English department announces 2025 scholarship and award winners
Thanks to the generous support of our donors, the Department of English sponsors over fifteen scholarships and awards for undergraduate and graduate students majoring in English. The department is pleased to celebrate this year's winners. We are also thrilled to announce the invitation of one of our graduating seniors to Phi Beta Kappa.
Established by a former instructor in the College of Liberal Arts at Wayne State University to honor the memory of his brother Herman Feigenson, the Albert Feigenson Scholarship is for full-time undergraduate and graduate students majoring in English or Music who demonstrate scholastic achievement. Undergraduate student Ajala Fields and graduate student Brie Garbin are this year's awardees.
The Christopher T. Leland Endowed Scholarship in Creative Writing was established by the family and friends of Leland, novelist and professor in the Department of English, to honor his memory and to recognize the most gifted student writers. James Showers is this year's awardee.
The Daniel Keyes Family Endowed Scholarship and the Daniel Keyes Family Graduate Scholarship in Creative Writing honor author and educator Keyes, who taught at Wayne State University in the early to mid-1960s, and was established to encourage future writers and educators. Undergraduate students Keira Shantry and Tabitha Smith and graduate student Alamia Annous are this year's awardees.
The A. Dayle Wallace Endowed Memorial Scholarship in English honors the memory of Wallace, a member of the Department of English faculty for twenty-nine years, from 1944 to 1973, and provides support to full- and part-time students in English who demonstrate scholastic achievement and are Michigan residents. Undergraduate student Tori Romatowski and graduate students Mallory Lectka and James Showers are this year's awardees.
The Dennis Turner Memorial Scholarship in Film Studies honors the memory of Turner, a film scholar and professor in the Department of English, and recognizes scholastic achievement of graduate students majoring or otherwise demonstrating a strong interest in Film Studies. This year's awardees are Maddie Henry and Micah Spiece.
The Doretta Burke Sheill Endowed Memorial Scholarship was established for full- or part-time junior, senior and graduate students in English who demonstrate high scholastic achievement, character and leadership. This year's undergraduate awardees are Jesse Caruso, Sesa Graham and Brandon Wade. Graduate student awardees are Todd Bates, Nariman Hawily, Teesha Lieber and Madi Rougier.
The Dustin Rose Memorial Scholarship was established in memory of Rose, an undergraduate English major, and is open to full or part-time students enrolled in the English B.A. program. Nora Brockwell is this year's Rose scholarship awardee.
The Dr. Karen Louise Haslanger Vaneman Memorial Endowed Scholarship was established in memory of Vaneman, an alumna of Wayne State University and lifelong educator. The scholarship supports full- or part-time students who have returned to pursue a graduate degree in English following a break in their education of any length. This year's awardees are Amanda Berger, Abeeb Hammed and Jessica Risk.
The Gilbert R. & Patricia K. Davis Endowed Merit Scholarship for English Majors was established to recognize, encourage, and reward the scholastic achievement of degree-seeking, part-time students who are majoring in English. This year's awardee is Alayna Will.
The Joseph J. & Mary E. Yelda Endowed Scholarship for English was established to promote academic excellence and encourage high scholastic achievement, not only in a college career but throughout one's life. This year's awardees are: Rafa Alam, Isis James, Jeremy Kominek, Antonia Lucaj, Gazal Mohammad, Joseph Mullins, Selchebeel Qadome, Keira Shantry, Tabitha Smith, and Sidnie Spanish.
The Loughhead-Eldredge Endowed Scholarship in Creative Writing was established in honor of Patricia Loughead Eldredge and her husband, John Eldredge in support of undergraduate and graduate students who excel in creative writing. Undergraduate student Isis James and graduate students Brandon Wade and Todd Bates are this year's awardees.
The Professor Arnold Goldsmith Annual Scholarship honors the memory of Goldsmith to recognize scholastic achievement for full-time undergraduate and graduate students. Undergraduate student Edward Marshall and graduate students Todd Bates and Nariman Hazily are this year's awardees.
The Pearl A. Warn Endowed Scholarship in English honors the memory of Warn, who served as the English Department’s Academic Services Officer from 1973 through 1986 and who was also a doctoral student in English. The scholarship is for returning students enrolled full time or part time at the graduate or undergraduate level. Undergraduate student Cherie Beauton and graduate student Kenneth Shepherd are this year's awardees.
The Stephen H. Tudor Memorial Scholarship in Creative Writing honors the memory of Tudor, writer and professor in the Department of English. Recipients are selected among undergraduate and graduate English majors demonstrating high achievement in creative writing. This year's awardee is David Wilhelm.
The Terrence King Endowed Memorial Fellowship in English honors the memory of King, an English professor, and is awarded each year to an exceptionally promising Ph.D. student in English. This year's awardee is Minerva Gale.
Named after a Wayne State alumnus who graduated with a B.S. in Biology and then pursued his passion for creative writing, the Thomas R. Jasina Endowed Scholarship in English, for full- or part-time graduates students majoring in English, was established to "allow others to pursue their passion for writing and knowledge in a world that does not often reward these endeavors." This year's awardees are: Brie Garbin, Tyesha Lieber, Madi Rougier, and Kenneth Shepherd.
The WSU English Diversity and Social Justice Scholarship was established to recognize students whose studies or extracurricular activities center and engage causes of justice and equity. Undergraduate students Lilly Dew and Angela Najor and graduate students Alamia Annous and Joshua Napier are this year's awardees.
The Department of English Distinguished Graduating Senior Award is presented to the graduating senior earning the highest GPA of English majors not enrolled in an honors program. This year's awardee is Ma'Idah Sheikh.
The Department of English Best Essay Award is an annual award presented to the undergraduate English major submitting the best paper from a 5000-level course in the current academic year. Rayne Morales is this year's prize winner.
Finally, Phi Beta Kappa is the nation's oldest academic honor society. Founded on Dec. 5, 1776, it celebrates and advocates excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. Membership is by invitation only. Graduating senior Ma'Idah Sheikh was invited to join Phi Beta Kappa this year.
Congratulations to this wonderful cohort of English students!