Humanities Division Award Ceremony 2019-2020

On Thursday, May 14th, the Department of English, Philosophy, and Languages hosted the annual Awards Ceremony in which we recognized those graduating from our undergraduate and graduate students. This ceremony celebrated all students graduating September 2019, January 2020, and May 2020.

Below, you'll find a list of all students recognized at the ceremony.

GRADUATING ENGLISH MAJORS / GRADUATE STUDENTS

Undergraduate

SUMMER 2019
Rachel Balagot
Cheyenne Thornton

FALL 2019
Dewyna Ahmad *
Martha Roldan *
Valerie Soto
Samson Ventress
Stacey Watson *

SPRING 2020
Ashton Burton
Ashvini Coomarsingham *
Tori Gray
Skyluar James *
Samantha Offenback
Lenah Spencer
Amber Wright *

* Sigma Tau Delta member

Graduate

FALL 2019
Breana Ricketts (MFA)
Carol Telpha (MFA)

SPRING 2020
Shuvanna Alam (MA, Literature)
Joseph Mannino (MFA)
Ogochukwu Bibiana Ossai (MFA)


ENGLISH MINORS
Kyleigh Barao

GENDER STUDIES MINORS
Sophia Joy Cox-Wright
Nicole Price
Stacey Watson


POPPER-EDELMAN AWARD WINNERS
First Year Writing: Zachary Embry (ENG 16)
Core Literature: Hannah Fleshyman (ENG 64)
Upper Division: Sara Mohamed (ENG 178)

ESTHER HYNEMAN GRADUATE AWARD IN POETRY
Joey Mannino

MARILYN BOUTWELL GRADUATE AWARD IN FICTION
Ogochukwu Bibiana Ossai


Recognition was also paid to former beloved members of the department who passed away: Seyemour Kleinberg (1933-2020) and Kimarlee Nguyen (1986-2020). The department also honored Lewis Warsh on the occasion of his retirement and Jacob Matkov for his service to the department.

Watch the slideshow presented during the ceremony here:

2019 Awards Ceremony

On Thursday, May 9th, the Department of English, Philosophy, and Languages hosted the annual Awards Ceremony in which we recognized those graduating and academic excellence from our undergraduate and graduate students. This ceremony celebrated all students graduating September 2018, January 2019, and May 2019.

Below, you'll find a list of all students recognized at the ceremony.

GRADUATING ENGLISH MAJORS / GRADUATE STUDENTS

            Undergraduate

Naima Akther (January ’19) *^

Michael Czerepka (January ’19)

Ralph Dorsinville (January ’19) *

Fatima Lundy (May ’19) *^

Zakee Marcinkiewicz (May ’19)

Destinee Rodriguez (January ’19)

Leslie Jo Wrightington (May ’19) *^

            Graduate

Nikki Alimonda (January ’19)

Joseph Anderson (September ’18) *

Lida Colón (May ’19) *^

Alexander Dermody (May ’19)

Christina Kellagher (January ’19) *

* Excellence in English

^ Sigma Tau Delta member

ENGLISH MINORS

Jade Muyambo (May ’19)

Gillian Vallaster (May ’19)

Olga Volosyanko (May ’19)

GENDER STUDIES MINORS

Abdulaziz Aljadany

Heather Rose Collick

Siobhan Macpherson

Samudra Kine Randazzo

Seneca Marisa Richards

Daria Sowa 

SIGMA TAU DELTA INDUCTEES

Dewnya Ahmad

Ashvini Coomarasingham

Skyluar James

Amanda Peren  

Amber Wright

POPPER-EDELMAN AWARD WINNERS

Developmental Writing: Al Qubli Nasser

Freshman Writing: Camilla Obidova

Senior Thesis: Naima Akther & Stacey Watson

THE JANET HAYNES SCHOLARSHIP  

Daria Sowa

THE LOUIS & ANN PARASCANDOLA GRADUATE ENGLISH AWARD

Christina Kellagher

THE LIANG & BERNARD SCHWEIZER GRADUATE THESIS AWARD

Joseph Anderson & Lida Colón

ESTHER HYNEMAN GRADUATE AWARD IN POETRY

Melanie Neilson

MARILYN BOUTWELL GRADUATE AWARD IN FICTION

Kevin Xiong

English Department Awards Ceremony 2017

On Wednesday, May 3, 2017, the English Department held its annual awards ceremony to recognize this year's graduates and this year's winners of the English Department's various awards and prizes.

Beginning this year, the ceremony will be a joint event for the whole Humanities Division. 

Also presented at the ceremony, therefore, were Humanities Division minor awards presented to Africana Studies minor Tatyana DeJean and Gender Studies minors Mark McCook and Hasanna Taitt.

The Foreign Languages & Literature Department presented awards to French minor Donovan Desir and Spanish minor Esmerelda Castro.

The Philosophy Department presented the Philosophy Honor Award to Penelope Triantayllou.

Congratulations to the following English majors and graduate students who completed their degrees this academic year.

September 2016

Cristina Cutrone: English MA; Louis & Ann Parascandola Graduate English Award 2016; Sigma Tau Delta

Danielle Moskowitz: English MA; Sigma Tau Delta


January 2017

Michael Atkinson: Creative Writing MFA

Diane Etienne: English BA, Literature

Julie Lonon: English MA

Angus McLinn: Creative Writing MFA

Rebecca Rimple: English BA, Creative Writing

Michelle Szetela: English MA; Sigma Tau Delta

May 2017

Sarai Arroyo: English BA, Creative Writing

Tatum Crawford: Creative Writing MFA; Sigma Tau Delta

Sam Farhi: Creative Writing MFA

Celina Flores: English BA, Creative Writing

Lydia Flores: Creative Writing MFA; Esther Hyneman Graduate Award in Poetry 2016

Joann Jeannot: English BA, Literature; Sigma Tau Delta

Strawbry Jiles: English MA; Sigma Tau Delta

Belynda Jones: Creative Writing MFA

Sarah Kaplan Gould: Creative Writing MFA; Esther Hyneman Graduate Award in Poetry 2015

Madison Lukosius: English BA, Literature

Keila Matthews: English BA, Literature

Hafeezah Nazim: English BA, Creative Writing

Raquel Pimentel: Creative Writing MFA

Gabrielle Robinson: Creative Writing MFA
Medgine Salim: English MA

This Academic Year's Inductees to Sigma Tau Delta, Omicron Zeta Chapter

Tamanna Afroze
Tatum Crawford
Yu June Lee
Erica Lee Mazewski
Nathalie Meyers
Sarai Rivera Polanco
Patricia June Quintall
Jermaine Richards
Susan Elizabeth Stuart
Jason Wong
Leslie Jo Wrightington


The Edward Edelman and Susanne Popper-Edelman English Essay Prizes

Freshman Composition (English 16): Gennica Uy, "The Dark Truth of Inequality: A World Full of Inequality and Violence," Professor Andrea Libin

Upper Division: Sarai Rivera Polanco, "Inquiring into Identity and Literacy: First Generational Spanish Women," Professor Deborah Mutnick

Senior Thesis in Literature: Karen Zhang, "Feminine Traits and their Spheres," Professor Sealy Gilles

Excellence in English, Undergraduate

Celina Flores
Joann Jeannot
Madison Lukosius
Hafeezah Nazim

Excellence in English, Graduate

Michael Atkinson
Tatum Crawford
Cristina Cutrone
Sam Farhi
Lydia Flores
Sarah Kaplan Gould
Belynda Jones
Julie Lonon
Angus McLinn
Danielle Moskowitz
Raquel Pimentel
Medgine Salim

Louis and Ann Parascandola Graduate Award

Raquel Pimentel

Marilyn Boutwell Graduate Award in Fiction

(The Creative Writing MFA faculty announced at the ceremony that this award, formerly known as the Esther Hyneman Graduate Award in Fiction, has been re-named in memory of Marilyn Boutwell, our former graduate advisor, who died in December 2016.)

Sam Farhi


Esther Hyneman Graduate Award in Poetry

Tatum Crawford

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Annual Awards Ceremony (2016 edition)

painters on the Brooklyn Bridge

Updated 11 May 2016; 25 July 2016

Please join us Wednesday, May 4, 2016, at 3:30, as we recognize this year's graduates and this year's winners of the English Department's awards and prizes.

Congratulations to the following English majors and graduate students who completed or are completing their degrees this academic year.

January 2016

• Wilson Kyle De Ocera, Creative Writing MFA
• Kristen Hoffman, English MA, Excellence in English 2016, Sigma Tau Delta
• Lindsay Infantino, Creative Writing MFA, Excellence in English 2016, Sigma Tau Delta
• Yvonne Wright-Flemming, English MA

May 2016

• Katie Albany, Creative Writing MFA, Excellence in English 2016
• Malik Crumpler, Creative Writing MFA, Excellence in English 2016
• Kathryn Dure, English BA, Excellence in English 2016, Sigma Tau Delta
• Sarah Francois, Creative Writing MFA, Excellence in English 2016
• Kristen Heim, English BA, Sigma Tau Delta
• Joy Jackson, English BA
• Luke Marcott, Creative Writing MFA, Excellence in English 2016
• Melanie Martinez, Creative Writing MFA, Excellence in English 2016
• Jessica Montrose, English BA, Excellence in English 2016, Edward Edelman and Susanne Popper-Edelman English Essay Prize: Best Essay in an Upper-Division English Course 2015, Sigma Tau Delta
• Kimarlee Nguyen, Creative Writing MFA, Excellence in English 2016, Esther Hyneman Graduate Award in Fiction 2015, Esther Hyneman Graduate Award Fiction Finalist 2014, Sigma Tau Delta
• Angela Nichols, Creative Writing MFA, Excellence in English 2016
• Jessica Persaud, English BA
• Oliver St John, Creative Writing MFA, Excellence in English 2016

This Academic Year's Inductees to Sigma Tau Delta, Omicron Zeta Chapter

Kathryn Dure
Manar Elzaky
Sarah Francois
Madison Gomez
Kristen Heim
Kristen Hoffman
Lindsay Infantino
Daljit Kaur
Misha Khan
Jessica Montrose
Kimarlee Nguyen
Matthew Ornstein
Roksolana Sheverack


The Edward Edelman and Susanne Popper-Edelman English Essay Prizes

Freshman Composition (English 14): Flavia Roda, for “Are We Social Media Addicts?”

Freshman Composition (English 16): Ama Cobbinah, for “The Impact of Religion and Economics on the Institution of Slavery”

Upper Division : Nichia McFarlane, for “Protecting the Creative Space" (English 129—Later British Literature)

Senior Thesis in Literature: Jessica Montrose, for "The Various Maskings of Homosexual Desires in Medieval and Early Modern Literature”

Excellence in English, Undergraduate

Kathryn Dure

Jessica Montrose

Excellence in English, Graduate

Katie Albany
Malik Crumpler
Sarah Francois
Kristen Hoffman
Lindsay Infantino
Luke Marcott
Melanie Martinez
Kimarlee Nguyen
Angela Nichols
Oliver St John

Louis and Ann Parascandola Graduate Award

Cristina Cutrone, for "Gender Transformations in the Work of F. Scott Fitzgerald"

The Esther Hyneman Graduate Awards in Poetry and Fiction

Poetry: Lydia Flores

Fiction: Melanie Martinez

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Sigma Tau Delta, Omicron Zeta Chapter

A member of the Association of College Honor Societies, Sigma Tau Delta is composed of over 560 chapters throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, and the Caribbean. Sigma Tau Delta's central purpose is to confer distinction upon outstanding students of the English language and literature in undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies. Sigma Tau Delta also recognizes the accomplishments of professional writers who have contributed to the fields of language and literature.

Membership in Sigma Tau Delta is by invitation, extended through a local chapter on behalf of the international organization. Students who meet the qualifications for membership must apply through the chapter on their campus. Once a student contacts the local chapter, the sponsor will check the qualifications and recommend that student for membership.

Membership in Sigma Tau Delta is an outward recognition of personal accomplishment. It provides opportunities for those interested in English language and literature to join with like-minded persons on the local, regional, national, and international levels and to participate in and present professional work at conferences and conventions at these levels. Members receive the Newsletter while they remain active in their local chapters. They also receive and have the opportunity to contribute to the award-winning literary publication, The Rectangle, and are eligible to compete for several $1,000-$2,500 scholarships and awards. There are also internship and graduate assistantship opportunities available for members.

In 1957, the Omicron Zeta Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta was organized at the Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University. The purpose of the chapter is to encourage advanced study in English literature and to honor outstanding students in the field by election to membership.

All undergraduate and graduate students who meet the following requirements are eligible for membership in Sigma Tau Delta. Membership is by invitation so if you meet the following requirements, please submit your name to the faculty advisor,srividhya.swaminathan@liu.edu.

Candidates for undergraduate membership must have completed a minimum of two upper division courses (meaning 100 level or above) in literature, rhetoric studies, or creative writing. Students in the Honors Program who have taken an upper division elective with an English faculty member may count that course as one of their two courses. The candidate must have a minimum of a 3.0 overall GPA and have earned no grade lower than a B in all upper division English courses. Eligible candidates may not have any outstanding incompletes on their transcripts.

Candidates for graduate membership must be enrolled in a graduate program in English, or one of its specializations, have completed six credits of graduate work or the equivalent, and have a minimum grade point average of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale. To be eligible, graduate students must also have no incompletes on their transcripts.

Watch The Longest Island for announcements of upcoming chapter events, including the next member induction ceremony.

For more information, contact the faculty sponsor, Professor Srividhya Swaminathan.

Back to Clubs & Events page.

English Department Clubs & Events

The English Department organizes a variety of programs and occasional events that provide students with valuable opportunities to meet and mingle with fellow students, with members of the faculty, and with a wide range of guest speakers and other campus visitors. 

Clubs

We have an active chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, the international English honors society, and chapter members have a chance to present papers at the society's annual conference.

Events

From time to time, members of the department faculty present research in progress as a part of the English Department Faculty Forum.

We host readings by established and emerging poets and fiction writers in the Voices of the Rainbow reading series, by distinguished Visiting Writers who teach in our Creative Writing MFA program, and by our own graduate students in the Creative Writiting MFA program's M.F.A. Reading Series.

For over thirty years, we have also welcomed a stream of distinguished scholars and writers to campus to deliver the Paumanok Lecture on American Literature and Culture.

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Watch The Longest Island for announcements about upcoming events. 

You will also find announcements about Voices of the Rainbow events, MFA Reading Series events, and the Paumanok Lecture listed in the calendar on our LibraryThing venue page.

Sigma Tau Delta to Induct Newest Members

The Omicron Zeta chapter of Sigma Tau Delta (the international English honors society) will have its annual induction ceremony and dinner on Friday, April 17th.

New members:

• Alexis Ambruso
• Reign Brewer
• Cristina Cutrone
• Alexa Carter-Rodriguez
• Pamela Cruz-Encarnacion
• Melissa De Santo
• Sebastien Delice
• Joann Jeannot
• Strawbry Jiles
• Jessica Montrose
• Martha Roldan.

In addition to inducting these new members, the chapter will recognize members who are graduating this year. 

Attendance is by e-vite only. 

For more information about this event, contact Professor Srividhya Swaminathan at 718-780-4323.

Annual Awards Ceremony (2014 Edition)

Please join us in congratulating this year's graduates and award winners! The English Department's Annual Awards Ceremony will be held as follows:

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

3:30-4:30 PM

Robert Spector Lounge

Fourth Floor

Humanities Building

GRADUATES FOR THIS ACADEMIC YEAR

May 2014

Samiah Aljahmi, BA

Shawn Bartee, MA
Chia Lun Chang, MFA

Justin Gioia, BA

Joanna Gonzalez, BA

Christine Grausso, MA

Dargreeny Jean, BA

Joshua Lamore, BA

Daniel Owen, MFA

Evan Thomas, MFA

Shereen Vincent, BA

January 2014

Anthony Eid, MA

Elena Fabiankovic, BA

Michael Grove, MFA

Tiani Kennedy, MFA

Julianne Lavalle, MFA

Steven Rice, MA

Shari Seraneau, MFA

Laurel Schumacher, MA

Tina Thompson, MFA

September 2013

Felice Belle, MFA

Keeley Ibrahim, BA

Jacob Matkov, MA

Carla Reneau, BA

Elizabeth Ruiz, BA

Nicole Sampson, MA

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MEMBERS OF SIGMA TAU DELTA GRADUATING THIS ACADEMIC YEAR

Justin Gioia
Joanna Gonzalez
Keeley Ibrahim
Joshua Lamore
Jacob Matkov
Evan Thomas

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AWARD WINNERS FOR THIS ACADEMIC YEAR

The Edward Edelman & Susanne Popper-Edelman English Essay Prizes

Best Essay in a Developmental Freshman Writing Course

Yu June Lee, "Yu June Lee and the Treacherous Four-Laned Road," Professor Morgan Schulz

Best Essay in a Sophomore Core Literature Course

Edward Greene, "'A Terrible Lump of Coal in the Burning Street': The Imagery of Protest," Professor Michael Bennett

Best Essay in an Upper-Division English Course

Sydney Boles, "Catch 22: Literacy Education and the Public in Jefferson High School," Professor Deborah Mutnick

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The Elaine Spielberg Award

Yu June Lee

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The Excellence in English Award

Undergraduate

Justin Gioia

Joanna Gonzalez

Keeley Ibrahim

Joshua Lamore

Graduate

Felice Belle

Christine Grausso

Michael Grove

Tiani Kennedy

Julianne Lavalle

Jacob Matkov

Daniel Owen

Laurel Schumacher

Evan Thomas

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The Louis &  Ann Parascandola Graduate Award

Daniel Owen

Jacob Matkov

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The Esther Hyneman Graduate Awards in Poetry & Fiction

Poetry Award: Chia Lun Chang Poetry Finalist: Jacob Matkov
Fiction Award: Daniel Owen

Fiction Finalist: Kimarlee Nguyen

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The Liang & Bernard Schweizer Graduate Thesis Award

Christine Grausso, "Magic Mirrors and Evil Queens: Power, Possibilities of Vision and a Phenomeno-logical Analysis of Queer Representation in Once Upon a Time."

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