Montserrat Writing Prize

We invite you to submit a paper for the annual Montserrat Writing Prize. The committee, composed of the director and cluster directors of Montserrat, will award $300 each to three students for papers written in their Montserrat seminars this academic year. The competition is open to students currently enrolled in Montserrat and all students may only submit one paper. 

We encourage you to look back at the work that you have written or are currently working on and choose your favorite piece of writing. Submissions may include critical essays, creative writing, film reviews, scientific reports, and reflections, to name a few. Your entry may be a revision of what you have submitted in your seminar (e.g., you may make changes based on your professor’s comments or workshop feedback). Your submission should be at least 500 words. 

The submission deadline is in March every year. We are thankful to an anonymous donor for the funds to support the prize.  Questions should be addressed to Pr. Alison Ludden (aludden@holycross.edu), director of Montserrat.


 

Spring 2024

5th Annual Montserrat Writing Prize Winners

Maia Nicolosi
Sleep Dealer: A Grim Warning to Humankind 

Montserrat Seminar:  Race and Fantasy Genres
Professor Jorge Santos, Contemporary Challenges

Olivia Paulsen
Transformative Mindfulness: Exploring the Role of Mindfulness in Mitigating Cognitive Biases and Political Polarization 

Montserrat Seminar:  Contemplation: Theory & Action
Professor Richard Schmidt, Divine

Lucy Umland
Creation Myth 

Montserrat Seminar:  Literature and Continuity
Professor Daniel Armenti, Core Human Questions

 

 

Spring 2023

4th Annual Montserrat Writing Prize Winners

Lauren Harkins
Seeing Beneath the Surface: Using Critical Race Theory to Uncover Racial Inequities in the U.S. Public School System

Montserrat Seminar: The Good Student
Professor Danielle Poché, Contemporary Challenges Cluster

Evan Garcia
In a State of Nervous Conditions: Gender Relations in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Groundbreaking Novel

Montserrat Seminar: Africa & the Other
Professor Munya Munochiveyi, Global Society Cluster

Ignacio Sánchez Ramos
Mítos Boricuas

Montserrat Seminar: Foundation and Crisis
Professor Daniel Armenti, Core Human Questions Cluster

 

 

Spring 2022

3rd Annual Montserrat Writing Prize Winners

Grace Conroy
Emotional Geographies: Head, Heart, Time Place

Montserrat Seminar:  The Social Life of Feelings
Professor  Jennie Germann Molz, Contemporary Challenges Cluster

Sarah Park
Roman Diary

Montserrat Seminar:  CityScapes, Near & Far
Professor Noa Shaindlinger, Global Society Cluster

Catherine Pellini
Need for Reform - The Prison System and Deaf Inmates

Montserrat Seminar:  Exploring Difference
Professors Virginia Ryan and Isabelle Jenkins, Divine Cluster

 

Spring 2021

2nd Annual Montserrat Writing Prize Winners

Annabel Degroat
Mamfakinch

Montserrat Seminar: Social Lives of Muslim Youths
Professor Vickie Langohr,  Contemporary Challenges Cluster

Fernanda Perez-Alvarez
The Phoenix

Montserrat Seminar: Building Fantastic Beasts
Professor Julia Paxson, Natural World Cluster

Sarah Synan
Sundae

Montserrat Seminar: Stories of Self
Professor Leah Hager Cohen, Self Cluster

 

Spring 2020


1st Annual Montserrat Writing Prize Winners

Max Caron
See, Judge, Act: Restorative Justice and Catholic Social Teaching’s Impact on American Incarceration

Montserrat Seminar: Identity, Diversity and Community
Professor Virginia Ryan, Divine Cluster

Henry Cavanaugh
Of Moose and Men (and Moose-Men)

Montserrat Seminar: Writing/Reading Place
Professor Stephanie Reents, Natural World Cluster

Alexandra Sawasciuk 
Human Nature in the Natural World

Montserrat Seminar: Naturally Unnatural
Professor Teresa Fenichel, Natural World Cluster