The Department of Comparative Literature recognizes students with a number of annual awards and prizes. Contact our academic advisor or director of undergraduate studies to learn more.
Students must self-nominate to be considered for a department award via IU Scholarships.
The Outstanding Senior Award was established in 1972 to recognize a graduating Comparative Literature major who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, potential, and service to the department.
2025 Lilly Luse
2023 Talia Chase & Samantha Waterman
2022 Grace Cutshaw
2021 Benjamin Ibrulj
2020 Collin Vonderahe
2019 Madeline Klein
2018 Joshua Sutcliffe
2017 Megan Vinson
2016 Madeleine Steup
2015 Miranda Caudell
2014 Aaron LaRoche
2013 Panagiota Doukas & Sarah Williams
2012 Farrell Paules & Colin Wagner
2011 Tiffany Li
2010 Rebecca Westall
2009 Alison Howard
2007 Meredith Morgan
2006 Daniel Bulla
2005 Kathryn Bullerdick, Luke Winnikates, & Emory Zink
2004 Raina Polivka
2003 Kimberly Lux & Erin Plunkett
2001 Jennifer Holt & Joe Pusateri
2000 Christina Dulude & John Easter
1999 Ben Peled
1998 Elizabeth Skomp
1997 James Stevens
1996 Denise Dorman
1995 Stephanie Mohler
1994 Dorothea Rovner
1993 Michelle Brown
1992 Andrea Eitsert & Doug Meyer
1991 Paul Dever
1990 Jane Matthison
1989 Susannah Koerber
1988 Joyce Owens
1987 Margaret Diaz-Padilla
1986 Anthony Guneratne
1985 Bruce Hattendorf & Deanna Shoss
In 1992, Harry M. Geduld established this award in memory of Annie Geduld. The prize is given in alternate years to an outstanding graduate or undergraduate student in the Comparative Arts component of the Comparative Literature Program.
2025 Garrett Biggs
2023 Autumn Stevens
2021 Alexis Bujtas
2017 Em Brewington & Alexis Rueff
2015 Allison Hart
2010 Nick Jeffries
2009 Nick Stange
2007 Anna Piontek
2006 Luke Winnikates
2005 John Heather
2004 Courtney Burke
2003 Megan Glass
2001 Erik Gibson & Oliver Hildebrandt
2000 Jane Cronkhite
1999 Angelia Haro
1998 Ryan Haley
1997 Eric Cox
1996 Marcet Townsend
1995 Brian Doan & Charity Rolfes
1994 David Bandurski
1993 Claire Sanders
The Ilinca Zarifopol Johnston Award is given in honor of the life of Professor Johnston, an accomplished translator, scholar, and teacher who earned her Ph.D. in Comparative Literature and then taught in the Department from the 1990’s until her death in 2005.
The award is given in alternate years to a graduate or an undergraduate student, chosen on the basis of GPA, breadth of interests, originality, academic and/or creative achievement, and overall promise.
2022 Samantha Waterman
2020 Cindy You
2018 Dylan Taylor
2016 Jordan Riley
2014 Rebecca Ferber
2011 Sarah Williams
2008 Alison Howard
The Wertheim Awards in Comparative Drama were established by the family and friends of Albert Wertheim in 2016. Professor Wertheim was an internationally recognized drama scholar and devoted teacher, who taught at IU from 1969 until his death in 2003.
Each year, the Department of Comparative Literature awards one undergraduate and one graduate student for the best papers about drama submitted to Comparative Literature courses.
2024 Olivia Wood
2023 Guinnevere Hartley
2022 Toby Huter
2021 Grace Cutshaw
2020 Laria Miller
2018 Corey Lee
2017 Em Brewington
The Mary Ellen Solt Prize will recognize the best interdisciplinary essay submitted in a Comparative Literature course that brings together literature with another art form. This prize was first awarded in 2025.
2025 Danielle Tate
There are a number of academic honors and merit-based scholarships available through the College of Arts + Sciences.
Our students have been particularly successful in receiving the College’s Sanders-Weber Scholarship and Palmer-Brandon Prize.
The College of Arts