Annual Writing Contests
Each year, the Department of English holds three writing contests for LSSU undergraduates: the LSSU Short Story Contest, and two contests for the best papers written in the previous calendar year in ENGL 110 and ENGL 111. Rules, directions for entering, and deadlines are listed below.
Here to learn more about our poetry scholarship? The Osborn Poetry Prize is endowed separately from the Annual Writing Contests. Starting in the 2017-2018 academic year, the Osborn Poetry Prize will follow a different pay structure and eligibility rules from those listed here. You can read more about the poetry scholarship here.
Did you know about the English Club? Contact Tyler Dettloff, advisor, to learn more at .
LSSU Short Story Award ($100 prize)
This contest is open annually to any student at LSSU who submits up to two stories during the submissions period (January 31-March 31). Stories can be fiction or nonfiction. Each story must have a title. All entries must be e-mailed and sent as attachments to . In the e-mail, mention your story title(s) and student number. In the file attachment, include only your student number and address on the top left-hand corner of the first page. Do not include your name. Put “LSSU Story Contest ” in the email title. There are no restrictions on subject or style. The judges reserve the right not to award any prizes. Submission of your entry is considered permission to publish it in an LSSU student journal and/or on the English website.
The winner of this contest is selected anonymously each year by a panel of judges.
2022 Winner
Mary Sonnabend, “Ducky Dee’s Magical Menagerie”
Best ENGL 111 Paper ($100 prize)
For this contest, the judges look for a research paper written in ENGL 111 at LSSU that demonstrates an ability to develop a clear and sustained argument using your own ideas as well as college-level sources. To submit, email your essay to , with the subject title “Best ENGL 111 Paper.” The deadline is March 31 of the year after the year in which the paper was written. In the text of your email, list the title, the semester the paper was written, the name of your professor, and your own name with contact information (address, email, and phone). Please do not put identifying information on the entry file itself; only a title. The judges reserve the right not to award any prizes.
The winner of this contest was selected anonymously by a panel of judges.
Best ENGL 111 Paper Contest ($100 prize)
2021 WINNER:
Gabrielle Cayouette, “Love, Lust, and Friendship: Why Relationships Should Be More Than Just Sex”
Best ENGL 110 Paper ($50 prize)
For this contest, the judges look for an essay written in an ENGL 110 class at LSSU that demonstrates a clear purpose and develops that purpose in a thoughtful style. To submit, email an essay to , with the subject title “Best ENGL 110 Paper.” The deadline is March 31 of the year after the year in which the paper was written. In the text of your email, list the title of the essay, your own name with contact information (address, email, and phone), the name of your ENGL 110 professor, and the semester the paper was written. Please do not put identifying information on the entry file itself; only a title. The judges reserve the right not to award any prizes.
The winners of this contest were selected anonymously by a panel of judges.
2021 Winners:
ENGL 110 Best Critical Paper Contest ($50 prize)
WINNER:
Sydney Hubert, “The Need for Better Sex Education”
ENGL 110 Best Personal Essay Contest ($50 prize)
WINNER:
“I-75”
Past Winners
2021-2022
LSSU Short Story Award
Mary Sonnabend for “Ducky Dee’s Magical Menagerie”
Best ENGL 111 Paper Contest
Gabrielle Cayouette for “Love, Lust, and Friendship: Why Relationships Should Be More Than Just Sex”
Best ENGL 110 Papers
“I-75”
Sydney Hubert for “The Need for Better Sex Education”
2020-2021
Stellanova Osborn Poetry Contest Winner
Karalyn Jobe for “A Poem Lost”
LSSU Short Story Award
Jennifer Gavreau for “The Apologists”
Best ENGL 111 Paper Contest
Sophia Wessel for “From Schools to Suffering: A Story of Intergenerational Trauma in the Native American Community”
2019-2020
Stellanova Osborn Poetry Contest Winner
Leah Mockridge for “Thank God and Blame Women”
LSSU Short Story Award
Rachel Tallon for “Milk Stains on the Bathroom Ceiling”
Best ENGL 111 Paper Contest
Andrew Quon for “From Formosa to Taiwan”
Best ENGL 110 Papers
Insufficient Entries
2018-2019
LSSU Short Story Award
2019 Winners (in alphabetical order)
Elizabeth Garavaglia, “Asexual Awakening”
Amy Lehigh, “Narrative”
2019 Finalists
Kayleigh Harnden, “The Day My Father Died”
Genevieve Smith, “The Thereminist Takes Requests”
Dylan Wyatt, “The Enemy of Fear”
Best ENGL 111 Paper Contest
2018 WINNER:
Fixated on a Flower by Whitney Drenth with Dr. Louann Disney
Runners Up:
The Modern Pandemic: Y. pestis in Sub-Saharan Africa by Karalyn Jobe with Dr. Louann Disney
Misrepresentation of Female Characters in Movies by Jocelynn Burtch with Prof. Kathleen Connors
Finalists:
The Impact Sexual Behavior Portrayed in the Media has on Adolescents by Eileene Naniseni with Dr. Louann Disney
Fish Stocking in Michigan: The Unseen Importance by Kaitlyn A Fisher with Dr. Louann Disney
Development of Skills through Peer-Mediated Interactions by Sidney Wilkins with Dr. Louann Disney
The Impacts of Breastfeeding in Comparison to Formula by Michaela Garner with Dr. Louann Disney
Best ENGL 110 Papers
ENGL 110 Best Critical Paper Contest
WINNER:
Maternity Leave in the USA by Emilee Kennedy with Prof. Julie Barbour
Runners Up:
American Division-The Star Spangled Banner by Zander Park with Prof. Jillena Rose
Rhambo by Natalie Nowak with Prof. Tyler Dettloff
Other Finalists:
Rap: Romanticism Redefined by Tristen Mysen with Prof. Kathleen Connors
Social Ramifications of New Gender Theory by Andre James with Prof. Shirley Smart
Watchdog by Isaac Anderson with Prof. Tyler Dettloff
ENGL 110 Best Personal Essay Contest
WINNER:
Chance by Natalie Nowak with Prof. Tyler Dettloff
Finalists:
When Scars Become Memories by Zander Park with Prof. Jillena Rose
How the Game of Sport Changed My Life by Steph Del Bosco with Prof. Shirley Smart
A Humble Household’s Hearth by Jeremy Turnbow with Prof. Dettloff
2017-2018
LSSU SHORT STORY CONTEST
WINNER: Genevieve Smith, for “A Very Brief Tale of a Most Unfortunate Fate”
RUNNER UP:
Taylor Worsham, for “What January Brings”
FIRST-YEAR WRITING BEST PAPER CONTESTS
ENGL 111 Best Paper Contest:
Nicole Arkens, for “Innocence Lost: A Research Paper Conducted on the Sexualization of Minors”
RUNNERS UP:
Kent Barlow, for “An Evaluation of Renewable Energy Production in the Midwestern United States”
Madelyn Collia, for “Dance and Movement Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder”
Brandon Gage, for “An Analysis of the Adventure Industries of Michigan and New Zealand”
MaKaila Marrison, for “The Double Standard and Hillary Clinton”
ENGL 110 PERSONAL ESSAY
Jessica Orazietti, for “Apprehensively in Love”
RUNNER UP:
Kali Henke, for “Broken Savageness”
ENGL 110 CRITICAL ESSAY
Jessica Orazietti, for “Casual Killing”
RUNNERS UP:
Jennifer Campbell, for “Is Survival Sufficient?”
Brendan Lukomsi, for “Passive Thesis Writing: Turning the Argument on its Head”
Aysha Scarton, for “Station Eleven through the Eyes of Criminal Justice”
2016-2017
Stellanova Osborn Poetry Award
Winner: “At Ten I was an Astronomer,” Destinee Bruce
Runner Up: “Ruination,” Makaelynn Marten
Finalist: “Stay,” Elizabeth Enos
Finalist: “Just in Case You Were Wondering,” Mary Sonnabend
Finalist: “Prisoner of My Cranium,” Alexis Woodward
LSSU Short Story Award
Winner: “The Diaper,” Jenny ‘Ana’ Robbins
Runner Up: “The Four Horsemen,” Paige Cavaness
Runner Up: “Inkless Tattoo,” Devin Hartman
Finalist: “Deadline,” Elizabeth Enos
Finalist: “Chloe,” Jana Tahtinen
Finalist: “Peck Street,” Grace Williams
Finalist: “Managua at Night,” Clay Winowiecki
Best 111 Paper
Winner: “Loving the Alien: an Analysis of David Bowie’s Spiritual Evolution,” Daniel Foix
Best 110 Paper
Winner: “On Natural Morality,” Mel Gilbertson
2015-2016
2016 Stellanova Osborn Poetry Award
Winner selected by Jessica Care Moore: “Dad Worries” by Adam Uhrig
Runner Up: “In the Cabin” by Charlotte Mazurek
2016 LSSU Short Story Award
Winner selected by Jessica Care Moore: “01101101 01110101 01110011 01101001 01100011” by Daisy Fentiman
Runner Up: “Love Story” by Jenny ‘Ana’ Robbins
Best ENGL 111 Paper
Winner: “Psychology of Goaltending in Ice Hockey” by Gordon Joseph Defiel
Best ENGL 110 Papers
Personal Essay Winner: “Mopping with Love” by Molly Campbell
Critical Essay Winner: “Wind Energy: Risk vs. Reward” by Molly Campbell
2014-2015
2015 Stellanova Osborn Poetry Award
Winner selected by Ellen Airgood: Snake by Cornelia Hobbs
2015 LSSU Short Story Award
Winner selected by Ellen Airgood: Dream Eater by Katie Murray
Best 111 Paper
Winner: Stephanie Spray, “Effects of PTSD in Military Personnel After Deployment to Iraq”
Best 110 Papers
Personal Essay Winner: Scarlett Hermann, “Going Back”
Critical Essay Winner: Olivia Guillard, “Technology in the Classroom”
Best 091 Paper
Winner: Alexis Donovan, “Why Children Should Be Involved in Sports”
2013-2014
2014 Stellanova Osborn Poetry Award
Winner selected by Joseph Haske: “I Long to See the Day” by Daisy Fentiman
2014 LSSU Short Story Award
Winner selected by Joseph Haske: “Five Years” by Daisy Fentiman
Best ENGL 111 Paper
Winner: Lindsey McCullough, “Japanese for English Speakers”
Best ENGL 110 Papers
Personal Essay Winner: Charles Hunter, “That’s the Ticket”
Critical Essay Winner: Jennifer Fredericks, “The Safety of Aspartame”
Best 091 Paper
Winner: Tyler Aikens, “Autism Training in the School System”
2012-2013
2013 Stellanova Osborn Poetry Award
Winner selected by Helen Frost: “Once Upon a Dream” by Michael Krueger
2013 LSSU Short Story Award
Winners selected by Helen Frost (Tie): “Slipping Away” and “Mother of God,” both by Stephen Keller
Best ENGL 111 Paper
Winner: Michael Gordon, “Social Sustainability and China’s One-Child Policy”
Best ENGL 110 Papers
Personal Essay: Winner: Jerusha Lane, “Of Pants and Paragliders”
Critical Essay: Winner: Victoria Steffke, “Grab Some Rubbers: It’s the Law “
Best ENGL 091 Paper
Winner: Scott Pardon, “Criminals Are Not Bad People”
2011-2012
2012 Stellanova Osborn Poetry Award
Winner: John Keller, for “The Phone of Martha Taylor”
2012 LSSU Short Story Contest
Winner: Michael Krueger, for “My Kingdom for a Flower”
Best ENGL 111 Paper
Winner: Johnee Whalen, for “The Problem with Guided Indecision”
Best ENGL 110 Paper
Winner: Alex Guillard, for “Thin is In”
