Previous winners of the Freshman Studies Writing Prize include:
2011 Nicole M. Wanner from Hudson, WI, for her paper, “The Protestant Cause: Natalie Zemon Davis“ Use of Religion in The Return of Martin Guerre.” The essay presents a well-organized, clear, and cogent argument that analyzes Davis’ interpretation of religion in the twists and turns of the 16th Century trial of a man accused of imposture. Through her analysis of Davis’ book, Niki leads readers to an understanding that the nature of doing history is inherently subjective.
2010 Abigail Amy Wagner, for her paper, "A Different Type of Rhythm," in which she clearly countered an early critic's argument about Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. Her essay effectively describes how Stravinsky's music and Nijinsky's choreography invented a new rhythmic language that both evoked a primal past and challenged the modern audience.
2009 Emily Cook, for her paper, "Borges's Real Concern," a skillfully argued, clearly written essay, which challenges the reader to rethink stock responses to Borges. By the end of the paper, the reader realizes that Borges is concerned not with the secrets of the universe but rather with our human relationships to those secrets.
2008 Emily Koenig, for her paper, "Decisions, Decisions." Offering a sharp analysis of Elizabeth Bishop’s “The Fish,” this paper shares the virtues of its subject. The observations are particular and telling, the language precise, the conclusions strong and sound. In the paper, as in the poem itself, the author sharpens our vision and deepens our understanding.
2007 Daniel Parks, for his paper entitled "Critical Analysis and Milgram's Response," (PDF) a sharp, evenhanded analysis of the ethical issues raised by Milgram's famous experiment.
2006 Andrew Graff, for his paper entitled "A paper on Italo Calvino," an unconventional effort that skillfully borrows Calvino's style to argue that an author's original purpose remains forever his or her own.
2005 Alisa Jordheim for her paper entitled "Salvation for the Underground and Eden: Christian and Utopian Language in Dostoevsky's Notes From Underground and Leopold's A Sand County Almanac," (PDF) in which she skillfully argues both works employ spiritual language in similar ways and to similar ends.
2004 Miriam Gieske for her paper entitled "Human Interaction with Nature in the Works of Aldo Leopold and Elizabeth Bishop," (PDF) a skillful integration and compelling analysis of two very different texts that concern the role of humans as interpreters of nature.
Margaret Helms for "The Weight of 'Disaster' in Bishop's 'One Art,'" (PDF) and extremely well-focused short essay that uses elegant prose while demonstrating a keen eye of detail and a sophisticated deployment of key theoretical constructs from Bishop's poem.
2003 Jon Horne, for his paper entitled "Socially Constructed Reality and Meaning in Notes from Underground" (PDF). The paper is a sophisticated and articulate response to literary criticism in which the student skillfully uses Dostoevsky’s text to provide an alternate view of the novel.
2002 Linda Shaver, for her paper on Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground, "Compounded Irony: Reactions to an Over-deterministic Existence." (PDF)
2001 Anna Berkvam Corey for her comparative textual analysis entitled "A Matter of Circumstance," (PDF) in which she asserts that Mary Shelley's Frankenstein exemplifies the type of writing called for by Virginia Woolf in A Room of One's Own.
2000 Clara Muggli, for her paper "The Scope of Woolf's Feminism in A Room of One's Own." (PDF)
1999 Angela D. Sarkissian, for her paper "Keeping Up Appearances: An Examination of Europe's Claim to Superiority in the Colonization of Africa as seen in Conrad's Heart of Darkness" (PDF)
Michal K. Trinastic, for his paper on Achebe's Things Fall Apart "External and Internal Causes of the Downfall of the Ibo"
