Awards and Prizes
2025 prize applications deadline: March 16, 2025, 11:59 PM
application portal: apply here
application requirements: find details for each prize below
The KWH is proud to offer a number of prizes to help people complete creative projects. Do you have a cool creative project that needs a bit of funding? Are you trying to complete a manuscript this summer but also need to pay the rent? Do you have an event in mind for the KWH? Are you a graduating senior or recent alum who wants to stay connected to the KWH community? Consider applying for a KWH prize! All applications require cover letter and project description; most also request a writing sample.
Creative Ventures Capital Prizes: $2000 budget to develop a creative project
Goldstein Prize: $2000 budget to support writing projects in any genre
Salmon Junior Fellows Award: $2000 prize + $2000 project budget for recent alumni
Kerry Sherin Wright Prize: $1000 prize + $2000 project budget for a public event
Universe In Verse Prize: $5000 prize for poetic project involving science
Creative Ventures Capital Prizes
award: $2000 project budget
to support: innovative, extracurricular creative projects
who: any currently enrolled student
The Creative Ventures Program provides budgets of up to $2000 for innovative projects and ideas. Is there something you want to do, make, build, or learn? Creative Ventures Capital Prizes have funded astrophotography, travel, furniture refurbishing, filmmaking, culinary exploration, glass etching, embroidery, archival research, and more. Your project need not be writing-related (though it can be). We are especially interested in intellectually adventurous ideas that cross disciplinary boundaries, ideas that encourage you to learn or apply a special skill, or ideas that fall outside traditional modes of learning. The Creative Ventures Fund has been supported annually since 2011 by Marc Wolpow (W'80) and Robin Wolpow.
application requirements (compile as one PDF):
- • a short cover letter briefly introducing yourself and your project, describing any relevant coursework or experiences that prepare you to undertake your project;
- • a short but detailed one- to two-page proposal that describes a creative project you hope to complete in the coming year. (What is the project in a nutshell? What do you hope to learn or accomplish? What's the timeline?);
- • an estimate of all costs associated with the project;
- • (optional) writing or other relevant work sample, no longer than 10 pages.
Goldstein Prize
award: $2000 prize payment
to support: a writing project in any genre
who: any currently enrolled undergraduate
Do you have a great writing project you want to work on this summer or next year — but need a financial cushion in order to do it? Supporting outstanding writing proposals, the Goldstein Prize is a "writing scholarship" intended to afford you some time to write. Prize awarded on the merits of proposed project; preference for award is given to students with demonstrated financial need. Endowed in 2010 by Penn parents Michael Goldstein and Danielle Goldstein.
application requirements (compile as one PDF):
- • a cover letter briefly introducing yourself and your project, describing any relevant coursework or experiences that prepare you to undertake your project;
- • a short but detailed one- to two-page proposal that describes your proposed writing project. (What is the project in a nutshell? What’s at stake for you? How does this writing project relate to your writing goals?);
- • a short, informal description of your financial need, no longer than a page;
- • a writing sample, no longer than 10 pages.
Salmon Junior Fellows Award
award: $2000 prize + $2000 event/project budget
to support: a writing project in any genre
who: Penn seniors or recent Penn alumni
Awarded annually to a graduating senior or recent Penn grad, the Salmon Junior Fellows Prize supports the creative work of KWH-affiliated alumni. The prize is intended to encourage creative writing or artistic practice by Penn alumni post-graduation and to foster continuing connection with the resources and community of the KWH. During their award year, in addition to working on a personal writing project, the Junior Fellow will have the opportunity to plan an event, project, or other form of community engagement at the Writers House. Priority for the award will go to applicants who intend to reside in Philadelphia. Endowed in 2022 by Advisory Board member Leslie Dezer Salmon (W’92) and Ricardo Salmon (W’93).
application requirements (compile as one PDF):
- • a cover letter introducing yourself. (What writing/creative projects have you pursued at Penn? What coursework has been important to you? How has the KWH been part of your Penn life? What else should we know about you? What else should we know? Do you plan to live in Philly?);
- • a short but detailed one- to two-page proposal that describes a writing project or creative project you hope to undertake in the coming year if selected as the Salmon Junior Fellow. (What is the project in a nutshell? How does this project extend your current writing/art practice? Why is this project important to you now?);
- • a writing sample, no longer than 10 pages.
The Kerry Sherin Wright Prize
award: $1000 prize payment + $2000 project budget
to support: a public event/project
who: any KWH community member
Do you have an idea for a public event or other project to take place at the KWH next academic year? Named for Kerry Sherin Wright, the first director of the Writers House, the Kerry Prize funds proposals that match Kerry's vision for this space: intellectually open events and projects that celebrate writing and take advantage of KWH as a community gathering space for writers and artists. Kerry Prize programs and projects have included readings by visiting authors, reading/writing clubs, art installations, conversations and panel discussions, and other gatherings. Endowed in 2021 with a lead gift by Al Filreis (HOM'91) and Jane Treuhaft, in honor Jean-Marie Kneeley.
application requirements (compile as one PDF):
- • a cover letter introducing yourself. (How has the KWH been part of your Penn life? What KWH events have most inspired you?);
- • a short but detailed one- to two-page proposal that describes an event or other project you hope to enact in the coming academic year. (Is there a writer you want to invite? Explain why! Do you have an idea for an event that’s perfect for KWH? Describe it! Are you hoping to start a club but need a bit of funding to get it going? What’s the plan?);
- • an estimate of all costs associated with your event / project.
Universe In Verse Prize
award: $5000 prize payment
to support: poetry+science interaction
who: any currently enrolled student
Open to currently enrolled Penn students, the Universe in Verse Prize recognizes and encourages the writing of poetry about or engaging with science. Applicants should propose to undertake or complete a poetic project that connects with science — its discoveries, its human histories, its processes — or with scientific thinking. Funded annually by Maria Popova (C'07).
application requirements (compile as one PDF):
- • a short cover letter briefly introducing yourself and your proposed project, describing any relevant coursework or experiences that prepare you to undertake your project;
- • a short but detailed two-page proposal that describes a poetry writing project that you propose to undertake. (How will your project engage scientific discovery, history, or process? In what ways do you expect poetic and scientific concerns to intersect through your work? When do you plan to complete this work?);
- • a writing sample, no longer than 10 pages.
