Osborne P. Wiggins Book Prize

In 2023 the Philosophy Department, in collaboration with the Department of Comparative Humanities, inaugurated the Osborne P. Wiggins Book Prize. Two prizes are given each year: one to an outstanding graduating student in the MA in Applied Philosophy-Health Care Ethics, and one to an outstanding graduating student in the PhD in Humanities. This honors Prof. Wiggins's essential work building both programs. The book is chosen with both Prof. Wiggins and the winning student in mind. A book plate, specially designed by Humanities PhD student Erica Lewis, is mounted inside the prize book. 

Award Year  Award Recipient
2024 Dr. Esper Wadih - Esper entered the MA program in the first class of pediatrics fellows, and completed the MA in 2024. His exemplary coursework and his capstone research project supported his selection as the second recipient of the Wiggins Prize. He was awarded the book Health Problems, by Elizabeth Barnes, which unifies empirical medical science with rigorous philosophical and ethical inquiry.
2023 Andrew Givens - In May, 2023, Andrew completed an MA in Health Care Ethic alongside a Post-BA-Pre-Medical Degree. In his time in our program, he's worked as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Department of Biology, as a Monitor Technician at University of Louisville Hospital, as a Patient coordinator at Baptist Health and Norton Health Care, while also completing an internship at the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness (LMDPHW) examining maternal-child health in Jefferson County. Andrew has dedicated both his personal and academic work toward addressing inequities, particularly but not exclusively those facing LGBTQ+ individuals in the community. Outside of his academic work, he has contributed in numerous ways over the years to efforts at racial justice and refugee resettlement, including teaching English for a year through Kentucky Refugee Ministries. Andrew embodies the spirit of the Osborne P. Wiggins Book Prize. We are so proud of all his accomplishments and can't wait to see what he does next.