New student-written fiction contest will be richest in Canada
The Bridge Prize was established as the University of Lethbridge’s “Giller Prize for students,” says dean of liberal education.
The University of Lethbridge has established the richest prize for student-written short fiction in Canada. The Bridge Prize, hosted by the university’s school of liberal education, will award one student author a top prize of $7,500 and $1,000 each to three additional finalists.
Shelly Wismath, dean of liberal education, says the institution was approached to establish the “Giller Prize for students” by U of Lethbridge alumnus Terry Whitehead, a managing partner of executive search firm Alexander Whitehead and board volunteer with the Vancouver Writers Fest and Vancouver International Film Festival. Mr. Whitehead, who has previously founded a student playwriting contest at the university, will fund the short fiction contest for 10 years, with prizes awarded every other year.
The name, a nod to Lethbridge’s iconic high-level rail bridge, is also meant to evoke the contest’s mission to support student authors in becoming professional writers. To that end, a local organizing committee has put together an impressive roster of jurors, which includes Shelley Ambrose, executive director of The Walrus; writer and comedian Charles Demers; Leslie Hurtig, artistic director of the Vancouver Writers Fest; writer and scholar Aritha van Herk; and award-winning writer Thomas King, who will serve as head juror.
Students registered at Canadian postsecondary institutions are eligible for the contest, which closes January 20, 2020. Winners will be announced in September.
Featured Jobs
- Veterinary Medicine - Lecturer, Term (Large Animal Internal Medicine)University of Saskatchewan
- Health Sciences - (2) Postdoctoral Research Fellowships, 2-Year Term (Rare Dementia Support Canada)Nipissing University
- Physical Education - Probationary Tenure-Track PositionBrandon University
- Engineering - Assistant Teaching Professor (Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering)Ontario Tech University
- Canada Research Chair, Tier 2 in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Director, Maria T. Schneider Social Innovation InstituteMacEwan University
More from News
-
Learning through community service
When students work with social organisms, everyone benefits.
-
Universities urged to work together to ramp up AI adoption
COU report outlines AI’s risks to privacy, security, integrity, autonomy, copyright, and the environment, while advising institutions to responsibly embrace the technology.
-
Learning software hack bolsters the case for digital sovereignty
Critics say Canvas security breach shows the need for universities to regain control of their own data.
-
Saskatchewan offers Ukrainian students international tuition relief
Many others face drastic tuition increases as their status is set to change from ‘domestic’ to ‘international’.
More from Campus news
-
Strike over, but strife remains at Laurentian
Faculty ratify new collective agreement, but say the deal still puts them behind other Ontario universities.
-
Faculty strike at Laurentian
Negotiations fail, picket lines rise at northern Ontario university.
-
Quebec universities weather an unprecedented storm
The province’s institutes of higher learning are navigating immigration restrictions, language policies, budget cuts and challenges to academic freedom.
-
Reflecting the cultural temperature
A look back at some of Spring’s convocation speeches at Canadian universities.
More from Articles
-
Ontario unis avoid fiscal abyss, still anticipate cuts
Universities relish a multi-billion-dollar provincial infusion, but budgeting remains frugal for 2026-27.
-
Scarborough Charter faces headwinds
Anti-racism group steps up efforts amid budget cutbacks, EDI backlash.
-
Federal $29M fund embeds PhDs and post-docs into tech firms
Talent Innovation Canada receives promised funding to match grad students with companies to develop new technologies.
-
Cuban students and scholars desperately await improvement amid continued blockade
Canada-Cuba relations expert Karen Dubinsky warns mood among Cuban colleagues continues to decline.
Post a comment
University Affairs moderates all comments according to the following guidelines. If approved, comments generally appear within one business day. We may republish particularly insightful remarks in our print edition or elsewhere.