English Department hosts awards ceremony

By Francisco Omar Fernandez Rodriguez Arts & Features Editor The English Department hosted the English Department Awards Ceremony in the Heineman Ecumenical Center on April 23. Lisa Eck, English Department chair, welcomed the audience. She said she is glad to have the opportunity to celebrate FSU’s accomplished creative writers and scholars. The winners should list their awards on their resumes, she added. The event was divided into three parts, she said. First were the academic essay awards, then the creative writing awards, and finally the induction ceremony for the international English honor society, Sigma Tau Delta. Each of the awardees read some or all of their work after receiving their awards. Desmond McCarthy, English professor, introduced the Richard Chartier Award, which is for “Best Essay on American Literature.” This year’s Richard Chartier award was judged by John Burt, a professor of American Literature at Brandeis University, he said. The winner of the Richard Chartier award was Michael Gardner, for his essay “Pushing Back: The Harsh Realities of the Working Class,” McCarthy said. McCarthy introduced Elaine V. Beilin, who the Elaine V. Beilin Book Award is named after and was judged by this year. The award is for “Best Essay on British Literature.” The award was established in honor of Beilin’s legacy of scholarship focused on early modern British authors, he said. The winner of the Elaine V. Beilin Book Award was Keila Santa, for her essay “Humanity’s Flawed Pursuits: Ecological Disconnect and Human Strife in Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Marlowe,” Beilin said. She said Santa touches on how the texts speak to our present moment. The most persuasive part of the essay explored the male characters’ flaws in their ideals. Carolyn Maibor, English professor, introduced the Ayaan Agane Book Award, which is for “Outstanding Essay on World Literature.” It was judged by Alan Feldman, professor emeritus. The award was created in memory of Agane, who was a visiting lecturer in the English Department and was a Ph.D candidate at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, she said. The winner of the Ayaan Agane Award was Allie Mosher for her essay “Statues as Impossible Gender Roles in ‘Lélia’ and ‘Spring Torrents,’” Maibor said. Sally Shafto, English professor, introduced the Colleen Kelly Film Studies Award, which is for “Outstanding Essay on Film Studies.” It was judged by Claudia Springer, professor emerita. The winner of the Colleen Kelly Film Studies Award was Allie Mosher for her essay, “Male Dismissal and Female Character Growth in ‘Cléo from 5 to 7,’” Shafto said. The award was created in memory of Colleen Kelly, an English major with a concentration in Film Studies, she said. Dennis Kelly, Colleen Kelly’s father, was in the audience, she added. Eck introduced the Helen Heineman Book Award, which is for “Best Seminar in Literature Essay.” Helen Heineman, president emerita, also served as judge for the award, she added. Heineman designed the seminar course as the capstone experience for English majors, she said. The winner of the Helen Heineman Book Award was Sophia Harris for her essay “Soul Ties,” Eck said. Patricia Horvath, English professor, transitioned the event to the creative writing awards. Horvath introduced the Howard Hirt Literary Awards. It was judged by the 2025 Miriam Levine Reader Joanna Rakoff, she said. There was an honorable mention for Jennifer Paxton, for her piece “The Common Ducks.” The third place winner was Kaylie Valente, for her piece “City of Fear.” The second place winner was Ryan O’Connell, for his piece “Mile 852.” The first place winner was Alyssa MacDougall, for her piece “Up in Smoke.” Horvath introduced the Marjorie Sparrow Literary Awards. It was judged by Ani Gjika, who recently won the 2023 Restless Book Prize for New Immigrant Writing, she added. There were two honorable mentions. The first was Reagan Condry, for his piece “Humbled At the Carnival.” The second honorable mention was Sofia Wilson, for her piece “She was Gone Before I Got There.” The third place winner was Marlin Polanco, for her piece “I know my dad loves me.” The second place winner was Karolina Niamh, for her piece “The Water Waits.” The first place winner was Leena Elbayoumi, for her piece “Mankoosha.” The ceremony ended with the induction of eight students into Sigma Tau Delta - Adrianna Baldelli, Michael Gardner, Emma Lyons, Allie Mosher, Audrey Oullette, Abigail Paul, Jennifer Paxton, and Marlin Polanco. [ Editor’s Note: Sophia Harris is the Editor-in-Chief, Ryan O’Connell is an Associate Editor, Allie Mosher is a Assistant Copy Editor, and Desmond McCarthy is the advisor for The Gatepost. ]