Oxford College 2026 Academic and Leadership Awards

Ina Jane Wundrum Anthropology Award

The Ina Jane Wundrum Anthropology Award, named after Oxford’s first anthropology professor, recognizes the student who is exceptional in both cultural and biological anthropology. 

Economics Award

The Economics Award is given to a sophomore who has the breadth of economics courses taken at Oxford, stellar grades received in economics courses taken at Oxford, and the service in the area of economics at Oxford such as serving as a supplemental instructor. 

Linguistics Award

The Linguistics Award honors a high-achieving student who has shown insightful contributions and exceptional dedication to the study of linguistics at Oxford. Selection takes into consideration success in linguistics courses and empirical research completed outside the classroom. 

William Cody Political Science Award

The William Cody Political Science Award is named in honor of long-serving Oxford College professor of political science, William “Bill” Cody. Professor Cody earned the love and respect of students and colleagues alike with his passion for politics, his commitment to life-long learning, and his dedication to the Oxford community. The Cody Award is given annually to the student or students who best exemplify these values in their coursework in the field of political science. 

Patti Owen Smith Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Award

The Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Award (WGSS) is presented annually to a student who exemplifies a critical curiosity about the world and commitment to expanding the feminist imagination.  The award winner will have taken at least two courses in the field of WGSS.  They will be presented with a token that reflects their scholarly interests. 

Outstanding Psychology Student Award

The Outstanding Psychology Student Award is given to a student who has taken at least three courses offered by the psychology department. The student must have made a valuable contribution to these courses in terms of participation and leadership and show great promise for future achievement. 

Data and Decision Science Award

The Data and Decision Sciences award recognizes a student who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement in DataSci coursework, distinguished engagement beyond the classroom, and exceptional promise for contributing to the field of data and quantitative analysis. 

Michael McQuaide Sociology Student of the Year

The Sociology Student of the Year Award honors a high-achieving sociology student who has taken at least twelve hours of sociology classes in their time at Oxford and has maintained a 3.75 GPA average within those courses. Student selections are made based on grades, engagement, and a capacity to see the world through the sociological imagination, connecting daily life to larger institutional patterns.

Neil Penn Award in European History

The Penn Award in History honors the legacy of excellence in teaching, service and scholarship epitomized by Dr. Neil Penn, Professor Emeritus of History at Oxford College. Dr. Penn had a strong commitment to Western Civilization as a core focus of undergraduate education at Oxford, and an overall belief in historical perspectives on the Liberal Arts.

History and Social Science Award

To qualify for the History and Social Science Award, a student must have taken five or more courses in the History and Social Science Division. These courses must have come from at least three different departments, and the student must also have an outstanding a academic record in the courses and show promise for continued achievement.

English Award

The English Award is given annually to rising juniors who plan to major in English at Emory College, who have performed well in their English courses while at Oxford, and who show a genuine passion for literature and writing. 

The Mark Twain German Studies Award

The Mark Twain German Studies Award honors a student that has shown a dedication to German studies through their varied coursework, engagement outside of the class in German Club, German-related events, and/or study abroad opportunities to a German-speaking country.  Especially important for this award is continued resilience in the struggle to learn German as a foreign language.

Oxford College Instrumental Music Award

The Oxford College Instrumental Award recognize students who have exhibited excellence and dedication in the study of music for four semesters. 

Oxford College Vocal Music Award

The Oxford College Vocal Music Award recognize students who have exhibited excellence and dedication in the study of music for four semesters.

Logic Award

The Logic Award is presented annually to the highest-achieving student across all sections of Introduction to Logic. The award winner is presented with a copy of Thinking About Logic, a collection of classic essays on the philosophy of logic.

Religion Award

The Religion Award is given to a student who has taken at least three religion classes and earned an “A” in all of them. 

Excellence in Spanish Award

The Excellence in Spanish Award requires enrollment of at least two semesters of Spanish with final grades of 94 or higher. In addition to superior recommendations from Spanish professors, each recipient must display curiosity and passion for Hispanic culture, understand the need for cultural competence, and have consistently participated in extra-curricular events and work related to Hispanic culture while on Oxford's campus.

The Confucius Chinese Studies Award

Awarded annually, the Confucius Chinese Studies Award is presented to outstanding students who best reflect the learning goals for the achievement of proficiency in Chinese language, cultural understanding, and enthusiasm in exploring Chinese language and culture.

Studio Art Awards Drawing & Painting Sculpture & Ceramics

The Studio Art Award is presented annually to the student who has shown outstanding and sustained development of their studio practice, displayed strong compositional and technical skill in a studio course, and has demonstrated a dedicated work ethic.

Art History Award

The Art History Award is presented annually to the student who has demonstrated excellence in their scholarship across Art History courses at Oxford College. The recipient has displayed intellectual curiosity, exceptional research, and communication skills, together with nuanced analysis of artworks. The Art faculty present the award winner a book specifically chosen for them based on their individual research interests. 

Theater Award

The Theater Award goes to the most outstanding graduating sophomore, who has excelled in multiple areas of theater practice or scholarship. 

Oxford Writing & Communication Center Award

The Oxford Writing Center Award is given annually to a student staff member who has demonstrated exceptional commitment, creativity, and thoughtfulness in supporting the communication development of fellow Oxford students and in inspiring fellow staff members to deepen their own professionalism and reflective practice. 

Humanities Award

The Humanities Award is given annually by the entire faculty of the Humanities Division at Oxford College, to a student who has excelled in courses in at least three different humanities disciplines. Students are chosen on the basis of their contributions to their courses, their overall GPA, and their advancement of humanistic inquiry at Oxford. 

Biology Academic Achievement Award

The Biology Academic Achievement Award recognizes students that have taken biology courses beyond BIOL141 and BIO142. Students earning this award have demonstrated their passion for biology through their mastery of fundamental biological principles and their productive collaborations with their instructors and fellow classmates. These same characteristics from the classroom will serve them well as future biologists as science relies on collaborative teams asking questions grounded in fundamental principles.

Biology Research Award

The Biology Research Award recognizes students that have participated in independent research with biology faculty. Students earning this award have demonstrated their curiosity and perseverance by asking questions, solving problems, working as a team, and sharing their research with others.

Biology Service Award

The Biology Service Award recognizes students that have provided valuable service to the Biology Department. Whether as a Teaching Assistant, Supplemental Instructor, Lab Prep Assistant, or other role, these students have demonstrated their ability to communicate with and care for their colleagues.

Chemistry Academic Excellence Award

The Chemistry Department Academic Excellence Award is the top academic award given by the Chemistry Department. It is given to a student who has demonstrated a genuine passion for chemistry and has excelled in three or more chemistry courses at Oxford. This student is a role model for fellow classmates by exhibiting curiosity and positive contributions to classes and labs.

Chemistry Research Excellence Award

The Chemistry Department Research Excellence Award is the top research award given by the Chemistry Department. It is given to a student who has demonstrated a genuine passion and dedication to research. This student committed at least two semesters to work on a research project and presented the work to communities beyond the chemistry department. This student is a role model for fellow students by exhibiting curiosity and positive contributions to classes and labs.

Chemistry Service Award

The Chemistry Department Service Award is presented to a student who has provided valuable service to the department and demonstrated a genuine passion for helping other students. The student who has gone above and beyond their assigned duties to support the chemistry department community.

Chemistry Catalyst Award

The Chemistry Department Catalyst Award is presented to a student who has made an outstanding contribution to the introductory chemistry lab program. The student has immersed themselves to all aspects of the intro lab curriculum to make lab more accessible to other students: assisting behind the scenes, facilitating in the lab, and contributing to the assessment of the curriculum.

Environmental Science Award

The Environmental Science Award is given to a student who, while maintaining high academic standing and pursuing a degree in Environmental Science, has made significant contributions in the classroom, to the Environmental Science Department, and to the broader community.

Mathematics Award

The Mathematics Award is given to the student who has made significant contributions to the mathematics department and for excellent academic achievements.

Computer Science Award

The Computer Science Award is given to the sophomore student who best has demonstrated excellence in achievement in computer science while enrolled as a student at Oxford College.

Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology Award

The award in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology recognizes a student who has not only excelled in classes associated with the major but also demonstrated intellectual curiosity through independent research in the laboratory. 

William H. Murdy Natural Science and Mathematics Award

This award is presented in honor of Dr. William H. Murdy who gave a total of 40 years of service to Emory University.  It is given every year to a student who has excelled in natural science and mathematics, including coursework in at least 2 different departments within the division, with a minimum GPA of 3.7 in science and math courses, and who has made a significant contribution to the division.   

William Baird Physics Award

William H. Murdy Athletics Award for Outstanding Achievement in Athletics, Academics, & Service

This award, named after Dean of the College, William Murdy (1987-1999), is presented to a student athlete who demonstrates the trifecta of excellence in athletics, academics and service. 

The Hoyt P. Oliver Interfaith Dialogue Award

The Hoyt P. Oliver Interfaith Dialogue Award celebrates an Oxford College student who shows leadership in interreligious dialogue on campus. This award honors Professor of Religion Hoyt Peder Oliver (1936-2021), an Oxford College alumnus who taught at Oxford College for forty years, was dedicated to teaching social justice and interfaith understanding, and modeled them in his own life. Interfaith work builds relationships of understanding, strengthens community, and seeks a more just, inclusive, and compassionate society in which all are welcomed and empowered. Interreligious dialogue may include but is not limited to cooperation between religious individuals or groups, furthering interfaith understanding and equality, and promoting religious and cultural literacies in a diverse world. Nominations should come from an Oxford College faculty or staff member familiar with the student's interfaith efforts, goals, and achievements.