English Department Awards and Honors
The Department of English is privileged to offer several awards that recognize students’ accomplishments amongst various areas of English. The awards described below acknowledge and honor students’ creative writing, engagement in literary studies, justice-oriented writing, and demonstration of hard work at the Writing Center. We encourage students to consider applying for these awards and speaking to their professors about these opportunities.
This annual award is funded in memory of Dean David B. Silver, a lover of poetry, and is now coordinated through the Creative Writing Program and judged by the Creative Writing Committee.
The David B. Silver Scholarship Committee, the members of which are all faculty associated with the Creative Writing Program, will evaluate all entries, select and notify the winners, and liaison with the Kingsborough Awards Committee.
Awards will be announced during the annual KCC Awards Night. Winners will be requested to attend the Awards Night ceremony to receive their prizes and plaques in person.
All questions about the award, the submission and selection process, etc. should be directed to the following email: [email protected]
2025 – 2026 Recipients:
1st Place: Fatima Ahmad ($500)
2nd Place: Dontavius Lomas ($300)
3rd Place: April Smith ($200)
The Literary Studies Award is intended to acknowledge and celebrate the work of one student excelling in the field of Literature or Literary Analysis. To be eligible, students must take at least two literature courses and have a graduating GPA of at least 3.5.
2025 – 2026 Recipients:
LaJené Herry
The Lucille Nierporent Award celebrates a graduating student who participated in one or more tutoring programs and opportunities at the Writing Center at the Kingsborough Learning Center. Nominations for this award are made by the tutors of students who demonstrate hard work and who earn a 3.0 GPA or higher.
2025 – 2026 Recipient:
Tricia Ramsey
The Stephen Weidenborner Award recognizes a KCC student whose work exemplifies interest in good writing and social justice. Stephen Weidenborner, former English Department chair, believed passionately in preparing students to think critically as responsible citizens of our society and to think seriously about the burning issues of fairness and justice in America. Essays from any English course are eligible. Winners of the award receive $300 each and will have their work published on the English department website. Entries must be typed essays of at least 1000 words that investigate a contemporary issue about social justice by referring to a series of related sources and texts.
Students who are interested in submitting their writing for the Weidenborner award should talk to their English professor about qualifying.
2025 – 2026 Recipient:
Diego Cirillo ($300)