The Rebecca Summerhays Award for Growth in Writing

The Rebecca Summerhays Award for Growth in Writing

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About the Award

Rebecca Summerhays was an extraordinary teacher. She taught in the Wellesley Writing Program from 2018-2022, when she passed away at the age of 47. Rebecca was deeply committed to changing her students’ lives by cultivating their ability to express themselves. The fact that she taught until the week before she entered hospice, and three weeks before she died, demonstrates the depth of that commitment.

Not only did Rebecca foster students’ wordsmithing abilities, she also introduced them to a range of ways to use their voice. It was not unusual to see Rebecca carrying bags of yarn, knitting needles, and quilting supplies to her classes. She believed that every student possessed creative abilities, and she saw her role as guiding them to make full use of their natural powers of expression.

To that end, Rebecca devoted herself to all her students, particularly those for whom writing did not come easily. She was patient, kind, and resourceful. And she encouraged students to own the connection between self-expression and both personal and political power.

This award is given in the spirit of honoring Rebecca’s pedagogy, collegiality, friendship, optimism, and unwavering belief in each student’s potential for growth. Each semester, the award and $125 goes to a student who has shown notable progress, perseverance, and resilience in a first-year writing class. 

Guidelines for Submission

Students may nominate themselves for the award by completing the Rebecca Summerhays Award for Growth in Writing Nomination Form.  Students must notify their professors of their self-nomination.

Each submission should include the following:

  • Two papers that together demonstrate a growth trajectory.

  • The associated assignment prompts for these papers.

  • A short essay (250-500 words) that reflects on the two submitted papers and uses them to demonstrate how the student's writing evolved and grew over the semester.

The student might reflect on both their writing process (conceptualization of the paper, brainstorming, planning, research, drafting, revision, etc.) and the final product (the skills and achievements displayed in their final work). Judges will want to understand what specific issues students tackled in their writing and what strategies they used to improve their process, develop their confidence, and strengthen their writing skills. If you are chosen as the winner of the Summerhays Award, this essay may be published on the Writing Program website.

 

Deadline for Submission

The deadline for the Fall 2023 award is Monday, January 8, 2024.

Donating to the Fund

Donations to support the cash prize that comes with the award may be made online or by check. If you give a gift online, please select "Other" as the fund designation and type in "Chapman Fund." If you give via check, please write "Chapman Fund in memory of Rebecca Summerhays" in the memo line, and mail to Wellesley College Development Office, 106 Central Street, Wellesley, MA 02481.

Award Recipients

Michalla Corcimiglia, '27
Michalla Corcimiglia, '27
Fall 2023 Co-Awardee

Comments from the Judges

Michalla Corcimiglia offers a candid and charismatic reflection on her struggles and successes in first-year writing. She describes letting go of an idealized vision of the writing process as a "flowing stream" and coming to accept that it is actually "more like infuriating stop and go traffic." The judges appreciated her willingness to embrace the messiness of the writing & revision process, her attunement to the subtle shifts in her process over time, and her persistent curiosity about how to keep growing as a writer.

Michalla's Self-Reflection

"I thought that writing was like a flowing stream from the brain through the hand and onto the paper. I thought that I was just bad at writing. Perhaps I still am, but over the course of this semester my writing and my writing process has changed." Read Michalla's complete reflection here.
Camila Millan, '27
Camila Millan, '27
Fall 2023 Co-Awardee

Comments from the Judges

Camila's reflection on her "transformative journey" in first-year writing demonstrates her deepening understanding of language, of the importance of voice, and of the redemptive powers of revision. In her words, "armed with the extraordinary tools" she learned how to "face a blank page with confidence," demonstrating the power of confidence in craft to solve so many of the conundrums posed by the writing process.

Camila's Self-Reflection

"WRIT 116 has been a transformative journey where I was exposed to several writing styles that allowed me to progressively find my voice and unique style as a writer. Most importantly, the support from my Professor, peers, and writing tutors was the cornerstone for overcoming several writing challenges that I faced along the way." Read Camila's complete reflection here.

Genesis Hang, '26
Genesis Hang, '26
Spring 2023 Co-Awardee

Comments from the Judges

"Genesis Hang tackled the challenges of college-level writing with tenacity and a strong desire to learn. She gained confidence and sophistication as she engaged critically with scholarly sources."

Genesis's Self-Reflection

"Building confidence in my opinions was fundamental to my growth. Initially, I had skepticism about the validity of my ideas and doubted the quality of my work. However, I gradually developed confidence by seeking feedback from Professor Battat and my peers." Read Genesis's complete reflection here.

 

Gloria Pulido Garcia, '26
Gloria Pulido Garcia, '26
Spring 2023 Co-Awardee

Comments from the Judges

"Gloria Pulido Garcia flourished as a writer through her willingness to receive feedback, to embrace revision, and to take intellectual risks. Her final research paper showcases her confidence and strong writerly voice."

Genesis's Self-Reflection

"A major obstacle of mine was finding my voice and figuring out how best to incorporate it. Creating a formal letter to support expanding an exhibit at a museum was all about doing so. I had never been given an opportunity to have such freedom when it came to writing assignments, which also made it difficult to start." Read Gloria's complete reflection here.

 

Mara Casals '26
Mara Casals '26
Fall 2022 Awardee

Comments from the Judges

"Mara Casals's powerful essay, 'Redefining Modern Art: Jeffrey Gibson, Queer Indigeneity in Contemporary Art' demonstrates this writer's strong grasp on detail, her ingenious use of sources, and her passion about the topic; it was a delight to read. We were also very impressed with Mara's analysis of the writing challenges she faced - facilitating the movement between her ideas, distinguishing her voice from that of her sources, etc. - and how she navigated toward their solutions. Her thoughtful reflection on the processes and outcomes of carefully considered writing shows a deep critical awareness of the intricacies embedded in the craft."

Mara's Self-Reflection

"Thanks to this course, I’ve not only tackled my challenges in writing, but I’ve also developed a lot of confidence as a writer through the reviews provided to me. I have found reading my peers’ essays as inspirational and motivating to keep strengthening my writing skills, and grow as a writer." Read Mara's complete reflection here.