CHESTERTOWN — Tonight, one of six finalists will be awarded Washington College’s Sophie Kerr Prize as the graduating senior demonstrating the best potential for future achievement in a literary endeavor.
It’s the largest undergraduate literary prize in the country, now valued at tens of thousands of dollars.
This year’s cash prize is just north of $74,000, according to a news release from the college.
The prize winner will be announced Friday night, May 16 as the culmination of a ceremony in the Hotchkiss Recital Hall of the Gibson Center for the Arts on the college campus.
Each of the finalists will read from their work.
The event, which begins at 7:30 p.m, is open to the public.
It also will be livestreamed on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/live/B2-M4yj57x8.
The prize is named for Eastern Shore native and Washington College benefactor Sophie Kerr, who published more than 20 novels and hundreds of short stories.
As stipulated by Kerr’s will, the prize check itself will be awarded Sunday as part of the college’s 242nd commencement.
The 2025 finalists are listed here, alphabetically. Their portfolios included examinations of what creates a sense of self and explorations of gender expectations and womanhood and span poetry, prose, essays, short stories, excerpts from novels — and more.
• Sky Abruzzo of Manassas, Virginia: an English major with minors in creative writing, and journalism, editing and publishing.
• Riley Dauber of Reading, Pennsylvania: an English major with minors in creative writing, journalism, editing and publishing, and communications and media studies.
• Natalie Martinaitis of Columbia: an English major with minors in creative writing, and journalism, editing and publishing. She had a novel published in her junior year.
• Evan Merk of Fort Washington: a biology and environmental science major.
• Brionna Odell of Baltimore: an English major.
• Lucy Verlaque of Santa Clarita, California: an English major with minors in creative writing, journalism, editing and publishing, and gender studies.
“Everyone who submits a portfolio for the Sophie Kerr Prize shows courage, in allowing others to scrutinize the work they hold so dear,” said Courtney Rydel, associate professor of English and chair of the English Department, in announcing the finalists.
“It further takes incredible talent, persistence and aesthetic insight to produce writing on the level that these finalists have created,” Rydel added. “We look forward to hearing them share their exciting and original work in the reading in Friday’s prize ceremony.”
Students within all majors may submit portfolios.
According to a news release, portfolios submitted for consideration encompass the full range of writing that students pursue at Washington College, including fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, screenplays and drama, journalism, editing, scholarly criticism, research in all disciplines and even song lyrics.
A committee comprised of full-time faculty in the English Department and the college president reviews all submissions and makes the final decision.
The Sophie Kerr Prize was first awarded in 1968, in the amount of $9,000.
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Jonathan Karl, chief Washington correspondent for ABC News and co-anchor of “This Week with George Stephanopoulos,” will deliver the keynote address at Washington College’s commencement on Sunday, May 18.
Weather permitting, the ceremony will be held on the campus’ front lawn.
Commencement, which begins at 11 a.m., is open to the public.
