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Johnson Chapel in spring

 

SCHOLARSHIP AND CITIZENSHIP

The Obed Finch Slingerland Memorial Prize, from the income of a fund established by an anonymous donor, is awarded by the Trustees of the College to a member of the senior class, who, during their first three years at Amherst, has shown by determination and accomplishment the greatest appreciation of and desire for a college education.

Shared by Justin Chen and Kathleen Despina Krieg

The Woods-Travis Prize, an annual gift in memory of Josiah B. Woods of Enfield and Charles B. Travis of the Class of 1864, is awarded for outstanding excellence in culture and faithfulness to duty as a scholar.

Gregory David Carroll

The Addison Brown Scholarship, from a fund established by Addison Brown of the Class of 1852, is awarded to that senior who, being already on the scholarship list, has attained the highest standing in the studies of the freshman, sophomore and junior years.

Joseph Lupo

The Charles Hamilton Houston Fellowship is an annual gift awarded to a graduating senior who best personifies a commitment to realizing his or her humane ideals, much in the way Charles Houston of the Class of 1915 devoted his life to the struggle for equal protection under the law for African-Americans in the United States.

Olusade Gabriella Green 

The Howard Hill Mossman Trophy, awarded annually to the member of the senior class who has brought, during his/her four years at Amherst, the greatest honor in athletics to the Alma Mater—the word “honor” to be interpreted as relating both to achievement and to sportsmanship.

Hannah Rose Fox

The Psi Upsilon Prize was established by the Gamma Chapter of Psi Upsilon in 1941 on the occasion of the centennial anniversary of the founding of the Chapter. The prize is awarded to that member of the graduating class who is considered preeminent in scholarship, leadership, athletics and character.

Divided among: Caroline Carlyle Ferguson-Dryden, Thomas Page Mobley, Isabella Maria Palma and Morgan Frances Yurosek

The David Kirp 1965 Stonewall Prize established by David L. Kirp of the class of 1965 and other alumni, is awarded annually to that student who produces a work of exceptional intellectual or artistic merit pertaining to the queer, bisexual, intersex, gay, lesbian, or transgender experience.

Divided among: Isabel Yao Meyers (Izzy) and Theo R. Peierls (2020E)

The Thomas H. Wyman 1951 Medal, established in 2003 by his classmates, is awarded to that member of the senior class who best represents the highest standards in scholarship, athletics, and/or extracurricular activities, community service, integrity, character and humanism. 

Stanley Oscar Dunwell III


AMERICAN STUDIES

The Doshisha American Studies Prize, a gift from Amherst House, Doshisha University, is awarded for the American studies honors thesis judged by the department as most likely to stimulate interest in and understanding of America overseas—with a view toward possible publication in Japan.

Chimaway Lopez

The George Rogers Taylor Prize is awarded to the student who, in the opinion of the department, shows the most promise for creative and scholarly work in American studies.

Will Dunne


ANTHROPOLOGY/SOCIOLOGY

The Donald S. Pitkin Prize in Anthropology-Sociology, established in honor of the founder of that department on the occasion of his retirement, is given to that student whose honors thesis best exemplifies the humane values to which Professor Pitkin committed his research and teaching.

Divided between: Ann Elizabeth Guo and Jeremy Margolis (2020E)


ARCHITECTURE

The Architectural Studies Prize is awarded to the honors thesis judged best by the program for its qualities of clarity and originality in affirming the interdisciplinary richness of architecture.

Emilie Grace Flammé


ART AND THE HISTORY OF ART

The Hasse Prize, established in memory of Adrian H. Hasse ’43, is awarded for the best submitted work having a human figure as a theme.

Lorelei Anneleise Dietz

The Anna Baker Heap Prize, established by Arnold N. Heap of the Class of 1873, is awarded to that senior who submits the best essay in the field of “Art.”

Divided among: Shreeansh Agrawal, Julia Marie Cárdenas and Nathaniel Scott Corley

The Athanasios Demetrios Skouras Prize is given in the memory of Mr. Skouras, Class of 1936, who died in 1943 in Athens as a result of Nazi reprisal killings. The prize is awarded to a student who, in the opinion of the department, has created an outstanding work of art.

Caroline Shim


ASIAN LANGUAGES AND CIVILIZATIONS

The Doshisha Asian Studies Prize, from the income of a gift from Amherst House, Doshisha University, is awarded for the best undergraduate honors thesis pertaining to Asia.

Divided between: Shreeansh Agrawal and Julia Marie Cárdenas


ATHLETICS

The Manstein Family Award, given by Carl ’72, Mark ’74 and Joanne Manstein ’83, is presented to the outstanding senior varsity athlete who has been accepted to medical school and plans a career in medicine. The prize is awarded by the Department of Physical Education.

Kathleen Despina Krieg 


BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS

The Biochemistry and Biophysics Prize is awarded to the student who, in the opinion of the faculty, has prepared the best thesis in the Biochemistry and Biophysics Program.

Yuxing Emily Ma


BIOLOGY

The Harvey Blodgett & Phi Delta Theta Scholarships

The Harvey Blodgett Scholarship, which was established by Frederick H. Blodgett in memory of his grandfather, Harvey Blodgett of the class of 1829, is awarded to aid student work in biology and geology in their educational phases as distinct from their more technical and strictly scientific phases; combined with the Phi Delta Theta Scholarship, which was established by the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, and is awarded as a scholarship at the Woods Hole Marine Laboratory to a student for proficiency in biology. 

Divided between: Allan James Phillips and Derek Jonathan Schneider 

The Oscar E. Schotté Award is given to that member of the graduating class who, in the opinion of the department, has done the best independent work in biology.

Derek Jonathan Schneider


BLACK STUDIES

The Edward Jones Prize is given in honor of the College’s first black alumnus. It is awarded by the Black Studies Department to a graduating senior for the best honors thesis which addresses a present or future issue of concern to black people in Africa and the Diaspora.

Divided between: Avery Farmer and Henry P. McNeil 


CHEMISTRY

The Howard Waters Doughty Prize is awarded to that member of the senior class who, in the opinion of the Chemistry Department, has prepared the best honors thesis.

Ezra Alexander

The Frank Fowler Dow Prizes, established by Fayette B. Dow in memory of his father, are awarded to a senior preparing to enter medical school and whose undergraduate work indicates a career of distinction in medicine.

Divided between: Kathleen Despina Krieg and Yuxing Emily Ma

The Everett H. Pryde Research Award is presented annually to a senior who has been an outstanding teaching assistant in chemistry and who shows great promise for carrying out research in science or medicine.

Divided between: Olivia Febles and Alexandra Gomez


COMPUTER SCIENCE

The Computer Science Prize is awarded to a senior who has completed an honors thesis and who, in the opinion of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, has achieved the best performance in the study of computer science. The award is based on the thesis and overall achievement in computer science.

Shukry Emilio Zablah Gavarrete


ECONOMICS

The Bernstein Prize, funded by a gift from the Bernstein family in honor of the work their son, Jeffrey ’91, did at Amherst College, is awarded to the senior who has done particularly outstanding honors work in economics.

Divided between: Audrey Cheng and Emily Cora Young

The James R. Nelson Memorial Award and The James R. Nelson Prize were established from the income of a fund established by former students, colleagues and friends to encourage and recognize the scholarly and humane qualities that Professor Nelson exemplified and sought to foster in his students.

The James R. Nelson Memorial Award is presented to that senior who, in the opinion of the Economics Department, has achieved excellence in the study of economics while pursuing a broad liberal education.

Divided between: Alejandra Castro and Peyton Alan Lane

The James R. Nelson Prize is awarded to the senior who, in the opinion of the Economics Department, has written a distinguished honors thesis that applies economic analysis to an important question of public policy.

Divided between: Jackson Zee Herrick and Morgan Frances Yurosek

The Jeanne E. Reinle Prize is named after Jeanne Reinle, the Academic Department Coordinator of the Economics Department for 30 years, whose inviting and engaging presence welcomed and supported generations of Amherst economics students and faculty. The prize is awarded to the senior who, in the opinion of the department, exemplifies a commitment to building community in the department and a passion for economics.

Divided between: Kelly Chian and Ralph David Skinner


ENGLISH

The Elizabeth Bruss Prize is presented to that senior English major who, in the judgment of the English Department, best represents those qualities of breadth and imagination exemplified by Elizabeth Bruss.

Divided between: Shawna Rebecca Chen and Kolawole Heyward-Rotimi

The G. Armour Craig Award for Prose Composition is awarded to that junior or senior who writes the best autobiographical essay on an experience of intellectual discovery.

Isabel Yao Meyers

The Peter Burnett Howe Prize, for excellence in prose fiction, was established by a gift of Robert B. Howe of the Class of 1930 in memory of his son Peter Burnett Howe of the Class of 1960. Submissions for the Howe Prize must be limited to a maximum of 25 pages, comprised of any combination of prose fiction pieces, including excerpts from novels.

Divided between: Julian Samuel Brubaker and Theresa Y. Tian

The Rolfe Humphries Poetry Prize is presented to that senior who has achieved the greatest sense of poetic form in his or her undergraduate writing. The award is made on the basis of three submissions to the English Department in the applicant’s senior year and may include writing produced during the undergraduate years.

Divided between: Heather Brennan and Hapshiba Sharon Kwon

The Ralph Waldo Rice Prize, established by Mrs. Mary Rice Jenkins in memory of her brother of the Class of 1910, is awarded for the best essay on “The Liberal College and Christian Citizenship” or any subject named by the faculty.

Hapshiba Sharon Kwon

The Stephen E. Whicher Prize, established in memory of Stephen E. Whicher ’36 for the best essay by a senior in the interpretation of American literature in the Department of English or American Studies.

Tara Guo


ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

The Jan E. Dizard Prize in Environmental Studies, established on the occasion of his retirement, honors Professor Dizard for his role in founding the department. It is awarded to a member(s) of the graduating class who, in the opinion of the Environmental Studies Department, exemplifies the field of environmental studies in academic work.

Chimaway Lopez


EUROPEAN STUDIES

The European Studies Prize is awarded to the student who has written a thesis with great distinction that is dedicated to the analysis and exploration of cultures of Europe throughout history or in the present.

Heather Brennan


FILM AND MEDIA STUDIES

The Film and Media Studies Award is awarded to an honors student in the Film and Media Studies Program for an outstanding thesis.

Xinyun (Sophie) Pu


FRENCH

The Frederick King Turgeon Prize in French literature was established by former students of Professor Turgeon upon the occasion of his retirement. It is used for the award of a book to the student who has done particularly distinguished work in French during the year.

Divided between: Rachel Elisabeth Chaffin and Olivia Febles


GEOLOGY

The Walter F. Pond Prize, established in honor of Walter Pond of the Class of 1907, is awarded to the senior who has submitted the best honors thesis in geology.

Divided between: Eric Masao Hasegawa and Raina Joelle Chinitz

The David F. Quinn Memorial Award is awarded in memory of David Quinn ’80 to an outstanding senior who, during his or her undergraduate career, has made a positive contribution to geology at Amherst through character, leadership, enthusiasm and participation in departmental activities.

Divided among the 2020 Geology graduates: Raina Joelle Chinitz, Felix Alexandre Edwards, Heather Lynn Grotzinger, Khyla Margé Haddock, Eric Masao Hasegawa, Luz Clementine Lim, John Luke Maxwell, Olivia Cathleen Moehl, Jessica Andrews Reid and Emma Jane Swislow


GERMAN

The Consulate General Prize for Academic Achievement in German Literature, made available by the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Boston, is awarded to that student who, in the judgment of the Department of German, has written the best paper as part of a German course.

Ross Hirzel 

The Consulate General Prize for German Studies is made available by the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Boston and is awarded to that junior or senior who, in the judgment of the Department of German, has made a superior contribution to any aspect of German studies at Amherst College.

Bixie E. Eutsler


HISTORY

The Asa J. Davis Prize is awarded to a student who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in the study of the history of Africa and the Black Diaspora and whose work best reflects the comprehensive interest of Asa Davis in historical and cultural contacts between Africa, the Old World and the Americas.

Divided between: Charlotte Ruby Blackman and Elinor Scout Boynton 

The Alfred F. Havighurst Prize, intended for the purchase of books, is awarded to that major in the Department of History who has, in four years at Amherst, best fulfilled the standards of excellence and humane scholarship exemplified by Professor Havighurst during his teaching career at Amherst College.

Divided between: Heather Brennan and Rebecca Ann Davis


JAPANESE

The Smith Prize, supported by the Nihon Ryuugaku Fellowship Fund, which was established in 2016, recognizes high-achieving seniors who have studied Japanese within the Department of Asian Languages and Civilizations.

First: Theodore Miles Perez 
Second, divided between: Sarah Misaki McDonald and Leslikarina Patino Martinez


JOURNALISM

The Samuel Bowles Prize, established by Samuel Bowles King of the Class of 1902 to stimulate interest in journalism as a career, is awarded to a student who has demonstrated proficiency in journalism.

Divided between: Tanya Angelic Calvin and two underclass students


LAW, JURISPRUDENCE AND SOCIAL THOUGHT

The Nasser Hussain Prize honors the memory of Nassar Hussain, a distinguished scholar and beloved teacher, who taught in Law, Jurisprudence and Social Thought from 1996 until his death in 2015. It is given annually to a graduating senior for distinguished achievement in that major.

Divided between: Amy Tapia Pass and Faith Weizhen Wen


LIBRARY

The Frederick S. Lane ’36 Fellowship for Creative Artists is awarded to students using historical and rare source materials from Amherst College Archives and Special Collections toward projects in the arts. 

Divided between: Tanya Angelic Calvin and Cesar Centeno


MATHEMATICS

The Robert H. Breusch Prize is awarded to the senior who, in the opinion of the faculty in Mathematics, has presented the best honors thesis in mathematics.

Divided among: Gregory David Carroll, Max Fox-Jurkowitz, Joseph Lupo and Shashank Sule

The Five College Statistics Prize is awarded to one student at each of the Five Colleges based on their outstanding independent research, thesis or capstone course project in statistics.

Divided between: Emily Ye and an underclass student

The Walker Award for Leadership is awarded for outstanding leadership and for contributions to the mathematics and statistics community at Amherst.

Divided between: Andrew R. Tawfeek (2021E) and three underclass students

The Walker Award in Mathematics & Statistics is awarded to a student who has demonstrated initiative, creativity, perseverance and achievement in mathematics and statistics.

Divided among: Camille Blum, Mia Linnee Nicholson and Shashank Sule


MUSIC

The Sylvia and Irving Lerner Piano Prize is awarded to that student who has demonstrated the greatest skill and musicianship as a pianist.

Divided among: Maya Lea Bulos, Cameron Alex Han Chandler, Audrey Cheng, Sean P. Mebust, Theodore Miles Perez, Yanjie Qiu and Faith Weizhen Wen

The Mishkin Prize, established by the Friends of Music, is awarded in honor of Professor Henry G. Mishkin to that senior selected by the Department of Music who produces the best senior thesis on a critical or musical topic.

Candace Yehji Chung 

The Lincoln Lowell Russell Prize, established by J.W. Russell Jr. of the Class of l899 in memory of his son, is awarded to the seniors who have done most to foster the singing spirit at Amherst.

Divided between: Theo R. Peierls (2020E) and James Henry Speranza

The Eric Edward Sundquist Prize, established in memory of Mr. Sundquist of the Class of 1936, is awarded to that senior who has demonstrated excellence in musical composition and performance.

Divided between: Yohan Shane Stéphen Auguste and Atlas T. Finch 


NEUROSCIENCE

The James Olds Memorial Neuroscience Award, established by the Swerdlow Family Foundation in recognition of the contributions made to the neurosciences by Dr. Olds of the Class of 1947, is presented to the student whose research in the neurosciences is judged, by the faculty of the Neuroscience Program, to be of highest quality.

Divided between: Yohan Shane Stéphen Auguste and Rana Mohamed Barghout


PHILOSOPHY

The Gail Kennedy Memorial Prize is awarded to a senior major in philosophy in recognition of a distinguished honors essay.

Gregory David Carroll


PHYSICS

The William Warren Stifler Prize, established by Professor Stifler, is awarded to a senior who has majored in physics and especially excelled in the course on electricity and magnetism.

Divided between: Boran Kuzhan (2021E) and Ryan Beman McMillan


POLITICAL SCIENCE

The Densmore Berry Collins Prize in Political Science is given annually in memory of Mr. Collins, of the Class of 1940, for the best honors thesis in political science.

Divided among: Julian Samuel Brubaker, Charles Spencer Ferguson-Dryden and Stephanie Marie Madaus

The Robert C. Vogel ’60 Senior Thesis Prize is awarded every year to the senior who writes the best thesis addressing the politics, economics, history or society of Latin American countries or Latinx communities.

Divided between: Soledad Slowing-Romero and William MacWhorter Friedrichs


PSYCHOLOGY

The Haskell R. Coplin Memorial Award, established in memory of Mr. Coplin, Professor of Psychology, recognizes that member of the graduating class who, in the opinion of the Psychology Department, displays the scholarly and humane qualities that best exemplify Professor Coplin. The prize is to a senior who has shown distinguished work in psychology classes and in an honors thesis, and who has contributed to the life of the department.

Caroline Ostrand


PUBLIC SPEAKING

The Bancroft Prizes, established by Frederic Bancroft of the Class of 1882, are awarded to the two seniors who produce the best orations. Both composition and delivery are considered.

Divided among: Thomas Page Mobley, Sarah Ann Weintraub, Elizabeth Claire Sturley, Tyler Jeffrey Marovitz and Gregory Franklin


RELIGION

The Moseley Prizes, established by Thomas Moseley of Hyde Park, are awarded to seniors for the best essays on a subject approved by the Department of Religion.

First prize, divided between: Muhammad Aqiil Gopee and Nathaniel Scott Corley
Second prize, divided between: Sarah Noelle Duggan and Matthew Tenzin Namgyal Yarnall


RUSSIAN

The Carol Prize in Russian, given by David James Carol, Class of 1977, in honor of his parents, Joseph and Roberta Carol, is awarded to the student who has demonstrated the greatest dedication and commitment to Russian.

Divided between: Ross Hirzel and Camille Blum

The Mikhail Schweitzer Memorial Book Award, established by students, parents and friends in fond memory of Mikhail Schweitzer, survivor of the Soviet Gulag, author and custodian at Amherst College, for the award of books to the student who, in the judgment of the Russian Department, most shares Misha Schweitzer’s love of Russian literature and culture.

Emilie Grace Flammé 


SEXUALITY, WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES

The Rose Olver Prize is awarded for the best honors thesis on sexuality, women’s and/or gender studies.

Divided between: Theo R. Peierls (2020E) and Jane Rogers Bragdon


SPANISH

The Pedro Grases Prize for Excellence in Spanish is given by a member of the Class of 1939 to honor a great teacher and cordial scholar. It is awarded each year to that senior who has shown the greatest progress in the ability to read Hispanic literature with insight and to write and speak Spanish with intelligence and humane sensitivity.

Katherine Sabina Correia


THEATER AND DANCE

The Raymond Keith Bryant Prize, an annual gift from Robert E. and Ethel M. Bryant in memory of their son of the Class of l936, is awarded to that student who, in the opinion of the judges, gives the best performance of the year in a Masquers’ play.

Divided among: Hanna Rebekah Plummer, Leah Woodbridge and Maki Ybarra-Young