Howard County Woman Wins Washington College's Sophie Kerr Prize, Nation's Largest Undergraduate Literary Award
ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (WJZ) -- A Washington College student from Howard County won the nation's largest undergraduate literary award.
Mary Sprague, an English major from Ellicott City, won the 2020 Sophie Kerr Prize worth $63,537 this year.
Sprague, who served as Editor-in-Chief of the student literary magazine and a copy-editor for the student newspaper, submitted a collection of short prose pieces most often about interpersonal relationships, sexuality, sexual assault and isolation.
For four decades, Washington College has awarded the Kerr Prize to the graduating senior who they feel has the ability and promise to go far in literature.
Sprague told WJZ the prize money might pay for graduate school and opens the doors for scholarships and jobs.
"Editing and publishing jobs, maybe some magazines…. It's a national award, people know about it," she said.
During a virtual ceremony Friday evening, Sprague read pieces from her portfolio.
Sean Meehan, Professor and Chair of English at Washington College, released the following statement.
"The Committee judged Sprague's maturity as a writer to be amongst the most advanced it has observed in recent years, and eagerly looks forward to reading and hearing more from this promising writer in the future," Meehan said in part.
The judges said Sprague's writing was original, breathtaking and beautiful. That's what earned her the edge over the other five finalists.
Her stories can be dark, and she said quarantining has been very hard on her.
Despite that, she's grateful for the recognition.
