SCHOLARSHIP AND CITIZENSHIP
The Addison Brown Scholarship from a fund established by Addison Brown of the Class of l852, 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.
Yen Nhi Truong Vu
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 ’15 devoted his life to the struggle for equal protection under the law for African-Americans in the United States.
Jessica Chipo Maposa
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.
Alison Hampton Doswell
The Psi Upsilon Prize was established by the Gamma Chapter of Psi Upsilon in l941 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 between: Camille Marie Herzog and Niyi Obafemi Odewade
The Stonewall Prize, established by David L. Kirp ’65 and other alumni, is awarded annually to that student who produces a work of exceptional intellectual or artistic merit pertaining to the gay, lesbian or bisexual experience.
Amir Denzel Hall
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.
Beselot Birhanu
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 of American Studies as most likely to stimulate interest in and understanding of America overseas, with a view toward possible publication in Japan.
Cassandra Hradil
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: Samuel Joseph Chen and Jeremy Paula
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.
Divided between: Samuel Grant Geddie and Jessica Chipo Maposa
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.
Madison Rose Carbone
The Anna Baker Heap Prize, established by Arnold N. Heap of the Class of l873, is awarded to that senior who submits the best essay in the field of “Art”.
Emma Claire Hartman
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.
Siyu Feng
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.
Niyi Obafemi Odewade
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.
Divided between: Minjee Kim and Adam Dimitri Smith
BIOLOGY
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.
Divided between: Victoria Jean Luizzi and Amanda Christine Patsis
The Oscar E. Schotté Scholarship Prize is awarded to a member of the junior or senior class majoring in science to enable completion of a special project during the summer.
Divided among: Stephany Zulin Flores-Ramos, Kyung-Sik (Kenny) Kim and Amanda Christine Patsis
The William C. Young Prize, established in memory of William C. Young ’21, is awarded to a talented student from the Biology Department to undertake a summer course, a specialized program at an advanced school or institute, a summer field program or research at a specialized laboratory.
Divided between: Kimberly Kate Greenberg and Brian Manuel Malave
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: Raheem Devante Jackson and Christin Alexis Washington
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.
Divided between: Md Alauddin Bhuiyan and Wai Cheung (Adrian) Chan
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: Minjee Kim and Niyi Obafemi Odewade
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.
Camille Marie Herzog
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.
Matthew Chase Macoy
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.
Jamie Rose Gracie
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 among: Jamie Rose Gracie, Hutomo Jayaadmaja Limanto, and Ji Hong Park, Wanjing (Shelly) Tang
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: Megan Kathleen Adamo and Ji Hong Park
ENGLISH
The Academy of American Poetry Prize is awarded annually for the best poem or group of poems, preferably on nature, submitted by an undergraduate.
Josephine Hyde Moore
The Collin Armstrong Poetry Prize, established in part by Mrs. Elizabeth H. Armstrong, is awarded to the undergraduate author of the best original poem or group of poems.
Kelly Krugman
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.
Sophie Jane Murguia
The Corbin Prize, established by the estate of William Lee Corbin of the Class of 1896, is awarded for an outstanding original composition in the form of poetry or an informal essay.
Amir Denzel Hall
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.
Diana Maria Lopez
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, 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.
Amir Denzel Hall
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.
Victoria Jean Luizzi
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.
Divided between: Syeda Zubaida Malliha and Kendall Nathan Hughes Simms
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.
Malinda Lee Labriola
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
The Jan E. Dizard Prize in Environmental Studies, established on the occasion of his retirement, honors Prof. 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.
Samuel Alexander Silver
EUROPEAN STUDIES
The European Studies Prize is awarded to the student who has writtena thesis with great distinction that is dedicated to the analysis and exploration of cultures of Europe throughout history or in the present.
Katerina Monique Von Campe
THE FILM AND MEDIA STUDIES
The Film and Media Studies Award is awarded to an honors student in the Film and Media Studies Program for outstanding poetics in filmmaking.
Hunter Kenison Whitaker-Morrow
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.
Hannah Lani Roels
GEOLOGY
The Walter F. Pond Prize, established in honor of Walter Pond ’07, is awarded to the senior who has submitted the best honors thesis in geology.
Brian John Beaty
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: Araceli Aponte, Malinda Lee Labrolia and Rachel Marie Welch
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.
Katerina Monique Von Campe
GREEK
The Hutchins Prize, established by Waldo Hutchins of the Class of l842, is awarded to a senior for excellence in Greek.
Divided between: Sarah Elizabeth Carter and Caroline Susannah Kinsley
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: Laura Kathleen Noerdlinger and Caryce Chepchirchir Tirop
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: Siyu Feng and Brittanie Larie Lewis
JOURNALISM
The Samuel Bowles Prize, established by Samuel Bowles King ’02, to stimulate interest in journalism as a career, is awarded to a student who has demonstrated proficiency in journalism.
Divided between: Siraj Ahmed Sindhu and Lauren Elizabeth Tuiskula
LATIN
The Bertram Prizes, established by John Bertram of Salem, are two prizes awarded to students who, together with attaining a high average in the Latin courses of the senior year, present the best essays connected with these courses.
Divided among: Alexandra Noel Grisanti, Cassandra Hradil and Paul Edward Huston Mcclean
The Dr. Ernest D. Daniels Latin Prize, established in honor of Dr. Daniels of the Class of l890, is awarded to the graduating senior who has submitted the best honors thesis on a Latin subject.
Alexandra Noel Grisanti
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.
Phillip Zhe Pang
LIBRARY
The Frederick S. Lane '36 Fellowship for Creative Artists is awarded to students using historical and rate source materials from Amherst College Archives and Special Collections toward projects in the arts.
Divided among: Rachel Doris Boyette, Noely Berenice Mendoza and Noah Jalen Morton
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.
Yen Nhi Truong Vu
The Walker Award for Leadership is awarded for outstanding leadership and for contributions to the mathematics and statistics community at Amherst.
Yen Nhi Truong Vu
MEAD ART MUSEUM
The Wise Award for Collection Research is presented annually in the spring to a student in any academic department whose senior thesis, in the judgment of the Mead Art Museum’s curators and director, most effectively analyzes, interprets, or responds to an object in the museum’s collection.
Catherine Bowman Lowdon
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: Eugene Kyu-In Lee, Victoria Jean Luizzi, Samuel Alter Patchen Short and Zachary Michael Yanes
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: Rebecca Austin Ruescher and Joshua Schwemm Young
The Eric Edward Sundquist Prize, established in memory of Mr. Sundquist of the Class of l936, is awarded to that senior who has demonstrated excellence in musical composition and performance.
Divided between: Tomal Mahmud Hossain and William Jamison Sandel
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 l947, is presented to the student whose research in the neurosciences is judged, by the faculty of the Neuroscience Program, to be of highest quality.
Rakin Muhtadi
PHILOSOPHY
The Gail Kennedy Memorial Prize is awarded to a senior major in Philosophy in recognition of a distinguished honors essay.
Yi Zhou
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.
David Allan Lane
POLITICAL SCIENCE
The Densmore Berry Collins Prize in Political Science is given annually in memory of Mr. Collins, of the Class of l940, for the best honors thesis in political science.
Ayoung Kim
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.
Mindy Minjeong Kim
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.
Divided among: Samuel D. Keaser, Raymond Henry Meijer, James Gordon O’connor and Elizabeth Devlin White
RUSSIAN
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.
Divided between: Rebecca Shaobao Brown and Veronica Voronina
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: Jordan Alec Bekenstein and Lauren St. Clair Benjamin
SEXUALITY, WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES
The Rose Olver Prize is given each year to a senior who has demonstrated excellence in scholarly or creative work in Women’s and Gender Studies.
Divided between: Margaret Katherine Banks and Ayoung Kim
SPANISH
The Pedro Grases Prizes for Excellence in Spanish is given by a member of the Class of l939 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.
Divided between: Jamie Rose Gracie and Irma Jesenia Zamora Fuerte
STATISTICS
The Five College Statistics Prize is awarded to a student for making an outstanding contribution to statistics and/or the statistics community in the Five Colleges. Contributions considered include an independent research, thesis or capstone course project; service to statistics on their campus (or across campuses); use of Five College statistics resources; and outstanding coursework and exploration of the statistics curriculum.
Divided between: Azka Javaid, Caleb Chan Hyung Ki and Muling Si
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.
Lauren Subira Horn
HONORARY CLASS MEMBERS
The class of 2017 elected five Amherst College staff members to be honorary classmates.
Paul Gallegos, Student Affairs
Peter McLean, Book and Plow Farm
Doralinda Puente, Schwemm's Coffee House
Jeanne E. Reinle, Economics
Angie Tissi-Gassoway, Diversity & Inclusion
