Awards

Award for the best graduate seminar paper from the previous year by an English graduate student. Papers can be revised and will be judged on their potential for publication in an academic journal.  Application materials:  A copy of your paper with title page with your name on it (please do not put your name on the other pages).

This award specifically supports travel to the United Kingdom and must be used to further the applicant’s doctoral dissertation research. Required Materials will be circulated by the Director of Graduate Studies. Applicants should be certain to include a description of the proposed research (including specific sites to be visited and materials to be consulted) and its significance to the applicant’s dissertation.

The Sue Crowley Award for Inclusive Excellence is a scholarship that can be used in the US or abroad for such purposes as taking a summer course outside of MU, traveling to an archive, attending a conference or for other professional development. Application materials: a description of the research project, conference, course or opportunity with an explanation of how it contributes to your course of study (250 words).

This fellowship supports a graduate student who has had an essay accepted or who has presented at a prestigious academic conference during the preceding calendar year. Application materials: abstract of the paper (up to 250 words), brief description of the conference and its significance to your graduate work (up to 250 words)

These fellowships provide one course release per semester in the year students are completing their dissertations. Eligibility: All PhD students who have passed comprehensive examinations may apply except those who have exceeded their originally funded time in the program. (Five years for those entering with an MA or MFA, six years for those entering with a BA.)  Applicants should submit a pdf with a cv, a 2-page letter describing their dissertation project (its significance and contribution). A one-page recommendation from the advisor is also required and should be sent as a separate pdf. Applications will be judged on the quality of the dissertation materials submitted and feasibility of finishing in the year of award.  Recommendation and applicant letters should speak to both criteria. 

This fellowship supports a graduate student who is completing the dissertation. Eligibility (as specified in the endowment): “a doctoral student in American or English Literature at the dissertation-writing stage. Preference is given to students with dependents, especially young children.”  Please note that this last is a preference, not a requirement for the award; some past recipients have not had dependents. However, this award is for PhD students in literature only; students in Creative Writing and in English Language and Linguistics are not eligible.

English Department Graduate Student Travel Awards provide up to $1000 of support for graduate students giving papers at professional conferences either in the US or abroad. 

If students are awarded a grant (including travel grants) from an external entity outside the university, the MU English department will match that grant up to $500. Graduate students are eligible for one matching grant per fiscal year.

Awards for conference travel are also available from other organizations on campus:

MU Graduate Professional Council (GPC)
Three deadlines a year for travel and professional development funding:
Travel Awards

MU Graduate Studies 
Travel Scholarships
(note only 1 travel or dissertation research grant during each grad student’s career at MU)

Donald K. Anderson Teaching Award

English PhD students are invited to apply to the English department for nomination to the Donald K. Anderson Graduate Teaching Assistant Award. 

The English department may nominate one graduate student for this award; please see the link to the Graduate School above and guidelines below to be considered for this honor. In past years, strong candidates have been in the 4th or 5th year of the program; while any PhD student may apply, those in the early years of the program are less likely to be competitive.

If you wish to be considered for nomination, please submit a teaching portfolio. See the Graduate School link for what to include. No letters at this stage, please.

The department nominee will be selected by a committee of English faculty and graduate student representatives who are not being considered for nomination, in early December. Nominations are due to the Graduate School in early February.

Due date for submissions is December 2. 

The William Peden Award for Outstanding Teaching of Creative Writing

The William Peden Award is awarded annually to an outstanding graduate student instructor of creative writing.

All current MU English graduate teaching assistants with at least .25 FTE appointments are eligible for this award. Candidates will be evaluated on the basis of demonstrated excellence and lasting impact in the following areas: successful performance in the classroom; enthusiasm and commitment; mentoring of undergraduates; and satisfactory progress towards degree.

If you wish to be considered, please submit the following materials: a 1-page cover letter in which you comment directly on how you fulfill the criteria for the award; a CV; a 1-page statement of teaching philosophy; 2 sample syllabi from creative writing courses; descriptions of between 3-5 assignments; and full packets of teaching evaluations from 2 creative writing courses.

To apply for the award, log in to Scholarship Universe, search for the award, and follow the instructions there.

The winner will be selected by a committee of English faculty and an EGSA representative who is not being considered.

If you have any questions, email the Director of Creative Writing.

Due date for submissions is March 27.

The Gil Porter Award for Outstanding Teaching of Literature

The Gil Porter Award is awarded annually to an outstanding graduate student instructor of literature.

All current MU English graduate teaching assistants with at least .25 FTE appointments are eligible for this award. Candidates will be evaluated on the basis of demonstrated excellence and lasting impact in the following areas: successful performance in the classroom; enthusiasm and commitment; mentoring of undergraduates; and satisfactory progress towards degree.

If you wish to be considered, please submit the following materials: a 1-page cover letter in which you comment directly on how you fulfill the criteria for the award; a CV; a 1-page statement of teaching philosophy; 2 sample syllabi from literature courses; descriptions of between 3-5 assignments; and full packets of teaching evaluations from 2 literature courses.

Please send your materials in one PDF file to the Associate Chair. 

The winner will be selected by a committee of English faculty and an EGSA representative who is not being considered.

Due date for submissions is March 27.

The Gus Reid Award for Outstanding Teaching of Composition

The Gus Reid Prize is awarded annually to three outstanding graduate student instructors of composition.

All current MU English graduate teaching assistants with at least .25 FTE appointments are eligible for this award. Candidates will be evaluated on the basis of demonstrated excellence and lasting impact in the following areas: successful performance in the classroom, especially related to student engagement and experience and program goals; enthusiasm for teaching composition and commitment to continuing development and/or collaboration as an instructor of composition; and satisfactory progress towards degree, if applicable. Additionally, the award guidelines stipulate that each recipient “should not only be a good writer but an even better critic – one who views the job and self with both discipline and light-heartedness.”

If you wish to be considered, please submit the following materials: a 1-page cover letter in which you comment directly on how you fulfill the criteria for the award; a CV; a 1-page teaching philosophy; 2 sample syllabi from a first-year or intermediate composition course; project descriptions of between 3-5 major writing projects for first-year or intermediate composition; and a full packet of teaching evaluations from 2 composition courses.

Please send your materials in one PDF file to Cheryl Hall (hallch@missouri.edu). The winner will be selected by a committee of English faculty and an EGSA representative who is not being considered. 

Due date for submissions is March 27. 

This award was established in 2000 by Margaret Leong of Columbia, Missouri. The competition is open to all students currently enrolled at any of the University of Missouri campuses.

Please see Scholarship Universe for detailed award information, including the deadline. 

Open to current graduate students in English at MU, this award recognizes excellence in poetry writing. A first and second place prize will be awarded.

Please see Scholarship Universe for detailed award information, including the deadline. 

Open to current graduate students in English at MU, this award recognizes excellence in fiction writing. A first and second place prize will be awarded.

Please see Scholarship Universe for detailed award information, including the deadline. 

Open to current graduate students in English at MU, this award recognizes excellence in creative nonfiction writing. A first and second place prize will be awarded.

Please see Scholarship Universe for detailed award information, including the deadline. 

The Academy of American Poets sponsors a prize for the best poem by a student currently enrolled at MU. Please email the Director of Creative Writing for more information.