The Adamson Awards

An annual highlight of the Department of English is the Adamson Student Creative Writing Awards.

Run by the Creative Writing program, the Adamson Awards are presented for student excellence in fiction, poetry, and non-fiction, and are open to undergraduate students throughout the Carnegie Mellon University community. Student pieces are judged by professional writers, and to add to the sense of celebration, a prominent writer is invited to be the special guest speaker at the annual Awards.

In 1983, Clarence H. Adamson, a graduate of Carnegie Tech, gave Carnegie Mellon University and the Department of English several gifts in memory of his wife, Pauline, who had died three years earlier. One of these gifts was the Adamson Scholarship for undergraduate women majoring in English. Another was the Adamson Awards for Writing and a fund for the support of an annual series of lectures by distinguished authors. And another was the Pauline B. Adamson Wing in Baker Hall, where the Adamson Awards ceremony is held every spring. The gifts were intended by Mr. Adamson as testimonials to the 35 years of companionship he shared with his wife and to her interest in education, language, and literature. The Adamson Awards are intended to encourage students to pursue excellence in writing. The awards are open to undergraduate students only.

2026 Adamson Awards Submission Deadline

The Spring 2026 Adamson Awards deadline will be posted in early March 2026. Please check back at that time for more information.

What Can You Submit and What Are the Guidelines?

There are three categories for which you can submit your work.

1. Nonfiction Stories/Essays

2. Fiction

3. Poetry

Submission guidelines will be posted for the 2026 Adamson Awards in early March 2026. Please follow these guidelines, or your submission may be rejected.

How to Submit Your Work

Other Important Details

Eligibility

The Awards are open to all currently enrolled undergraduate students at Carnegie Mellon University, regardless of major or minor.

Restrictions

All submissions must be typed and all work must be original. All previous winning submissions for any of the awards offered by the English Department are ineligible. You may submit work in multiple categories, however, you may submit only one entry per category. Entries cannot be returned.

Judging

Outside judges appointed by the Awards Committee of the English Department evaluate entries and choose the winners.

Prizes

At the discretion of the judges, monetary awards plus one honorable mention are given to undergraduate students in each category—nonfiction (essays and articles for popular or literary journals), fiction, and poetry.

Presentation of Prizes

Prizes are awarded at the Adamson Awards celebration, which typically takes place during the last week of classes each spring semester.

Winners are not notified ahead of time, so you should plan to attend the event if you submitted any of your work.

2025 Adamson Award Winners

Poetry

1. First Prize Adamson Award: Meabyn Bie
2. Second Prize Adamson Award: Dylan Rossi
3. Third Prize Adamson Award: G.R.
4. Honorable Mention: Dylan Courtney

Nonfiction

1. First Prize Adamson Award: G.R.
   
2. Second Prize Adamson Award: Josephine Kim
   
3. Third Prize Adamson Award: William Curvan
4. Honorable Mention: Mick Muerte

Fiction

1. First Prize Adamson Award: Sanaa Akindele
   
2. Second Prize Adamson Award: Mick Muerte
   
3. Third Prize Adamson Award: G.R.
4. Honorable Mention: Maria Hawthorne

Academy of American Poets Prize

Josephine Kim

CMU Press Award

Tzushan Chu

The Edythe & Leon Nagin Award for Creative Writing Honors Thesis

Jimmy Baracia

Olivia Reed

Dylan Rossi

The Bart & Kathleen Astor Endowed Creative Writing Award

This award is given to a Creative Writing major who demonstrates creativity, care, and potential.

LiLi DiMuzio

The Barbara & Allan Topol Award

This award is given to a promising writer of fiction or creative nonfiction.

Alayna Ptak

The Donna Grear Memorial Award

Jennifer Bortner

Dylan Rossi

Adamson Award Ceremony Speakers