 Sarah Scoles
• 2006 Mahnaz Nazir
• 2005 Camille Lindsey; honorable mention, Mahnaz Nazir
• 2004 Twan Farmer
• 2003 Eleanor Paynter
• 2002 Laynea Allen
• 2001 Caroline Murnane

The Bonnie Henderson Schell '66 Award established in 2017, these awards recognize the best senior project in literature, the best senior in creative writing, and the best senior project in nonfiction.

2024

• Literature: Carsun Neubauer
• Creative Writing: Elena Ianzito
• Nonfiction: Rebecca Robinson

2023

• Literature: Kat Meyer Reed
• Creative Writing: Mina Goldsman
• Nonfiction: Sukainah Abid-Kons

2022

• Literature: Camryn King and Lane Porter
• Creative Writing: Srinidhi Panchapakesan
• Nonfiction: Maya Martin

2021

• Literature: Amelia Handly
• Creative Writing: Sophia Ho
• Nonfiction: Eve Barrett

2020

• Literature: Yuxin Zheng
• Creative Writing: Jacqueline Yarbough
• Nonfiction: Deja Gonsalves

2019

• Literature: Elizabeth Wolfe
• Creative Writing: Marianne Danneman
• Nonfiction: Nicolette Paglioni

2018

• Literature: Emily Blount
• Creative Writing: Ellaree Yeagley
• Nonfiction: Emma Sachs

2017

• Literature: Rebekah Fields
• Creative Writing: Kelsey Morgan
• Nonfiction: Zoe Howard

The Mary Taylor Lipscomb Garrity Award was established by Henry Garrity in loving memory of his wife, Mary Taylor Lipscomb Garrity, a member of the class of 1961. This award is given to a rising junior or senior who demonstrates excellence in the study of literature, literary interpretation, or English.

• 2024 Mary Shawhan
• 2023 Kit Rapier
• 2022 Autumn Darling
• 2021 Delaney Porter
• 2020 Camryn King
• 2019 Yuxin Zheng
• 2018 Lydia Mathis
• 2017 Tiantian Zhang
• 2016 Abigail Biles
• 2015 Rose Farrar
• 2014 Shalima Wellington
• 2013 Sofia Jazmin Barrera
• 2012 Anna Cabe
• 2011 Caitlin White
• 2010 Jhavia Etheridge
• 2009 Safia Uddin, Neil Simpkins
• 2008 Camiley Constantine, Sagan Lain
• 2006 Jasmine E. Jackson

The Louise McKinney Literary Award for the best student essay on literature was established as a memorial to Professor Louise McKinney, who taught for many years in the English department. The goal of the competition is the public recognition of literary study, of the art and craft of writing about literature, and of the qualities and habits of mind that make a good student of literature.

• 2024 Jasper Potts
• 2023 Sofie Leggett
• 2022 Rebecca Robinson
• 2021 Melody Simmons
• 2020 Alex Fallon
• 2019 Yuxin Zheng
• 2018 Taylor Drake
• 2017 Rebekah Fields
• 2016 Mary Bolton
• 2015 Meiqing Xiong
• 2014 Cory Barrows, Sofia Barrera
• 2013 Kathryn Elizabeth Dean
• 2012 Elizabeth Gustoson-Berkstresser
• 2011 Jenny Jacobs
• 2010 Neil Simpkins
• 2009 Savannah Sharp
• 2008 Kristal McKenzie
• 2007 Jina Kim
• 2006 Cailin-Copan-Kelly
• 2005 Mollie Barnes, Rebecca Weber
• 2004 Kristin Kallaher, Andrea Comiskey
• 2003 Eleanor Paynter
• 2002 Melissa Gallegos

The Eleanor Newman Hutchens First-Year Essay Award honors a distinguished alumna of the college, Eleanor Newman Hutchens ‘40, who was also a member of the English department for many years. It is given to an outstanding essay written for any course at Agnes Scott during the current academic year by a student with first-year standing. The award recognizes the importance of writing in all disciplines and celebrates the achievement of a first-year student who writes with distinction and promise. 

• 2007 Julia St. Goar
• 2005 Jasmine E. Jackson
• 2004 Kristin Hall
• 2003 Jennifer Pennington
• 2002 Megan Morris; second prize Shailee Pradhan
• 2001 April Hathcock