The Academy of American Poets Prize  

 

Funded by Dr. Thomas Werge, Hope class of ’63, and Professor of English at the University of Notre Dame, to encourage excellent student writing and secure permanent membership for Hope College in the University and College Poetry Prize program of The Academy of American Poets.

The Academy of American Poets Award is a national poetry award for college students. In 1955, The Academy of American Poets extablished its University and College Poetry Price program at ten schools. The Academy now sponsors nearly 180 annual prizes for poetry at colleges and universities nationwide, and has awarded more than $350,000 to nearly 10,000 student poets since the program's inception.

The 2001-2002 academic year was the inaugural year for the award at Hope College. Many of America's most esteemed poets won their first recognition through an Academy College Price, including Diane Ackerman, Toi Derricotte, Mark Doty, Alice Fulton, Tess Gallagher, Louise Gluck, Allen Grossman, Jorie Graham, Kimiko Hahn, Joy Harjo, Robert Hass, Li-Young Lee, Brad Leithauser, J.D. McClatchy, Heather McHugh, Gregory Orr, Robert Pinsky, Sylvia Plath, Mark Rudman, Mary Jo Salter, Gjertrud Schnackenberg, George Starbuck, Mark Strand, and Charles Wright.

This is a college-wide award, and an open competition; submissions are open to any student registered for classes at Hope College full-time, from any major or discipline, about any topic, an din any poetic form. There is no entrance fee. All submissions must be anonymous.