Department Awards
The 2026 English Writing Award window is open! Submit your work for consideration today! Submission links below. Submission window closes March 15, 2026, midnight.
The English Department awards the Van Doren, Ledbetter, Koa-Plumeria, and Sigmar Schwarz prizes annually. All undergraduate CLU students are eligible for consideration for all prizes.
Mark Van Doren Prize for Poetry
The Mark Van Doren Poetry Prize ($1000) was first awarded in 1972. The prize became an endowed scholarship through the donations of poet Mark Van Doren’s sons, John and Charles Van Doren. Submit three to five poems for consideration.
Ledbetter Prize
The Ledbetter Prize ($500), made possible through the donation of Dr. Jack Ledbetter, is given annually to a Cal Lutheran student for the best written work in literary prose (fiction, nonfiction, and drama). One submission with a 3,000 word limit.
Koa-Plumeria Prizes
The Koa-Plumeria prizes were made possible through the generous donation of John PM Dillon. John Dillon named these prizes after koa, a hard wood, used for musical instruments and weapons, including edge weapons like war clubs, and plumeria, a fragrant flowering tree whose beautiful petals exude a mildly irritating sap. Both prizes reward edgy works that employ musical language, and lovely, sweet writings that get under your skin.
- The Koa Prize ($500) recognizes the best ENGL-111 Prose Composition. One submission with a 2,000 word limit.
- The Plumeria Prize ($500) honors the best Morning Glory literary submission. The Plumeria Prize winner will be selected by the Morning Glory faculty mentory and staff from among all Morning Glory submissions.
Sigmar Schwarz Prize
The Sigmar Schwarz Prize ($100), named for beloved Professor emeritus Dr. Sig Schwarz, was first awarded in 2017 and recognizes the best work of literary criticism written for a CLU English class. One submission with a 2,500 word limit.
Past Award Winners
2025
Mark Van Doren Poetry Prize - Jae Nguyen, "Foreign Mornings"
Ledbetter Prize - Amelia Tracey, "Moškovec: A Love Letter"
Koa Prize - Angelina Momoh, "Red Cloaks and Silent Screams: The Mark of Womanhood in The Handmaid’s Tale"
Plumeria Prize - Laura Flores, "Without Borders"
Sigmar Schwarz Award - Avya Pandhi, "The Ferocity of Silence: Feminist Rebellion in Djuna Barnes’Nightwood.”
2024
Mark Van Doren Poetry Prize - Emily Solis, "Auditions"
Ledbetter Prize - Amanda Marks, "Your Mother is a Mermaid"
Koa Prize - Isabel Jarrett, "The Pacific Science Center: A Center of Play"
Plumeria Prize - Linda Tran, "Perennial Saudade"
Sigmar Schwarz Award - Emily Solis, "Beneath the Mask: Annie John's Imperialistic Reality"
2023
Mark Van Doren Poetry Prize - Tenchi Wells
Ledbetter Prize - Cecilia Lopez
Koa Prize - Justin Duverge
Plumeria Prize - Chandler Russell
2022
Mark Van Doren Poetry Prize - Angelina Leaños
Ledbetter Prize - Isabella Dephillipo
Koa Prize -
ENGL 110
Winner: Lindsey Titus
Runner up: Smitha Janet Joseph
ENGL 111
Winner: Justin Stanziano
Sigmar Schwartz - Patrick Lewis
Plumeria Prize - Zoe Monge
2021
(awards were paused in 2021 due to pandemic)
2020
Mark Van Doren Poetry Prize - Amelia (Lee) Cassidy
Ledbetter Prize - Riley Civerolo-Douglas
Koa Prize - Carrollyne Aasen
Sigmar Schwartz - Nyle de Leon
Plumeria Prize - Amelia (“Lee”) Cassidy
2019
Mark Van Doren Poetry Prize - Donaldo Lopez
Ledbetter Prize - Ellie Long
Koa Prize - Cole Comer
Plumeria Prize - Ellie Long
2018
Mark Van Doren Poetry Prize - Samantha Meyer
Ledbetter Prize - Garrett James Wyatt
Koa Prize - Isabella Breda
Plumeria Prize - Cassandra Jarin
2017
Mark Van Doren Poetry Prize - Imanya Supancic
Ledbetter Prize - Kayla Gibfried
Koa Prize - Julia Garcia
Plumeria Prize - Cassandra Jarin
Sigmar Schwarz Prize - Henry Studebaker