Scholarships and Awards

Dr. Hal Wyss taught in the Albion College English Department from 1970-2005. A beloved professor, he specialized in American literature, with a particular love for Hemingway, Frost, Twain, Faulkner, and Melville In addition to courses on composition and linguistics, Professor Wyss developed and taught courses on horror and science fiction, the work of individual authors, literary criticism, and interdisciplinary studies of the environment; he was also named Teacher of the Year and College Advisor of the year during his time at Albion.

An avid birdwatcher and fisherman, Professor Wyss authored two books, on eagles and hummingbirds. As a resident of Albion, he was also deeply involved in the community, holding leadership roles with the Albion First United Methodist Church, the Albion Academy of Lifelong Learning and the Albion Rotary; in addition, he was a member of Albion Community Theatre, the Albion Historical Society and the Riverfront Committee.

In commemoration of Professor Wyss’s significant and long-lasting impact at Albion College and on the town of Albion, his family, friends, and alumni established this scholarship to encourage a promising English major with at least sophomore standing and a minimum GPA of 2.7, with preference given to a student from the town of Albion.

Awardees include:

• 2020 – Autumn Simpson
• 2019 – Abigail Adams
• 2018 – Alisha Bailey and Mckenna Donahue
• 2017 – Nicole Kurlich and Mary Noble

This endowed scholarship is designated for a first- or second-year female student with an interest in literature. Sally Ann MacArthur & Forrest Heaton met as students at Albion in 1958. They were married in Albion’s Chapel, 27 August, 1960. They shared two years of dating at Albion and thirty-seven grand years of marriage. Sally died 23 February, 1997. The family set up this endowment in memory of Sally, to honor her strong interest in literature—particularly Shakespeare and Twain, to express their appreciation to Albion for the educational foundations provided to Sally & Forrest, and to assist Albion students in their securing their own educational foundations.

Awardees include:

• 2020 – Lucy Nevrly
• 2019 – Eryn Starr
• 2018 – Eryn Starr
• 2017 – Mary Noble
• 2016 – Marley Guy
• 2015 – Emily Allison
• 2014 – Emily Miller
  “I am the first member of my immediate family to be awarded a scholarship like this, and my parents and siblings were thrilled at my accomplishment.”
• 2013 – Emma Stapley
  “Your generosity will serve a constant reminder of the joy and peace that literature has always and will always inspire in me.”
• 2012 – Megan Connolly
  “This award has also strengthened my resolve to make literature and writing a part of my future career… it has given me confidence to pursue the thing that I have wanted to pursue for so long but was too afraid to really go after.”
• 2011 – Keegan Mogg
• 2010 – Emily Hopkins
• 2009 – Christin Spoolstra
• 2008 – Kristin Butler
• 2007 – Melissa Bailey
• 2006 – Angela Zito
• 2005 – Kathryn Berger
• 2004 – Kristy Clement
• 2003 – Jennifer Paine
• 2002 – Rebekah Beall
• 2001 – Karin Heffel
• 2000 – Amber Buck and Laura Kraly
• 1999 – Bethany Buchholz

This scholarship honors an Albion College English major who has achieved excellence in writing and has specific interest in and talent for advertising and public relations.

Awardees include:

• 2020 – Aura Ware
• 2019 – Jordan Revenaugh
• 2018 – Kellie Brown
• 2017 – Beau Brockett
• 2016 – Steven Marowski
• 2015 – Alexandra Carey
• 2014 – Grant Juth
• 2013 – Alexa Hyman
• 2012 – Claire Van Raaphorst
• 2011 – Claire Van Raaphorst
• 2010 – Steven Gadzinski
• 2009 – Lisa Hoehn
• 2008 – Andrew Kimball and Danielle Wysocki
• 2007 – Elizabeth Bendall and Calli McCain
• 2006 – Rachel Karmol
• 2005 – Charlie Snearly and Michael Melvin
• 2004 – Angela Doolin
• 2003 – Erin Laidlaw
• 2002 – John Sellers
• 2001 – Emily Thompson
• 2000 – Russell Blackwell
• 1998 – Quiana Lawrey
• 1997 – Lee Hull
• 1996 – Matt Berres
• 1995 – Joshua Bopp
• 1994 – Kristi Drenth
• 1993 – Michelle Ames
• 1992 – Hope Bailey
• 1991 – Norendra Sinha

Nominated and voted on by the English Department, this award is based on the recipient’s

Awardees include:

• 2020 – Jordan Revenaugh
• 2019 – Jessica Behrman
• 2018 – Beau Brockett
• 2017 – Emily Allison
• 2016 – Katerina Boni
• 2015 – Ellen Koppy
• 2014 – Alexandria Chumney
• 2013 – Olivia Potoczak
• 2012 – Daniel Myckowiak
• 2010 – Kelsey Lauer
• 2009 – MacKenzie Burger
• 2008 – Christie Piper
• 2007 – Holly Setter
• 2006 – Maria Stella
• 2005 – Nick Kyriakopoulos
• 2004 – Rebekah Beall
• 2003 – Kim Mutch
• 2000 – Katie Fuelling
• 1998 – Emily Betz
• 1997 – Britt Halvorson
• 1996 – Rebecca Palmer
• 1995 – Carolyn Wagner
• 1994 – Michelle Murawski
• 1993 – Susan Johnston
• 1992 – Michelle Ames
• 1991 – Kristen Cheney

This endowed prize is designated for recognizing overall excellence in the English major. Sally Ann MacArthur & Forrest Heaton met as students at Albion in 1958. They were married in Albion’s Chapel, 27 August, 1960. They shared two years of dating at Albion and thirty-seven grand years of marriage. Sally died 23 February, 1997. The family set up this endowment in memory of Sally, to honor her strong interest in literature—particularly Shakespeare and Twain, to express their appreciation to Albion for the educational foundations provided to Sally & Forrest, and to assist Albion students in their securing their own educational foundations.

Awardees include:

• 2020 – Kierra Bush
• 2019 – Beau Brockett
• 2018 – Emily Allison
• 2017 – Ellen Koppy
• 2016 – Emma Stapley
• 2015 – Phillip Carlisle
• 2014 – Sara Jongeward and Travis Trombley
• 2013 – Kayla Knight
• 2012 – Josiah Fallot
• 2011 – Stephen Dudas
• 2010 – Sabrina Sutherland
• 2009 – Angela Zito
• 2008 – Laruen Karcz
• 2007 – Michael Melvin
• 2006 – Rachael Lyon
• 2005 – Rebekah Beall, Brinn Cronin, Erica Flock, Jennifer Paine
• 2004 – Elizabeth Kreil
• 2003 – Karin Heffel
• 2002 – Cheryl Kane
• 2001 – Carl Gladstone
• 2000 – Rebecca Little

The English Department chooses the winner of this award with the utmost seriousness, for it values highly the commitment to the study of literature which it represents. Dr. Hart retired from Albion College in 1982 after more than thirty years as one of our most respected teachers. As Joseph J. Irwin, former chairman at Albion, once wrote, Dr. Hart was “an inspirational educator who led, cajoled, pushed, or pulled students toward a love of learning and toward an enduring relationship with English and American literature.” Dr. Hart was also one of Albion’s most productive scholars, having published three books and some fifteen articles. Dr. Hart, who passed away in 2011, came to represent for his colleagues the love of learning for its own sake, and this award was named in his honor partly to remind ourselves each year of the values which he asserted in the face of narrow specialization and pre-professional obsessions.

Awardees include:

• 2019 – Evan Rieth
• 2018 – Emily Allison and Travis Brady
• 2017 – Kathleen Casebeer and Emily McCaleb
• 2016 – Audrey DeGroot
• 2015 – Holley Taylor
• 2014 – Megan Connolly
• 2013 – Keegan Mogg
• 2012 – Emily Hopkins
• 2011 – Elizabeth Dunlap
• 2010 – Kristin Butler and Ellie Schulhoff
• 2009 – Amanda Haggerty
• 2008 – Andrew Brennan and Lauren Karcz
• 2007 – Catherine Janssen and Sean Stork
• 2006 – Natalie Corbin and Daniel Wreschnig
• 2005 – Jennifer Paine and James Rider
• 2004 – Steven Plunkett
• 2003 – Dana Lobelle
• 2002 – Kelly Kurtz
• 2001 – Rebecca Linz
• 2000 – Andrew Kolozsvary
• 1999 – Ryan Shirey
• 1998 – Clark Dawood and Beth Wittbrodt
• 1997 – Renae DeMunck
• 1996 – Kathleen Pilchowski
• 1995 – Rebecca Camp and Susan Quinn
• 1994 – Gregory Andrzejewski
• 1993 – Brenda Grile
• 1992 – Elizabeth Ludington
• 1991 – Lee Ann Richardson
• 1990 – Kara Tambellini
• 1989 – Jennifer O’Haver and Michael Stancliff
• 1988
• 1987 – Jane Conklin, Karolyn Johnson, Lisa MacDowell
• 1986 – Jennifer Lord
• 1985 – Sandra Mason
• 1984 – Jeffrey Coe
• 1983 – Catherine Sweet
• 1982 – Judith Gimik
• 1981 – Kathryn VanDyke
• 1980 – Tamara Groves
• 1979 – Michaela Swart

Awarded each year, this prize is earned by the student whose achievement as a writer—whether in journalism, creative writing, or expository writing—most clearly merits recognition for reflecting our own goals as teachers of writing.

Awardees include:

• 2020 – Margaret Whitlock
• 2019 – Catherine Dodds, Emilee Kinney, Evan Rieth
• 2018 – Emily Allison and Katerina Boni
• 2017 – Nicole Kurlich
• 2016 – Shenoa Butcher and Emma Stapley
• 2015 – Olivia Potoczak and Holley Taylor
• 2014 – Shonté Daniels
• 2013 – Kennie Kellerhals
• 2012 – Emily Hopkins
• 2011 – Kristen Dawes and Kelly Voigt
• 2010 – Lisa Hoehn and Stephanie Kelly
• 2009 – Tyler Rubenfeld and Stephanie Edwards
• 2008 – Lauren Karcz
• 2007 – Brianna Caszatt
• 2006 – Christine Bell
• 2005 – Rebekah Beall and Brinn Cronin
• 2004 – Ann Preczewski
• 2003 – Amber Buck
• 2002 – Bethany Buchholz
• 2001 – Leslie DuBois
• 2000 – Marc Drummond and Chad Kurzawski
• 1999 – Aimee Mepham
• 1998 – Beth Wittbrodt
• 1997 – Joshua Bopp and Matthew Genthe
• 1996 – Siphiwe Mashinini, Andrew Moxon, Shelby Rosiak
• 1995 – Nicole Bondi
• 1994 – Michelle Ames
• 1993 – Michael Baer and Melissa Kelly
• 1992 – Jennifer Smith
• 1991 – Jonathan Addison
• 1990 – Morris Arvoy
• 1989 – Steven Chalk
• 1988 – Jennifer Carmichael
• 1987 – Holly Huber
• 1986 – Beth Ickes
• 1985 – Shelly Thacker
• 1984 – Colleen Treml
• 1983 – Lois Cole
• 1982 – Ross Ruehle
• 1981 – Jeffrey Greenman and Jeffrey Olesen

A gift to the English Department made possible the creation of the Robert H. Gildart Creative Writing Awards. These are cash prizes designed to honor the career of Bob Gildart, who taught at Albion College for 25 years and cared deeply about the quality of student writing. The prizes will be awarded each year to sophomores at Albion College. Up to three awards in each category (Poetry, Fiction, Drama) will be made.

2020 Fiction Winner

• First – Akane Sturtevant
• Second – Lydia Gilbert

2020 Poetry Winner

• Akane Sturtevant

2019 Fiction Winner

• Ashley Cadilac

2019 Poetry Winner

• Olivia Guy

2018 Poetry Awardees

• First – Hannah Reamer
• Second – Victoria Dulock
• Third – Rachel Schott

2018 Fiction Awardees

• First – Seth Bivins

2017 Poetry Awardees

• First – Emilee Kinney
• Second – Monique Fields

2017 Fiction Awardees

• First – Catherine Dodds

2016 Poetry Awardees

• First – Travis Brady

2016 Fiction Awardees

• First – Marley Guy

2015 Drama Awardees

• First – Abigail Radwick

2015 Poetry Awardees

• First – Abigail Radwick

The Joseph J. Irwin Society is an English Department honor society.

Awardees include:

2020 Awardees

• Abigail Amat
• Malyn Berger
• Seth Bivins
• Logan Bohlinger
• Kellie Brown
• Kierra Bush
• Tyler Eyster
• Temi Fadayomi
• Nora Gaffney
• Gabrielle Henriksen
• Lauren Huggett
• Emily Kinser
• Brieanna McAuliffe
• Marcus Olah
• Margaret Whitlock

2019 Awardees

• Taylor Anhalt
• Mackie Black
• Beau Brockett
• Zachary Brueck
• Catherine Dodds
• Sarah Finn
• Jared Karsama
• Emilee Kinney
• Mary Noble
• Evan Rieth
• Autumn Vanheulen

2018 Awardees

• Emily Allison
• Travis Brady
• Katerina Boni
• Kailey Henderson
• Paige Johnson

2017 Awardees

• Alce Garvin
• Cayla Dupuis
• Dana Demchak
• Ellen Koppy
• Emily McCaleb
• Emily Miller
• Kathleen Casebeer
• Nicole Kurlich

2016 Awardees

• Emma Stapley
• Emily Espinosa
• Hannah Catalano
• Audrey DeGroot
• Shenoa Butcher
• Taylor Shell

This scholarship was created by the family of J.D. Reed and designated for a worthy and deserving student majoring in English and pursuing the study of creative writing.

J.D. was an Albion College alumni who was a poet, novelist, and journalist whose love of writing was evident throughout his career.

Awardees include:

• 2020 – Akane Sturtevant
• 2019 – Akane Sturtevant
• 2018 – Emilee Kinney and Zach Brueck
• 2017 – Ellen Koppy
• 2016 – Nicole Kurlich
• 2015 – Emma Stapley
• 2014 – Olivia Potoczak
• 2012 – Kennie Kellerhals

This prize is awarded each year to the student(s) who have made the greatest contribution to the Pleiad in editing, writing, reporting, layout, photography, online editing, graphics, distribution, and/or business management.

This prize is made possible by donors Dr. Glenn A. Corliss, ’61 and Nan D. Corliss, ’63.

Awardees include:

2020 Awardees

• Gabrielle Henriksen
• Jordan Revenaugh
• Maclean Robertson

2019 Awardees

• Beau Brockett
• Jessica Behrman

2018 Awardees

• Steven Marowski

2017 Awardees

• Beau Brockett
• Emily Miller
• Steve Marowski

2016 Awardees

• Beau Brockett
• Clare Kolenda
• Natalya DiCiaca

2015 Awardees

• Alexa Hyman
• Clare Kolenda
• Spencer White

2014 Awardees

• Claire Van Raaphorst
• Kurt Miller

2013 Awardees

• Nicholas Diamond
• Travis Trombley

2009 Awardees

• Kyle Gillis

2008 Awardees

• Christie Piper

The Mary Collar English Explicator Prize was established by Mitchell and Belinda Stapley to recognize the invaluable support and mentorship Belinda Stapley (’83) and her daughter Emma Stapley (’16) received from Dr. Collar while at Albion College. The award is intended to further Dr. Collar’s contributions to fostering a passion for literary criticism in many students at Albion by recognizing an outstanding piece of written literary analysis produced in a literature course during a student’s junior year.

Awardees include:

• 2020 – Eryn Starr

The Judith Lockyer Award for Excellence in Literary Study is intended to recognize talented students who are highly committed to the study of literature. Dr. Lockyer retired from Albion College in 2019 after over thirty years of service. She was known for her engaging teaching and her mentoring of students, and for her conviction that the study of imaginative literature prepares us to be empathetic, responsible citizens. Throughout her career, Dr. Lockyer was a tireless advocate for gender, ethnic, and racial awareness and equality; her many achievements include playing an instrumental role in establishing the Anna Howard Shaw Women’s Center, as well as creating Albion College’s gender and ethnicity course categories. We named this award in her honor to remind ourselves each year of the way Dr. Lockyer combined the love of reading and writing with a firm commitment to the value and diversity of human experiences, voices, and literatures.

Awardees include:

• 2020 – Tyler Eyster