Johnston Award for Excellence in English 205
Dr. Harold Johnston is a 1941 graduate of Emory College who received his A.B. degree in both chemistry and English. He went on to receive a Ph.D. in chemistry and physics from the California Institute of Technology, and subsequently taught chemistry at Stanford, Caltech, and the University of California at Berkeley, where he became professor emeritus in 1991.
His generous bequest to the department, named the Harold T. and Mary E. Johnston English Endowment, annually supports two prizes for English majors for the best essay in English 205, the only course required for all English majors and minors: The winner will receive a $500 prize for Best Essay, and a runner-up will recieve an award of $250.
Any major project composed in English 205 is eligible.
To apply, submit the form below:
The Johnston Award for Excellence in English application
Deadline: 4:00p.m., Monday, March 16th, 2026
Previous Winners
Isabella Gershon (2025)
Srija Potluri, Honorable Mention (2025)
Katheryn Prather (2024)
Emma Lee (2023)
Faith Schofield (2023)