RIVERSIDE (April 23, 2013) — Michael J. Sutherlin, a California Baptist University senior, has been selected as the winner of the 2013 President's Award for Excellence in Writing. Dr. Ronald L. Ellis, CBU president, presented the award at a luncheon April 15.

Sutherlin's paper, The Word and Words, compared J.R.R. Tolkien's Mythopoeia and Justin Martyr's Apology.

"This 25-page argumentative paper exemplifies what a substantial research paper should be," said Dr. James Lu, professor and chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Literature. "Written in fluid language and supported by references and citations literary as well as theoretical, this paper serves as a good sample of excellence in writing."

Sutherlin, who is an English major, received a certificate and a check for $300.

Ellis also honored Tawnee J. Ortiz, a graduate student in English, as first runner-up for her paper, Dr. Jeckyll's Shadow Is Reborn: In a Game of Hyde and Seek. Dr. Amy Stumpf, associate professor of society and religion, said the paper was "a delightful mix of academic rigor, enjoyable narrative and social commentary." Ortiz received a certificate and a check for $200.

Andrew D. Winegarner, a senior biology and philosophy major, was recognized as second runner-up for Wittgenstein's Veneration of Value Devoid of Vacant Logic. Stumpf said the paper was ambitious, demonstrating fluency with Wittgenstein's theories as well as mastery of language and writing. Winegarner received a certificate.

The three entries were chosen by a faculty selection committee using a formal voting process. Lu said the papers did not include the students' identities during judging.

 

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