YOU ARE INVITED TO COMPETE FOR
THE 2021 ALBERT CLARK AWARD
FOR THE BEST PAPERS IN
RELIGIOUS STUDIES OR THEOLOGY
$500.00 AWARD FOR THE BEST UNDERGRADUATE PAPER
[ $250 for second place ]
$500 AWARD FOR THE BEST GRADUATE PAPER
[ $250 for second place ]
WINNING ESSAYS TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE
Journal of Theta Alpha Kappa
Sponsored by
THETA ALPHA KAPPA
THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY FOR
RELIGIOUS STUDIES AND THEOLOGY
The National Board of Directors of TAK invites entries for the 2021 Albert Clark Award, given annually for the best papers in religious studies or theology, as judged by a panel established by the Board. Each competition winner in each category (undergraduate or graduate) will receive a $500 award, and the runner-up in each category will receive a $250 award. The winners and runners-up will have their essays published in the Journal of Theta Alpha Kappa. Other excellent essays submitted for the competition will be chosen to appear in the Journal.
Competition Guidelines: The competition is open to current students at the undergraduate or graduate level who satisfy one of these conditions: a) currently enrolled in or having graduated from a school with a TAK chapter, provided that the paper was written while attending that school and submitted for the competition within 12 months after graduation; or b) currently in a school that does not have a TAK chapter, provided that the student was inducted in a chapter of TAK at a school previously attended. Papers may be submitted through TAK faculty representatives or independently.
- Essays in religious studies and in all fields of theology are welcome.
- Only one essay per author will be considered, and the essay may not be considered for publication elsewhere during the duration of the competition.
- All essays submitted will be considered both for the Albert Clark Award and for publication in the
- Papers should be double-spaced and should not exceed 20 pages, including endnotes, in 12-point font size.
- A manual of style should be followed, preferably the Chicago Manual of Style. The citation of all source material, including information drawn from electronic sources or the Internet, should be as complete as possible.
- The paper must be free of any information that may identify the author and may not contain comments by previous readers.
- A completed Clark Award Submission Form must accompany the submission of the paper. Clark Award Submission Forms are available at https://thetaalphkappa.org.
- Winners will be chosen and notified of the judges’ decisions in March 2021.
Deadline for submission is January 22, 2021. Send completed Clark Award Submission Form and the paper by email to: Dr. Bernadette McNary-Zak, JTAK Editor (mcnary_zak@rhodes.edu)
Clark Award Submission Form
The Albert Clark Awards, named for the founder of the honor society, have been conferred for 2020. At the Undergraduate Level, the Winner is Kathryn Gerry of Elon University, for “‘There is Not a Thing Like Religion or Caste between Migrants’: Navigating Multireligious Landscapes in Kerala and the Gulf.” The Runner-up is Emma Welch of Samford University for “The History of the Catholic Church’s Role in the Lives of African-American Catholics in Birmingham, Alabama and How the Church Can Better Serve the African-American Community Today.” At the Graduate Level, the Winner is Molly Smerko of Union Presbyterian Seminary, for “From Nameless Victim to Eshet Chayil: Remembering Bath-Jephthah in Judges 11:34-40.” The Runner-up is Rebekah Gordon of Florida State University for “Political Affect and Semiotics: The Kaepernick Phenomenon.”
Clark Awards Previous Winners List:
Undergraduate Winner School Year Graduate Winner School
Kathryn Gerry Elon University 2020 Molly Smerko Union Presbyterian Seminary
Kristina Meyer Elon University 2019 Joshua Paul Smith University of Denver/Iliff School of Theology
Evangeline Giaconia Appalachian State University 2018 David D. M. King University of Denver/Iliff School of Theology
Zachary Lewis Ludwig Loyola University Chicago 2017 Sara Ann Swenson Syracuse University
Chance Bonar St. Olaf College 2016 Timothy Gervais Loyola University Maryland
Elenore Leonard Creighton University 2015 Danny Yencich Illff School of Theology/U. of Denver
Denise Mason Notre Dame of Maryland 2014 Catherine Orsborn Illiff School of Theology
Rina Sadun Pomona College 2013 Patrick D. Bowen University of Denver-Illiff School of Theology
Kiva Shiri Nice-Webb Elon University 2012 Jonathan Loar Emory University
Stephanie Brenzel Rhodes College 2011 William Myatt Loyola University Chicago
Josh Muglar Oklahoma Baptist University 2010 Michael J. Altman Emory University
Jessica Coblentz Syracuse University 2009 Carson Webb Santa Clara University
Anna Zaros The Catholic University of America 2008 Miles Adam Park Missouri State University
Erin Culp Elon University 2007 Paul Buehler Loyola University, New Orleans
Jeffrey Durkin Georgetown University 2006 Carly Crouch Oxford University
Joe Lencioni Gustavus Adolphus College 2005 Nada Unus Harvard Divinity School
J. Patrick Hornbeck II Georgetown University 2004 Amy Peeler Princeton Theological Seminary
Meaghann Weniger Creighton University 2003 Patricia Lipperini LaSalle University
David Odorisio LaSalle University 2002 Erin E. Mountz University of Wisconsin-Madison