Student Awards

Margaret Nance Award

Professor Margaret Nance was a distinguished faculty member of the English Department who did important work in English Composition. In her honor, the English Department has created the Award for Outstanding Graduating B.A. Student.

Margaret Nance Award past award winners

Thomas Sullivan Award

Professor Thomas Sullivan was a distinguished faculty member who dedicated his life to teaching and research. In his honor, the Graduate Committee has established the Thomas Sullivan Award granted yearly to outstanding M.A. graduate students who minimally a) complete all degree requirements in five years; b) finish their course work with a 3.9 average or higher; and c) receive a PS (“sobresaliente”) in ENGL 6895 (Creative Thesis) or ENGL 6891/6983 (Research Essay).

Thomas Sullivan Award past award winners

Miguel Marrero Award

The Miguel M. Marrero Award honors the memory of Dr. Miguel M. Marrero by recognizing the achievements of an outstanding student graduating from the Department of English in the College of Humanities at the University of Puerto Rico’s Río Piedras Campus, where Marrero completed his MA in English literature in 1996.

The annual academic award of $1,000 will go to a graduate recognized by the department for an outstanding scholarly research essay (6891 or 6893) or creative thesis that deals with a Caribbean or Latin American topic. If no MA student has completed a research essay or creative thesis on a Caribbean or Latin American topic in a given year, then the regional focus of the award will not apply.

The recipient must have received a PS on the scholarly research essay, a minimum grade point average of 3.5 at the MA level, and completed all graduation requirements. Both English Linguistics and Literature students are eligible.

A committee of English Department professors teaching at the graduate level will select the recipient. The committee will be responsible for contacting the award manager with the name of the recipient each year. The recipient will be responsible for forwarding an electronic copy of the research essay to the award manager upon being named by the Department of English.

The award will exist for five years, 2021 through 2026.

Miguel Marrero Award past award winners

Joan Fayer Award

The Joan Fayer Award is to be awarded yearly to a Ph.D. student who has excelled in coursework, research, comprehensive examinations, and dissertation. This monetary award is given to a doctoral graduate in either Linguistics or Literature. It honors the work of Dr. Joan Fayer, a distinguished sociolinguist who worked in the English Department for forty-five years.

Joan Fayer Award past award winners