Student finalists recently read their essays for the 2025 WVU Potomac State College English Essay Awards competition. Participants included (l-r): Sarah Augustine (sophomore, English, Petersburg, W.Va.), Steve Oberlechner (professor of English), Deanna Armentrout (professor of English), Dr. Caitlin Hudgins (assistant professor of English), Emma Lee Ludwig (freshman, English, Maysville, W.Va.), Faith Brannon (freshman, biology, Ivydale, W.Va.); and Piper Roberts (freshman, elementary education, Imperial Beach, Calif.).
Student finalists vying for the 2025 West Virginia University Potomac State College English Essay Awards, recently gathered for a small reception in the Writing Center to read their essays to friends, family, fellow students, and faculty.
The students' essays covered AI-generated art, fostering kittens, finding comfort through music, and dealing with natural disasters, as well as love and betrayal. The student-writer of the best creative essay will receive the Duke Anthony Whitmore Award, and the student-writer of the best research-based essay will receive the Willa Louise Cather Award. Recipients will be announced at the annual Recognition Day event on Sunday, May 4.
The essay competition began in 2021, with English faculty submitting up to two essays for each category of writing. Recipients are decided through round-robin judging by volunteers from PSC faculty and staff. The winning student in each category receives a small cash prize.