Prize Competitions and Awards
Fr. Matt Creighton, S.J., Undergraduate Essay Contest 2025
- This contest is open to any currently-enrolled, undergraduate student at Loyola.
- Essays must be written on a topic or theme in Classical Studies. Essays written for a Loyola course completed in calendar year (spring, summer, fall) 2024 or spring semester 2025 are eligible to compete
- Essays must be no less than six (6) and no more than eight (8) pages in length.
- Essays should be typed with 12-point font, double-spaced lines and 1-inch margins.
- Essays should have a cover page with title and author's name; please do not include your name on every page.
- All essays must be accompanied by a contest entry sheet signed (typed is acceptable) by a faculty member of the Department of Classical Studies (normally the instructor of the class for which you originally wrote the essay). Download the contest entry form here.
- Essays must be submitted for the competition electronically to the departmental Administrative Assistant (contact details below).
- Entries will be judged by a panel of Classical Studies instructors.
- The department reserves the right not to award prizes if the committee does not find the submitted essays prizeworthy.
- Deadline for submissions: Friday, 28 March 2025.
- Submit your essay, with the signed entry sheet, to the omnicompetent Administrative Assistant, Ms. Lillian Hardison, lhardison@luc.edu.
- For further information, contact:
- Dr. Jonathan Mannering, Undergraduate Program Director
E-mail: jmannering@luc.edu
Phone: 773.508.3662
Office: Crown Center 555, LSC - Administrative Assistant: Ms. Lillian Hardison
E-mail: lhardison@luc.edu
Phone: 773.508.3650
Office: Crown Center 581, LSC
- Dr. Jonathan Mannering, Undergraduate Program Director
Edwin P. Menes Translation Contest 2025
Prize for excellence in translation of ancient Greek or Latin by an undergraduate student
- This contest is open to any currently-enrolled, undergraduate student at Loyola.
- A selection from an ancient author of the language of the student's expertise will be set by the examination committee, for the student to translate within a two-hour period. The date and time is typically announced in mid-March.
- The department reserves the right not to award prizes if the committee does not find the competing translations are prize-worthy.
- For more information, please contact Dr. Jonathan Mannering, Undergraduate Program Director (jmannering@luc.edu).
Abel Key
The Dr. D. Herbert Abel Key for Ancient Greek is named in memory of the late professor of Classics, who for almost forty years fostered the humanities through his teaching and inspiration.
Mertz Key
The Fr. James J. Mertz, S.J. Key, first awarded in 1957, is given for excellence in the study of Latin. The late Father Mertz was a member of the Loyola faculty for almost 60 years.
O'Connell Key
The John T. O’Connell Key for Classical Civilization honors the late John T. O’Connell, M.S. and was first awarded in 1940. The Key is presented for excellence in the study of Classical Civilization.
Constance Long Spalding Scholarship
The Constance Long Spalding Scholarship honors the memory of a loving and extremely independent aunt, who made a life for herself based on what she studied in college. It was first awarded in 2020. The Scholarship is available for students of the College of Arts & Sciences, with a preference for students majoring or minoring in Ancient Greek and/or Latin, or another Classical Studies program of Loyola University Chicago.
Eta Sigma Phi
Members of the Department's chapter of Eta Sigma Phi, the national collegiate honorary society for students of ancient Greek or Latin, are entitled to compete for scholarships and in contests sponsored by the Society. See also the Department's page of Fellowships and Other Opportunities.
- Two summer scholarships are awarded by Eta Sigma Phi for alumni who have received a bachelor's degree within eight years prior to application or are about to receive a bachelor's degree by 1 June of the current year, and who have not received a doctoral degree:
- Classical Summer School of the American Academy in Rome
- The Brent Malcolm Froberg Scholarship for the Summer Session of the American School for Classical Studies at Athens
- The Theodore Bedrick Scholarship for the Vergilian Society Summer Tours is awarded preferentially to Eta Sigma Phi undergraduates who have sophomore or junior status during the current academic year, though candidates eligible for the AAR or ASCSA summer scholarships above also may apply; only Vergilian Society tours in Italy are covered by this scholarship.
- The Eta Sigma Phi H. R. Butts Scholarship for Fieldwork in Classical Archaeology is awarded preferentially to Eta Sigma Phi undergraduates who have had not yet had experience in archaeological fieldwork, but experienced fieldworkers and graduate students are also welcome to apply.
- The Eta Sigma Phi Bernice L. Fox Teacher Training Scholarship is awarded to Eta Sigma Phi members who are now teaching or preparing to teach at the pre-collegiate level, who have received a bachelor's degree within the last ten years or who expect to receive it before the summer of the current academic year, and who have not received a doctoral degree; the award will support summer activity contributing to the recipient's preparation for teaching (e.g., American Classical League Institute or university courses leading to certification).
- The Maurine Dallas Watkins Translation Contests are held in Advanced and Intermediate levels in Classical Greek, in Koine Greek, and Advanced and Intermediate levels in Latin, all translating from the original language, and in Latin Prose Composition.
National Awards
- Society for Classical Studies: As a Departmental Member, the Department of Classical Studies is entitled to nominate a student for the honor of the SCS Award for Outstanding Achievement in Classical Studies, which confers one student membership in the SCS for the following year.
- Classical Association of the Middle West and South: As an Institutional Member, the Department of Classical Studies is entitled to nominate students for awards of the Association:
- The CAMWS Award for Outstanding Accomplishment in Classical Studies confers honor and one student membership in CAMWS for the following year.
- The Manson Stewart Scholarship provides $1000 to a limited number of undergraduate students at a CAMWS college or university, supporting their studies for the junior or senior year, during which the nominees are expected to take a minimum of two courses in Latin or in Greek. See the Department's page of Fellowships and Other Opportunities.
- Illinois Classical Conference: As an Institutional Member, the Department of Classical Studies is entitled to nominate a student for the honor of the ICC Award for Outstanding Accomplishment in Classical Studies, which confers one student membership in ICC for the following year.
Revised 16 February by lhardison@luc..edu
Fr. Matt Creighton, S.J., Undergraduate Essay Contest 2025
- This contest is open to any currently-enrolled, undergraduate student at Loyola.
- Essays must be written on a topic or theme in Classical Studies. Essays written for a Loyola course completed in calendar year (spring, summer, fall) 2024 or spring semester 2025 are eligible to compete
- Essays must be no less than six (6) and no more than eight (8) pages in length.
- Essays should be typed with 12-point font, double-spaced lines and 1-inch margins.
- Essays should have a cover page with title and author's name; please do not include your name on every page.
- All essays must be accompanied by a contest entry sheet signed (typed is acceptable) by a faculty member of the Department of Classical Studies (normally the instructor of the class for which you originally wrote the essay). Download the contest entry form here.
- Essays must be submitted for the competition electronically to the departmental Administrative Assistant (contact details below).
- Entries will be judged by a panel of Classical Studies instructors.
- The department reserves the right not to award prizes if the committee does not find the submitted essays prizeworthy.
- Deadline for submissions: Friday, 28 March 2025.
- Submit your essay, with the signed entry sheet, to the omnicompetent Administrative Assistant, Ms. Lillian Hardison, lhardison@luc.edu.
- For further information, contact:
- Dr. Jonathan Mannering, Undergraduate Program Director
E-mail: jmannering@luc.edu
Phone: 773.508.3662
Office: Crown Center 555, LSC - Administrative Assistant: Ms. Lillian Hardison
E-mail: lhardison@luc.edu
Phone: 773.508.3650
Office: Crown Center 581, LSC
- Dr. Jonathan Mannering, Undergraduate Program Director
Edwin P. Menes Translation Contest 2025
Prize for excellence in translation of ancient Greek or Latin by an undergraduate student
- This contest is open to any currently-enrolled, undergraduate student at Loyola.
- A selection from an ancient author of the language of the student's expertise will be set by the examination committee, for the student to translate within a two-hour period. The date and time is typically announced in mid-March.
- The department reserves the right not to award prizes if the committee does not find the competing translations are prize-worthy.
- For more information, please contact Dr. Jonathan Mannering, Undergraduate Program Director (jmannering@luc.edu).
Abel Key
The Dr. D. Herbert Abel Key for Ancient Greek is named in memory of the late professor of Classics, who for almost forty years fostered the humanities through his teaching and inspiration.
Mertz Key
The Fr. James J. Mertz, S.J. Key, first awarded in 1957, is given for excellence in the study of Latin. The late Father Mertz was a member of the Loyola faculty for almost 60 years.
O'Connell Key
The John T. O’Connell Key for Classical Civilization honors the late John T. O’Connell, M.S. and was first awarded in 1940. The Key is presented for excellence in the study of Classical Civilization.
Constance Long Spalding Scholarship
The Constance Long Spalding Scholarship honors the memory of a loving and extremely independent aunt, who made a life for herself based on what she studied in college. It was first awarded in 2020. The Scholarship is available for students of the College of Arts & Sciences, with a preference for students majoring or minoring in Ancient Greek and/or Latin, or another Classical Studies program of Loyola University Chicago.
Eta Sigma Phi
Members of the Department's chapter of Eta Sigma Phi, the national collegiate honorary society for students of ancient Greek or Latin, are entitled to compete for scholarships and in contests sponsored by the Society. See also the Department's page of Fellowships and Other Opportunities.
- Two summer scholarships are awarded by Eta Sigma Phi for alumni who have received a bachelor's degree within eight years prior to application or are about to receive a bachelor's degree by 1 June of the current year, and who have not received a doctoral degree:
- Classical Summer School of the American Academy in Rome
- The Brent Malcolm Froberg Scholarship for the Summer Session of the American School for Classical Studies at Athens
- The Theodore Bedrick Scholarship for the Vergilian Society Summer Tours is awarded preferentially to Eta Sigma Phi undergraduates who have sophomore or junior status during the current academic year, though candidates eligible for the AAR or ASCSA summer scholarships above also may apply; only Vergilian Society tours in Italy are covered by this scholarship.
- The Eta Sigma Phi H. R. Butts Scholarship for Fieldwork in Classical Archaeology is awarded preferentially to Eta Sigma Phi undergraduates who have had not yet had experience in archaeological fieldwork, but experienced fieldworkers and graduate students are also welcome to apply.
- The Eta Sigma Phi Bernice L. Fox Teacher Training Scholarship is awarded to Eta Sigma Phi members who are now teaching or preparing to teach at the pre-collegiate level, who have received a bachelor's degree within the last ten years or who expect to receive it before the summer of the current academic year, and who have not received a doctoral degree; the award will support summer activity contributing to the recipient's preparation for teaching (e.g., American Classical League Institute or university courses leading to certification).
- The Maurine Dallas Watkins Translation Contests are held in Advanced and Intermediate levels in Classical Greek, in Koine Greek, and Advanced and Intermediate levels in Latin, all translating from the original language, and in Latin Prose Composition.
National Awards
- Society for Classical Studies: As a Departmental Member, the Department of Classical Studies is entitled to nominate a student for the honor of the SCS Award for Outstanding Achievement in Classical Studies, which confers one student membership in the SCS for the following year.
- Classical Association of the Middle West and South: As an Institutional Member, the Department of Classical Studies is entitled to nominate students for awards of the Association:
- The CAMWS Award for Outstanding Accomplishment in Classical Studies confers honor and one student membership in CAMWS for the following year.
- The Manson Stewart Scholarship provides $1000 to a limited number of undergraduate students at a CAMWS college or university, supporting their studies for the junior or senior year, during which the nominees are expected to take a minimum of two courses in Latin or in Greek. See the Department's page of Fellowships and Other Opportunities.
- Illinois Classical Conference: As an Institutional Member, the Department of Classical Studies is entitled to nominate a student for the honor of the ICC Award for Outstanding Accomplishment in Classical Studies, which confers one student membership in ICC for the following year.
Revised 16 February by lhardison@luc..edu