The English Department awards some of these prizes each spring semester. For the first four, members of the English Department nominate students for the awards. Nominations are discussed and decisions are made by the department staff. In some years, the department may decide not to award one or more of the prizes.
The Signi Falk Prize for Distinguished Work in
Literary
Analysis
The Grail for the graduating English Major with the
most impressive achievements
The Skandera Prize for distinguished work in
American
Literature
Distinguished Achievement in English
The Paul Engle Creative Writing Prize differs from the others in that students are asked to enter. The deadline usually is near the end of March. See details below.
The Signi Falk Prize for Distinguished Work in Literary Analysis
In honor of Signi Falk, scholar and teacher at Coe College, this prize is awarded to the student or students who do the most impressive work in Literary Analysis. Signi Falk was a beloved member of the Coe faculty in the English Department for many years and was a constant inspiration to students. After her retirement in 1971, she became a tireless activist and volunteer.
The Grail
Professors in the Department of English nominate graduating seniors who in their estimation are the most academically talented and who have demonstrated this talent in all of their course work. The department chooses a senior English major who has demonstrated the ability to take on independent research, such as an honors project or seminar paper. The student also must have actively fostered a challenging intellectual environment at Coe. The prize was established in the spring of 1983 by alumni Sharon E. Wood ('80), an English major, and Audrey Anderson ('79).
The Skandera Prize
Given by former Coe Academic Dean and Mark Twain scholar, Laura Skandera-Trombly to honor her parents, this prize goes to a student who has done distinguished work in American Literature during the current academic year.
Distinguished Achievement in English
The Department usually
gives
one or more of these awards to seniors who have made an outstanding
contribution
to the English program at Coe, either through excellent academic work
of
some kind or through service to the Department or through outstanding
work
in extra curricular activities of special interest to the Department,
such
as the English Club, The Pearl, or The Coe Review.
The Paul Engle Creative Writing Prize - How to Enter
The Paul Engle Memorial
Prize
for Creative Writing is awarded each Spring to the junior
or senior student who, in the estimate of the Department of
English, has demonstrated the highest levels of skill and imagination
in
a portfolio.
This portfolio should be
substantial,
consisting of a collection of poems, or stories, or essays; or a novel
or a major portion of a novel; or a film or drama script; or a
selection
from among several of these kinds of writing. Juniors and seniors
wishing
to be considered for this prize should consult with a member of the
English
Department before preparing the portfolio.
Paul Engle, Coe '31, a Rhodes
Scholar, was a poet, founder of the University of Iowa Writer's
Workshop,
and co-founder of the University of Iowa's International Writing
Program.
The
submission deadline is usually late in March.