Leon V. Driskell Award

DEADLINE: Monday, March 24, 2025 no later than 11:59 P.M.

Monetary Prize (Two awarded in 2025): $300.00 per award. 

Creative Writing Scholarships and Awards acknowledge excellence in creative writing by University of Louisville undergraduate and graduate students. The awards are made in varying amounts of tuition reimbursement. You do not have to be an English major to apply. Judges for the competition are the members of the English Department Creative Writing Committee.

Eligibility:

  • The scholarships and awards are open to University of Louisville students, both undergraduate and graduate who have successfully completed at least one creative writing course Spring or Fall of 2024 or who are enrolled in a creative writing course in Spring 2025.
  • Students not graduating in Spring or Summer of 2025 and who receive a scholarship must complete one creative writing course in the 2025-26 academic year. This does not apply to students who receive only a McDowell or Driskell award.
  • Undergraduate students are eligible for scholarships and the Leon V. Driskell Award. A single application covers both opportunities.
  • MA students are eligible for scholarships.

Students who wish to apply should prepare a submission containing the following material (please follow the directions closely):

1) A cover letter of less than 300 words that speaks to your experience in the creative writing program, including your participation in creative writing events beyond your course work. The letter should include your name, address (including zip code), university e-mail address, telephone number, student ID number, date of birth, level in school, list of creative writing courses taken (noting semester and year) and the name of the instructor/s. If you are a senior, you must indicate what year and semester you plan to graduate. Previous recipients of Creative Writing Scholarships and Awards must indicate the year and semester of their award.

2) The writing sample should be 5-7 poems (one poem per page), 12-20 double-spaced pages of prose (fiction, creative nonfiction, or drama), or a mix of both, not exceeding 20 pages.