MENU

Sections

  • Home
  • About
    • The Chestertown Spy
    • Contact Us
    • Advertising & Underwriting
      • Advertising Terms & Conditions
    • Editors & Writers
    • Dedication & Acknowledgements
    • Code of Ethics
    • Chestertown Spy Terms of Service
    • Technical FAQ
    • Privacy
  • The Arts and Design
  • Local Life and Culture
  • Public Affairs
    • Ecosystem
    • Education
    • Health
  • Community Opinion
  • Donate to the Chestertown Spy
  • Free Subscription
  • Talbot Spy
  • Cambridge Spy

More

  • Support the Spy
  • About Spy Community Media
  • Advertising with the Spy
March 30, 2023

The Chestertown Spy

An Educational News Source for Chestertown Maryland

  • Home
  • About
    • The Chestertown Spy
    • Contact Us
    • Advertising & Underwriting
      • Advertising Terms & Conditions
    • Editors & Writers
    • Dedication & Acknowledgements
    • Code of Ethics
    • Chestertown Spy Terms of Service
    • Technical FAQ
    • Privacy
  • The Arts and Design
  • Local Life and Culture
  • Public Affairs
    • Ecosystem
    • Education
    • Health
  • Community Opinion
  • Donate to the Chestertown Spy
  • Free Subscription
  • Talbot Spy
  • Cambridge Spy
Arts Arts Arts Top Story Spy Top Story Top Story

Sophie Kerr Comes Home

May 11, 2015 by James Dissette

Share

For almost half a century, Washington College’s Sophie Kerr Prize has been awarded to a graduating senior exhibiting “the most ability and promise for future fulfillment in the field of literary endeavor.”

The prize has been a highlight of every graduation weekend except for the last four when it was relocated to New York City and Baltimore to attract a larger audience.

This Friday, the $63,000 prize will return to the campus and community.

The Sophie Kerr Prize is the largest literary prize of its kind in the U.S., besting even the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award.

An Eastern Shore native—she was from Denton—Sophie Kerr found great success in writing fiction, editing many popular magazines and publishing hundreds of short stories, 23 novels, poems and a Broadway play.

In 1942, Washington College gave two honorary degrees to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its co-education—one to Eleanor Roosevelt and the other to Sophie Kerr.

Sophie Kerr

Sophie Kerr

Although she went to Hood College (and the University of Vermont), Kerr decided to leave the majority of her estate to Washington College with an iron-clad directive to give half of its yearly income to a graduating senior with literary talent, and half to fund scholarships, student publications and a reading series given by renowned and emerging writers.

In this video, English Department and Sophie Kerr Committee Chairman Kate Moncrief, talks about the prize, what it means to the College, the student, and to her.

Dr. Moncrief also invites everyone to the award ceremony taking place on Friday, May 15at 7:00 p.m. at the Decker Theatre, Gibson Center for the Arts at Washington College.  This year’s winner will be announced by honored guest and 1982 Sophie Kerr winner Peter Turchi after a reading by all finalists.

“This really is a campus and greater community celebration,” Moncrief said. “We extend an invitation to everyone to share this exciting moment.”

Filed Under: Arts, Arts Top Story, Spy Top Story, Top Story

Solar Co-Op Information Sessions Coming to Chestertown Tea Party Alert: Redcoats Banned from Being Thrown off Sultana – What?

Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article

We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.

Copyright © 2023

Affiliated News

  • The Cambridge Spy
  • The Talbot Spy

Sections

  • Arts
  • Culture
  • Ecosystem
  • Education
  • Health
  • Local Life and Culture
  • Spy Senior Nation

Spy Community Media

  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
  • Advertising & Underwriting

Copyright © 2023 · Spy Community Media Child Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in