MIT Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies: Writing Prizes

Description of Prizes

• THE ELLEN KING PRIZE FOR FRESHMAN WRITING. Writing by freshmen at MIT in any category is eligible; e.g., short story, poetry, essay, and drama. AWARDS: $150 first prize, $100 second prize, $50 honorable mention.
• THE ENTERPRISE POETS PRIZE IN IMAGINING A FUTURE. Essays, short stories or poems, that convincingly imagine a future human enterprise are eligible. The word enterprise is used in the broadest possible sense to cover products, processes, companies, industries, forms of government, social movements, artistic forms - any human endeavor. This prize is open to undergraduate and graduate MIT students. More details to follow. AWARDS: $300 first prize, $150 second prize
• THE ROBERT A. BOIT WRITING PRIZE. Writing by undergraduates in the categories of essay, poetry and short story is eligible. Up to four awards will be given in each category. AWARDS: $250 first prize, $150 second prize, $100 third prize, $50 honorable mention.
• THE S. KLEIN PRIZES
• for SCIENCE WRITING
• for TECHNICAL WRITING
  Open to MIT undergraduate and graduate students. Entries should be intended for non-specialized but educated audiences and and should show evidence of publishable quality. AWARDS IN EACH CATEGORY: $250 first prize, $150 second prize
• DEWITT WALLACE PRIZE FOR SCIENCE WRITING FOR THE PUBLIC. Writing of any length addressed to lay audiences on issues and developments in science, medicine, and engineering. Works of any length are eligible. Open to undergraduates only. AWARDS: $300 first prize, $150 second prize, $75 honorable mention.
• THE BOIT MANUSCRIPT PRIZE. Works of substantial length by MIT undergraduates are eligible in the categories of fiction, poetry, essay, and drama. This prize is awarded for longer works and collections, in any category mentioned above, which give evidence of publishable quality. Both completed manuscripts and those in progress are eligible. Up to three awards will be given in each category. AWARDS: $300 first prize, $ 150 second prize, $75 honorable mention.
• THE WRITING AND HUMANISTlC STUDIES PRIZE FOR ENGINEERING WRITING. Writing by undergraduates on any topic of professional interest to engineers, is eligible. AWARDS: $200 first prize, $ 100 second prize, $50 honorable mention.
• THE PRIZE FOR SCIENCE FICTION. Writing by undergraduate students in the category of science fiction short story. AWARDS: $300 first prize; $150 second prize; $75 honorable mention.
• THE VERA LIST PRIZE FOR WRITING ON THE VISUAL ARTS. Writing by undergraduate students should demonstrate unusual and thoughtful expression on some aspect of contemporary visual arts. AWARDS: $500 first prize; $250 second prize. (Sponsored by the List Visual Arts Center)

An individual may submit only one entry in each category within a particular competition. Entries must be submitted to the Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies Headquarters Office (14E-303) by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 4, 2008. THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS.

The winning entries will be announced in Room 14E-304 at the awards dinner on Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. and awards presentation at 6:00 p.m. A listing of the winning entries will also be available at the Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies office, 14E-303, immediately after the dinner and on the web.

Also See:

• Rules for Entries
• Cover Sheet
• Prizes Checklist