| by CTLR

Faculty, Students, Writing Center

Ward Prize invitation with navy background and white specks

On Thursday, January 13, participants gathered on Zoom to celebrate the nominees for the Ward Prize in First-Year Writing for 2020-21. Rather than having one winner and two runners-up, as in past years, the committee selected 11 of the 30 nominees to receive the prize. The change allows for a broader range of styles and disciplines to be adequately represented and recognizes there isn’t one dominant voice in student writing that can be deemed best. 

At the celebration, student nominees shared about their writing process, interests, and pursuits. It was a joyous celebration where student nominees, family and friends, as well as faculty and staff came together to celebrate the diversity and range of first-year student writing at Middlebury College. 

Genie Giaimo, Assistant Professor of Writing and Rhetoric and Director of the Writing Center, created a digital book that was shared at the celebration. It includes a full list and writing from Ward Prize nominees. 

The review committee included Professors Genie Giaimo, Sebnem Gumuscu, and Greg Pask and Ericka Perez ‘23. This year’s changes come with the approval of the prize donors.

Faculty can nominate 2021-22 first-year students for the Ward Prize at go.middlebury.edu/ward.