posted
My university gives out "Best Writer Awards" for the best essays written in sophomore level literature survey classes. I just got notified that I won one.
I'm not sure I'm comfortable with this. For one thing, I'm not a sophomore, I'm a junior-about-to-be-senior who is taking the survey classes required by her major. Secondly, I'm an English major and I've already taken advanced 300 and 400 level English classes. I really think this award should be for non-English majors. At the risk of sounding snotty, I think it's not a big surprise that someone with my background and experience and in my major would write a good paper for a sophomore English class. The recognition would probably be more meaningful to someone who was not an English major.
The purpose of the award is to have a luncheon and roundtable discussion where faculty ask you about how you write and they use that information to improve their teaching in the literature survey classes. Everyone on campus must take at least one survey, and the vast majority of students in survey classes are not English majors. I think the information would be more valuable coming from a non-English major.
But, there's not much I can do, since the papers were submitted long ago and the award has already been made. What's really sad is I don't even know what paper I won for - both my survey professors said they were submitting a paper I wrote. And the professor does the submitting, not the student so I didn't get the opportunity to say no.
Do you think I should go to the luncheon? I've just been asked to RSVP. I don't want to insult my professors by not attending, since they nominated me. (and yes, they'll be there) I guess it's really too late to do anything now, I mean, it's not as if someone else will get the award if I don't show.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Yes. Your only real duty here is to make sure they know your junior/senior status. If they don't think it affects the award, then you deserve it - they're the ones who have defined what the award means.
The luncheon sounds like it would be fun and interesting and it would be courteous to go. Your professors and the judges gave you a nice compliment, one they thought you deserved. I'm sure they were right.
Oh, and congratulations. Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
I have won an award I know I didn't deserve - which I discovered as a result of Hatrack, no less. A few years ago someone suggested Googling our names. I googled mine, and I discovered that I had won a national award from the Tech Writers' Club (that wasn't the real name, but that's what it was). I did NOTHING for it - my name was put on the application by a creepy guy who followed me around at a meeting once. I never went to another meeting because it was such a weird experience, but there it is - I am the co-winner of the award. I put it on my resume now. That's probably bad. Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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posted
As a junior-senior and an English major, you might be able to give better suggestions about how to improve the department. That may be one reason your professors submitted your papers: because they feel that you'll contribute to the discussion.
I was once "scouted" for a college soccer program. I received a letter from a small college in the Northern US who claimed that they were impressed with my soccer skills, and that I might be eligible for a soccer scholarship at their school.
I must have checked on some information card that I enjoyed soccer, because I hadn't played competitively since 4th grade. If they were scouting me back then, I'm a little frightened.
Posts: 3950 | Registered: Mar 2006
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posted
That doesn't sound snotty to me at all. It's just true.
Speaking as a professor: I think you should talk to one of your professors about your misgivings. We like talking to students (which is why we took the job!).
posted
I got a "night on the town" award for all my hard working during a lay off.
Yeah, I DID work hard... but didn't do anything beyond the call of duty. And I didn't want it. I wanted my co-workers back.
Posts: 7085 | Registered: Apr 2001
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posted
I managed my high school Varsity baseball team last year to be with my friends since I'm not really the athletic type, and they put me on the team roster for various logistical purposes. I ended up getting a GPA award at the end of the year because I was technically on the team. I can't think of anyone less deserving of getting an athletic award than myself, I don't think anyone was mad at me, but I'm upset someone else didn't get it.
As far you're concerned Belle, by all means go to the luncheon, and if you have reservations, just make that known when you get there, it's too late to do anything else about it.
Posts: 959 | Registered: Oct 2005
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