Academy of American Poets Prize
Established in 1979
Description. The Academy of American Poets Prize is open to all students of UC Berkeley of any department. This prize is awarded for the best poem or group of poems. The Academy prefers one winner, but awards are limited to no more than two winners and two honorable mentions. If two winners are selected, each will receive a check for fifty dollars. For complete information, please read the General Rules.
Prize Amount. A prize of $100 is awarded at the judge's discretion. Federal financial aid regulations require that all awards received by a student can not exceed their financial aid need as determined by a congressional formula. It is possible, therefore, that the cash award for a prize could reduce some component of a needy student’s package of financial aid awards. In these cases, the Financial Aid Office attempts first to reduce loan or work aid; fellowships, grants, or scholarships are only reduced as a last resort.
No prize money is awarded to authors whose submissions receive honorable mention, but they will receive a certificate from the Academy. The names of winners will be published in the Academy's newsletter. Winners will be notified by the Academy of American Poets if their poems will be published.
Deadline. Submissions must be hand-delivered by the author to the Undergraduate Scholarships, Prizes, and Honors Office, 220 Sproul Hall, no later than 4 p.m. on December 1. The author's name must not appear on the entry.
History of the Prize. In 1979, Dr. Rae Ballard of Pasadena chose to sponsor The American Academy of Poets College Prize at Berkeley for several years as "The Galbraith Memorial Poetry Prize." Dr. Ballard wrote, "I was a graduate student and teaching assistant [at Berkeley] many years ago, receiving my Master's Degree in the early 'fifties... My interest in the prize itself was because of its encouragement of young writers. I teach creative writing at Pasadena City College and have seen what recognition can mean to the morale of the young poet who is just voice." In 1996, The Academy, in conjunction with the New Hope Foundation for the Harold Taylor Fund, established a permanent endowment for The Academic of American Poets Prize at Berkeley. Harold Taylor, who died in 1993, was an avid reader of poetry, a devoted activist, and a progressive educator. His many years of service to these causes included time as president of Sarah Lawrence College, chairman of the Peace Research Institute and National Research Council on Peace Strategy, president of the American Ballet Theater; and coordinator for the Lenore Marshall/Nation Poetry Prize.
2010-11: 31 entries, Kelsa Trom and Gillian Osborne ($50 each)
2009-10: 38 entries, Steven Lance and Joe Cadora ($50 each)
2008-09: 31 entries, Steven Lance and Jennifer Reimer ($50 each), Honorable Mention: Nancy E. Patten
2007-08: 13 entries, Johnny T. Hernandez Jr and Matt Melnicki ($50 each)
2006-07: 31 entries, Colin Dingler ($100)
2005-06: 41 entries, Joon Song ($100)
2004-05: 37 entries, Vivian Huang ($100)
2003-04: 44 entries, Abigail Goldman and Jennifer Evans ($50 each)
2002-03: 22 entries, Nicholas Lauridsen ($100), Honorable Mentions Kimberly Johnson and Sarah Spath
2001-02: 21 entries, Casey Butterfield & Pepper Luboff ($50 each)
2000-01: 28 entries, Yasmin Golan ($100), Honorable Mentions Jared Stanley and Dana Stevens
1999-00: 25 entries, Ellen Samuels ($100), Honorable Mentions William Clark, Elisabeth Hillman
1998-99: 39 entries, Mandy Kahn ($100); Honorable Mentions Dominic Ang, Margo Ponce
1997-98: 42 entries, M. Jennifer Markus ($100)