You are invited to submit a paper for:
THE 2023 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
Award-winning papers will 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 2023 Albert Clark Award, given annually for the best papers in religious studies or theology, as judged by a panel established by the Board. Each 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 papers published in the Journal of Theta Alpha Kappa. Other excellent papers submitted for the competition will also be published in the Journal.
Eligibility 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 an active 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 enrolled 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.
Competition Guidelines:
- Papers in religious studies and in all fields of theology are welcome.
- Authors may only submit one paper for consideration, and the paper may not be submitted for publication elsewhere during the duration of the competition.
- All papers submitted will be considered both for the Albert Clark Award and for publication in the
- Papers should be double-spaced and a maximum of 20 pages, including footnotes, with 12-point font size.
- Papers should be submitted as Word documents or PDFs.
- Submissions should follow the Chicago Manual of Style 17th edition (footnotes and bibliography). 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.
- Papers must be submitted with a completed Clark Award Submission Form. Clark Award Submission Forms are available here.
- Papers must be titled “Lastname Clark submission”; forms must be titled “Lastname Clark form”.
- Winners will be chosen and all applicants will be notified of the judges’ decisions in March 2023.
Submission deadline: Monday, January 23, 2023. Send completed Clark Award Submission Form and the paper in one email to: Dr. Andrea Stanton, JTAK Associate Editor (andrea.stanton@du.edu).
Clark Awards Previous Winners List:
Undergraduate Winner School Year Graduate Winner School
Stephanie Gemmell George Washington University 2021 Ryan Duerr University of Dayton
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